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

1. The au pair needs to have a certificate of admission to studies in Swedish, provided by the host family
2. The au pair needs to have a written job offer by the host family, specifying the following terms:

• no more than 25 hours of light housework per week
• board and lodging available
• a monthly pretax salary of SEK 3.500
• possibility for the au pair to attend a Swedish language course 
• household and studies must not exceed 40 hours per week

The Swedish Migration Agency gives the following important information about insurance:

You need to have an insurance policy that will cover any costs that may arise in connection with illness or injury when you are living in Sweden. If you are registered in the Swedish population register you are covered by the Swedish social insurance system. If you are not registered in the population register it is important that you get your own health insurance policy.

To be registered in the Swedish population register you generally need to have been granted a residence permit in Sweden for at least one year and plan to stay here for a year or longer.

This means:

1. The private medical insurance needs to have a level that will cover the cost of hospital accommodation.
2. Besides a private medical insurance, an all-inclusive liability for the au pair is recommended. Therefore, it is clear who pays for the damage in case of an accident

• Private & professional liability

In order to obtain a visa - respectively a work permit to enter Sweden the au pair must

• have a valid passport
• be 18 - 30 years old
• show that the au pair has a definite interest in or use for Swedish language studies
• have a certificate of admission to studies in Swedish specifying the number of hours per week the au pair will be studying
• have a written job offer from a family in Sweden, indicating that the au pair will be doing light housework for no more than 25 hours per week and specifying the conditions of the au pair's employment 
• not be accompanied by any family members
• payment of the work permit application fee of SEK 1.000

Important:

1. A work permit can only be granted for no longer than the au pair's passport's period of validity
2. The maximum period a work permit can be granted for is one year.

More information can be found in section "Work permits for au pairs" on the website of the Swedish Migration Agency.

Note:

1. Household & studies combined must not exceed 40 hrs per week
2. a permit to work as an au pair may be granted for up to one year
3. A previous period spent as an au pair in another country immediately prior to the planned stay in Sweden may reduce the au pair's chances to obtain a work permit.

More information can be found in section "Work permits for au pairs" on the website of the Swedish Migration Agency.

In order to obtain a visa - respectively a work permit to enter Sweden the au pair must

• have a valid passport
• be 18 - 30 years old
• have at least SEK 15.000.- to support oneself at least for the initial part of the au pair's stay in 'Sweden (i.e. with a banki statement)
• have a return ticket or enough money to buy one
• have a valid health insurance policy (unless the au pair is a citizen of Australia)
• not be accompanied by any children
• payment of the work permit application fee of SEK 1.000

Important:

1. A work permit can only be granted for no longer than the au pair's passport's period of validity
2. The maximum period a work permit can be granted for is one year.

Note: 

1. Employment can be temporary
2. The au pair does not need a job offer when applying for a permit

More information can be found in section "Work permits for citizens of Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Korea" on the website of the Swedish Migration Agency

Note:

1. Household & studies combined must not exceed 40 hrs per week
2. a permit to work as an au pair may be granted for up to one year
3. A previous period spent as an au pair in another country immediately prior to the planned stay in Sweden may reduce the au pair's chances to obtain a work permit.

More information can be found in section "Work permits for au pairs" on the website of the Swedish Migration Agency.

The following requirement(s) need to be fulfilled:

• valid passport or
• valid ID card

showing that the au pair is an EU/EEA/Nordic - citizen.

More information can be found in section "EU citizens working, studying or living in Sweden" on the website of the Swedish Migration Agency.

Note:

An au pair being a Nordic citizen (Denmark, Finland, Norway, Iceland, together with Sweden) has the right to live in whichever Nordic country he / she chooses.

More information can be found in section "Nordic citizens living in Sweden" on the website of the Swedish Migration Agency.

The au pair can choose between

• an online visa application on the website of the Swedish Migration Agency or
• a regular visa application at a Swedish embassy or consulate general in the au pair's home country

For an online application, the following additional requirements need to be fulfilled in order to submit a successful online application:

• have a valid e-mail address
• be able to pay the application fee using a Visa or Mastercard / Eurocard card
• be able to scan or photograph the documents to be attached
• have a program that reads pdf format, for example Acrobat Reader
• More information can be found in section "requirements for an online application" on the website of the Swedish Migration Agency.

In general:

• The au pair has to accept the terms and conditions for the selected application way
• Documents not in Swedish or English, must be accompanied by accredited Swedish or English translations
• Citizens of some countries always require a visa for entry into Sweden irrespective the length of the planned stay in Sweden. A list of these countries is available here.

The au pair can choose between

• an online visa application on the website of the Swedish Migration Agency or
• a regular visa application at a Swedish embassy or consulate general in the au pair's home country

For an online application, the following additional requirements need to be fulfilled in order to submit a successful online application:

• have a valid e-mail address
• be able to pay the application fee using a Visa or Mastercard / Eurocard card
• be able to scan or photograph the documents to be attached
• have a program that reads pdf format, for example Acrobat Reader
• More information can be found in section "requirements for an online application" on the website of the Swedish Migration Agency.

In general:

• The au pair has to accept the terms and conditions for the selected application way
• Documents not in Swedish or English, must be accompanied by accredited Swedish or English translations

Which further documents the au pair probably needs to bring along?

To proof the payment of the pocket money, most families will want to transfer the money to a bank account of the au pair. Therefore the host family should check what documents the bank asks for to open a bank account for an au pair, so the au pair can organize them at home already (see also “bank account” below).

If the au pair wants to drive a car in the host country, (s)he eventually needs e.g. a legally attested copy of the national driving license. See also “driving license” further below.

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.

A residence permit card will be issued to the au pair if he / she obtains a work permit.

The residence permit card

1. is proof that the au pair is permitted to live in Sweden.
2. has to be shown together with the passport when traveling

In order to receive a residence permit card the au pair has to

• book an appointment at the Migration Agency
• be photographed
• be fingerprinted

For more information about the residence permit card please visit the same-named section on the website of the Swedish Migration Agency.

An au pair being an EU/EEA-citizen has automatically the so-called "right of residence" when he / she is

• employed
• self-employed
• a student or
• has sufficient means to support oneself.

One of the above listed requirements need to be fulfilled so that the au pair doesn't need to contact the Swedish Migration Agency.

More information can be found in section "EU citizens working, studying or living in Sweden" on the website of the Swedish Migration Agency.

Note:

An au pair being a Nordic citizen (Denmark, Finland, Norway, Iceland, together with Sweden) has the right to live in whichever Nordic country he / she chooses.

More information can be found in section "Nordic citizens living in Sweden" on the website of the Swedish Migration Agency.

For more information about the requirements for obtaining a work permit please see "step-by-step-to-get-to => visa" 

According to the "Rules for working as an employed person in Sweden" an au pair

cannot enter Sweden until the permit has been granted.

For more information about the requirements for obtaining a work permit please see "step-by-step-to-get-to => visa" 

According to the "Rules for working as an employed person in Sweden" an au pair

cannot enter Sweden until the permit has been granted.

An au pair being an EU/EEA-citizen has the right to

• work
• study or
• live

in Sweden without a residence permit.

More information can be found in section "EU citizens working, studying or living in Sweden" on the website of the Swedish Migration Agency.

A bank account with a Swedish bank can only be opened if the au pair's planned stay in Sweden is longer than six months.

The following documents have to be presented when applying at the local branch of a Swedish bank:

• Valid passport (stay less than 1 year)
• Swedish ID-card (mandatory if stay more than 1 year)
• residence permit /statement of employment
• Details of the au pair's address in Sweden

The four major Swedish banks are

• SEB
• Nordea
• Handelsbanken
• Swedbank

More details about the requirements and the process of opening a bank account can be found here:

1. overview - section "Open  a bank account" on the website of the Uppsala University
2. General nformation about "How to open a bank account"  from the Swedbank and the Savings Bank
3. Information about the "Swedish Identity card" provided by the Swedish Tax Agency

In generally the au pair has to be 18 years of age.

A driver's licence being issued outside the EEA is valid in Sweden on certain conditions.

• a valid national driving licence
• not being registered in Sweden for more than one year
• the valid national driving licence must not have been exchanged for a Swedish driving licence
• the Swedish driving licence must not have been confiscated or revoked

Besides that 

1. there are international agreements on how a driving licence is to be designed
2. a driving licence not being issued in English, German or French is only valid together with a certified translation into English, German, French, Swedish, Danish or Norwegian
3. a driving licence with no photograph is only valid together with an identification document that has a photograph

More information about "Foreign Driver's Licences" provided by the Swedish Transport Agency can be found in this brochure.

In generally the au pair has to be 18 years of age.

A driver's licence being issued within the EEA is valid in Sweden on certain conditions.

• a valid national driving licence
• the valid national driving licence must not have been exchanged for a Swedish driving licence
• the Swedish driving licence must not have been confiscated or revoked

More information about "Foreign Driver's Licences" provided by the Swedish Transport Agency can be found in this brochure.

Important:

1. A work permit can only be granted for no longer than the au pair's passport's period of validity
2. The maximum period a work permit can be granted for is one year.

More information can be found in section "Work permits for au pairs" on the website of the Swedish Migration Agency.

Important:

1. A work permit can only be granted for no longer than the au pair's passport's period of validity
2. The maximum period a work permit can be granted for is one year.

More information can be found in section "Work permits for citizens of Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Korea" on the website of the Swedish Migration Agency.

Important:

According to the Swedish Migration Agency an au pair 

... will not be eligible for social benefits if ... receive a permit for less than one year. It is important ... to have an insurance policy that will cover any costs that may arise in connection with i8llness, injury, etc.

For more information hereabout please see section "rules & regulations => social welfare system"

Important:

According to the Swedish Migration Agency an au pair 

... will not be eligible for social benefits if ... receive a permit for less than one year. It is important ... to have an insurance policy that will cover any costs that may arise in connection with illness, injury, etc.

For more information hereabout please see section "rules & regulations => social welfare system"

• Either the au pair finds a new host family herself / himself or
• the "old" host family helps the au pair to find a new host family

For more information have a look at our tipps, how to change family!

According to the individual insurance conditions, the au pair may have to announce a change of address to the insurance providers, to ensure that the policies are being sustained.

In the information brochure about taxes on the Swedish Tax Agency's website the following information about social security contributions is given:

If as an employee you are covered by Swedish social insurance your employer must pay employer’s social security contributions calculated on your income. If instead you are covered by foreign social insurance you must corroborate this with an E 101 certificate (certificate of relevant EU legislation) or a certificate of posting from the foreign insurer.

There are some exceptions outlined in the above mentioned information brochure what is excempt from social security contributions.

Note:

1. The Swedish social insurance covers various benefits related to sickness, disability,...
2. No sick pay for the first day of illness

Regarding the residence permit card the au pair has to

• inform the Migration Agency about  his / her new address

More information can be found in the same-named section on the website of the Swedish Migration Agency.

The au pair does not have to submit a new application for a work permit when switching host families.

(see "Work permits for au pairs" on the website of the Swedish Migration Agency)

Regarding the residence permit card the au pair has to

• inform the Migration Agency about  his / her new address

More information can be found in the same-named section on the website of the Swedish Migration Agency.

For more information please see "step by step once you're in => social welfare system

It is up to the au pair to clarify whether a "DE-registration" with the Swedish Migration Agency and the Swedish Tax Agency is necessarily mandatory for the au pair when leaving Sweden.

Note:

The au pair should take into consideration that this issue might have an influence on an eventual re-entry into Sweden.

It is up to the au pair to clarify whether a "DE-registration" with the Swedish Migration Agency and / or the Swedish Tax Agency is necessarily mandatory for the au pair when leaving Sweden.

Note:

The au pair should take into consideration that this issue might have an influence on an eventual re-entry into Sweden.

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

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