18-30

More information can be found in section "US-Ireland visa arrangements", on the website of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The permissible age of the student depends on the individual prerequisites for a qualifying student visa application of the particular home country (if visa-required), so there may be restrictions regarding the permissible age.

18-30

It is expected that the au pair has a basic to good knowledge of the English language.

To be able to work as an au pair, Language skills that are equivalent to at least B1 of the "Common European Framework of Reference for Languages" are recommended.

There have been no prerequisites found regarding

• school education
• experience in childcare

to be able to work as an au pair.

For mostly all visa applications, the au pair has to attach

• a Certificate of highest qualifications attained

For more information, please see section "step by step - visa".

When entering Ireland with a Working Holiday Authorisation, it is generally not allowed to bring the spouse along.

Regarding the work as an au pair, there have been no restrictions found concerning the marital status.

When entering Ireland as a full time non-EEA student, it is generally not allowed to bring the spouse along.

Regarding the work as an au pair, there have been no restrictions found about the marital status.

No restrictions about the marital status of an au pair have been found.

When entering Ireland with a Working Holiday Authorisation, it is generally not allowed to bring dependents along.

Regarding the work as an au pair, there have been no restrictions found concerning the au pair being childless or not.

When entering Ireland as a full time non-EEA student, it is generally not allowed to bring dependents along.

Regarding the work as an au pair, there have been no restrictions found about the au pair being childless or not.

There are no official rules if the au pair is allowed to have children or not.

There have been no regulations found regarding the family itself, with respect to the prerequisites that the family has to meet to be eligible to employ an au pair.

But, according to the Irish understanding a family nowadays can be;

• a cohabiting heterosexual couple with children to look after, despite their marital status
• unmarried lone parents and their children
• foster parents and children

More information about the Irish understanding of what can be considered  a "family" nowadays is available in the "Constitution Review Group Report 'The Family'", as well as in the report "Families and Family Life in Ireland - Challenges for the Future 2004", available on the welfare website, provided by the Department of Social Protection  

There are two official languages in Ireland:

• English and
• Irish (Gaeilge/Gaelic))

For "the au pair being considered a domestic worker with all the employment rights" (see section "tax" in "rules & regulations") at least one parent of the host family becomes an entrepreneur when signing the au pair contract.

The following persons can become an entrepreneur:

• Irish nationals
• EEA or Swiss nationals
• Non-EEA nationals

More information is available in section "Self-employment" on the Citizens Information website, provided by the Citizens Information Board.

Recommendation:

• criminal record certificate

• Non-EEA nationals need to be enrolled in an English language or non-Degree Program course, listed in the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP), which is available here. 
• The English language course has to be a full time educational course with at least 15 hours daytime tuition each week between 8 am and 6 pm for a minimum of 25 weeks per annum.
• The maximum duration of an English language course is 1 year.
• A student may enroll in three separate English language courses to a maximum of three years.
• The maximum time for a student to stay in Ireland for the purpose of attending courses at Language level is limited to 3 years.
• It is not permissible for a student to come to Ireland to undertake a part-time course, or a distance learning course.
• A Language or non-Degree student can engage in casual employment
• Casual employment is defined as up to a maximum of 20 hours part-time work per week during the academic semester, or full time work with up to 40 hours per week during normal college holiday periods.

Note:

Students will also be required to comply with the Universal Social Contribution, Pay Related Social Insurance, employment laws and taxation requirements when engaging in casual employment.

For more information about the "Guidelines for Language and Non-Degree Students" in Ireland, issued 01 January 2011, please see the "Immigration rules for full-time non-EEA students" provided by the Citizens Information Board.

Further recommendation:

• criminal record certificate

Recommendation:

• criminal record certificate