Follow our tips on how to find the perfect au pair / the perfect host family with connectAuPair.

This is not a mandatory requirement if the au pair does not need a visa. 

If the au pair needs a visa, then an invitation letter from the host family or an institution might be needed. 

To obtain this letter, the host family must contact the police station and apply for one. After they have received the letter, they must send it to the au pair.

Whether an invitation letter is needed or not, we recommend the au pair to ask her/his host family for one.

To obtain a working holiday visa, the au pair does not need an invitation letter. But we recommend that the host family sends an invitation letter to the au pair. 

This is not a mandatory requirement.

It is mandatory to have health insurance (see also rules and regulations - health, accident and liability insurance).

The au pair has to hold medical and comprehensive
hospitalization insurance to remain in effect throughout her/his stay in Spain.

It is mandatory to have health insurance (see also rules and regulations - health, accident and liability insurance).

The au pair has to decide first if she/he is going to stay less or longer than 3 months:

Staying in Spain for less than 3 months:

• If the au pair is staying in Spain for less than 3 months, she/he can find out in the list of the Department of Foreign Affairs if she/he is exempt from visa requirements. 
• If she/he has to get a visa, she/he can apply for a short term visa (Schengen visa).

The au pair also needs:

*valid passport
*flight ticket to and from Spain

Staying in Spain for longer than 3 months:

If the au pair is staying in Spain for more than three months, then she/he can either apply for:

• a student visa or 
• a “Non profitable temporary residence permit (Autorización inicial deresidencia temporal no lucrativa)”.

If the au pair has to apply for a visa, she/he has to do it at her/his Spanish embassy or consulate. We recommend to contact the authorities as soon as the au pair has decided to go to Spain to verify the current regulations. 

If the au pair wishes to stay for less than three months in Spain, she/he does not need a visa. However, the au pair must present documents, which justify her/his stay in Spain and also show that she/he can afford the stay. We recommend the au pair to justify her/his stay for study purposes or private matters. The family must send the au pair a signed au pair contract, which will serve as proof of funds that she/he has at her/his disposal. We also recommend that the host family sends an invitation letter (see invitation letter) to the au pair.

New Zealanders may apply for a Working Holiday visa. Please refer to the Spanish Embassy website in New Zealand for more information as this program is only open for a period each year. See also base rules and prerequisites for this program with regard to citizens of New Zealand.

If the au pair wants to stay in Spain for less than 90 days, she/he needs to hold a valid Canadian passport.

If the au pair wants to stay in Spain for more than 90 days then she/he can become an au pair in Spain through the Youth Mobility Program. This program is only open for a period each year and that only a limited number of visas can be issued every year. Visa applications are made via the Spanish Embassy. 

In order to apply for the visa, au pairs should pay attention to the following consular demarcations:

The consular jurisdiction of the Embassy of Spain in Ottawa only includes the Canadian national capital region (Ottawa and Gatineau).

The consular jurisdiction of the Consulate General of Spain in Toronto includes the provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario (except Ottawa), Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut.

The consular jurisdiction of the Consulate General of Spain in Montreal includes the provinces of Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Québec (except Gatineau), Newfoundland and Labrador.

The au pair must submit originals and photocopies of the following documents:

1. Visa application form, filled and signed with one (1) recent full-face photograph.
2. A valid passport.
3. Documentation proving resident status in Canada.
4. Return ticket or sufficient funds to purchase it.
5. Proof of economic means.
6. A medical insurance policy.
7. If the duration of stay is over six months, a Police Check would be required.
8. If the duration of the stay is over six months, a medical certificate issued by the applicant's family doctor worded as follows: “This medical certificate states that Mr./Mrs...... does not suffer from any diseases that may have serious consequences on public health in accordance with the provisions contained in the 2005 International Health Regulations.”
9. A fee of $150.00 CAD.
10. As the case may be, proof of registration in a post-secondary institution in Canada and proof of acceptance by a Spanish institution or an offer of casual employment (au pair contract).
11. A NIE (Foreigners’ Identification Number). Applications for a NIE will be done at the same time as the visa application is submitted.

Applicants residing in the National Capital Region must apply in person.

If the au pair wishes to stay in Spain for a period of time longer than 6 months, but less than one year, she/he may apply for a “Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero” (Foreigner ID Card) at their closest “Oficina de Extranjeros”.

We recommend the au pair to bring along a copy of the European Agreement on "Au pair" Placement for his/her record.

The trip will normally be organized by the au pair, of course in accordance with the host family.

Even when everything is clear and all questions are asked, it's good to stay in touch until the journey starts - it's important that also the children get to know that a new au pair is coming and communicating from time to time through Skype is a good way to get used to each other.

What to take with you as au pair? In our community you can find tips from other au pairs!

Please note: Border authorities may examine whether the prerequisites for entry continue to apply. This examination is international practice. The au pair might be refused entry even though (s)he is in the possession of a valid visa, if the prerequisites for entry no longer apply.

Therefore the au pair should carry with him/her documents giving evidence to the purpose of the stay - in particular proof of sufficient funds (au pair contract) and health insurance.

Although it's not mandatory, normally the host family picks up the au pair from the airport or train station (or organizes a pick-up).

The first days should then be reserved for getting to know each other and introducing the au pair to the family's daily routines.

You are not sure how to welcome your au pair and which rules you should define? Have a look at our tipps and discuss with other families in our community!

You are feeling homesick, the kids don't seem to like you and you just feel like returning home asap? Get comfort and tipps from other au pairs in our community!
And with our nearBy function you can immediately see which other au pairs live nearby and can meet with them.

It is not mandatory for the au pair to register residence at he host family´s address.

If the au pair has a visa, the work permit is granted with this document.

If the au pair has a "Working holiday" visa, the work permit is granted with this document.

If the au pair has a visa, the work permit is granted with this document.

It is not mandatory for the au pair to open a bank account.

But, a very good option for au pairs is an online bank like N26: It's very easy to open an account, it's for free and everything can be done via smartphone.

Some host families would like the au pair to have a driver´s license.
In this case, the insurance of the au pair should also cover this.

If the au pair is staying in Spain for less than three months, she/he must obtain an international driving permit prior to their arrival in Spain. An international driving permit (IDP) translates her/his state-issued driver’s license into 10 languages so the au pair can show it to officials in foreign countries to help them interpret her/his driver’s license. The IDP is not valid by itself and must be carried with the au pair driver’s license. To obtain an IDP, the au pair should contact his/her local automobile association.

The au pair must obtain a valid Spanish driver’s license, if she/he wants to stay more than six months in Spain. To obtain a Spanish driver’s license please contact the nearest Spanish General Directorate of Traffic Office (Dirección General de Tráfico) or a local driving school. The au pair will be required to perform theoretical and practical tests.

If the au pair is staying less than three months, she/he may drive in Spain if they hold a valid Canadian provincial driver’s licence and an International Driver’s Permit (IDP). To obtain an IDP, the au pair should contact her/his local Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) office or visit the CAA website.

Canadians must, within six months of having obtained residency in Spain apply for a Spanish driver’s licence. There is no bilateral agreement between Canada and Spain on the exchange of Canadian provincial drivers’ licences for a Spanish driver’s licence. Therefore, Canadian residents in Spain, although they may be experienced drivers, must comply with all the requirements for obtaining a Spanish driver’s license which includes passing both the written test and the practical driving test.

To obtain a Spanish driver’s license, please contact the nearest Spanish Directorate-General of Traffic (Dirección General de Trafico) Office or a local driving school.

Note: In Spain, as of 01 May 2008, driving without a license is a criminal offence, and punishable with imprisonment. Furthermore, driving without a license could render your vehicle insurance, including compulsory third party insurance, null and void.

Residence in Spain can be temporary or permanent.

Temporary residence is the situation authorizing a stay in Spain for a period longer than 90 days and shorter than five years. Authorizations for a period not exceeding five years may be renewed regularly, at the request of the person concerned, depending on the circumstances leading to their issuance.

Initial authorization for temporary residence not involving a work permit shall be granted to foreigners who have sufficient means of subsistence for themselves.

For more information visit the Spanish Foreign Affairs and Cooperation website.

The maximum stay for an au pair with the host family is two years. 

The working holiday visa is valid for presentation for a period of twelve months from the date of issue. 

If the au pair has already participated in this program, then she/he will not be able to apply again for a working holiday visa.

The au pair may apply twice for this visa under two different categories among those set out here:

a) Young citizens in possession of a post-secondary diploma
wishing to obtain additional training in Spain through a pre-arranged contract of employment;

b) Registered students of a Canadian post-secondary institution wishing to complete part of their academic training through a pre-arranged internship in a Spanish institution, including under inter-institution agreements;

c) Young citizens wishing to obtain additional training in the other country under a pre-arranged contract of employment in order to contribute to their professional development;

d) Registered students of a post-secondary institution in their home country who plan to travel to Spain during academic vacations and who wish to work on a casual basis in order to increase their financial resources;

e) Young citizens who plan to travel to Spain and who wish to work on a casual basis in order to increase their financial resources or to do volunteer work.

The period of each stay may not exceed one year. In all cases, there shall be a minimum three-month period between the two stays.

Have a look at our tips, how to change family!

As the host family normally pays 50% of the insurance, either the current insurance must be taken over by the new host family or the current insurance is terminated and a new policy is issued. 

If the au pair has paid for her/his own insurance, there are no changes to be made. 

Also consider the following, especially when the au pair leaves earlier than planned:

• Cancel standing order for pocket money
• Cancel au pair insurance