More and more Australian families are turning to au pairs for childcare options as the cost of childcare centres rises and waitlists get longer and longer. This increase in demand has created an excellent opportunity for backpackers on working holiday visas, who are passionate about childcare, to find employment as an au pair or nanny / home help.
You’ll often also find both part-time or causal roles advertised here on the Backpacker Job Board. The part time role is commonly known as a demi au pair. Accommodation is usually available too with live-in options. Make sure you check out our Help Exchange category too – as farm work and family care jobs in exchange for living expenses can be found here.
Qualifications and Resume building
There aren’t any specific qualifications when it comes to being an au pair; however, it is beneficial to have experience of working with children. A passion for child care is a must. First aid certification and police checks are a big plus on any au pair resume.
A drivers license is also very useful. Check out your state DVLA for advice on how best to convert your license to an Australian driver’s license.
A Working With Children Check or WWCC is reassuring for prospective parents. Costs for this can vary state-by-state, but having a WWCC complete prior to sending off your resume will help bring your application to the top of the pile.
Finally, solid references from previous employers will go a long way.
What pay can I expect?
As an au pair, you’ll often find accommodation, food and work-related travel expenses all offered as part of the package. On top of this and your wage, it is common place to get pre-agreed time off; be that evenings, weekends or set days.
At the time of writing, the national minimum wage in Australia is $17.29 per hour, which works out to be about $656.90 per 38-hour week, before tax is taken off. You need to keep these numbers in mind. Should private employers be offering cash payment – make sure that you are getting at least the national minimum wage.
Government Advice
Currently there is no official au pair programme for Australia and because of this, there aren’t any regulations on how much an au pair should be paid. However, many au pair organisations recommend an income of between $200 and $290 per week for a live-in au pair based on 25 – 40 hours of work.
The tax office states an au pair employed for more than 30 hours a week must also be paid superannuation contributions.
There is very little other advice from the government on au pairs.
In recent months, the subject of fair pay for au pairs has been in the headlines in Australia. The Green Party leader, Richard Di Natale was accused of hypocrisy by the press for not paying a fair wage for an au pair.
Senator Di Natale hit back at these claims, stating that the total package he offered to his au pair was around $500 a week for 25 hours work, once room, board and other expenses were taken into account.
