Hosting a young person or working as an au pair
The Au Pair program in Luxembourg allows a host family and a young foreigner to enjoy an enriching cultural experience based on exchange and sharing daily life.
Whether you’re a family looking for flexible childcare options or a young person wanting to discover Luxembourg while improving your language skills, the Au Pair program can meet your needs.
Requirements, procedures, obligations: here’s everything you need to know to host or become an au pair in Luxembourg.
Hosting an au pair in Luxembourg: requirements and procedures
Why hire an au pair to care for your children?
Are you looking for a temporary childcare solution for your children in your home? Do you want to introduce a young person to another culture and share your own? Then hosting an au pair is undoubtedly a wonderful opportunity for the whole family.
Hosting an au pair can be a suitable solution if you’re looking for flexible childcare right in your home, while offering your children a daily cultural experience.
Beyond the practical aspects, it is above all a human exchange: you share your lifestyle, language, and culture, while discovering those of the young person you’re hosting.
A cultural exchange, not an employment relationship
The au pair should not be considered an employee. This is a cultural exchange program governed by an agreement, not an employment contract.
The au pair is welcomed as a temporary member of the family. In exchange for their participation in daily life, the family commits to providing them with:
- Housing (private room)
- Meals
- A monthly allowance (pocket money)
- Language lessons
The time spent on childcare and household chores is limited to a maximum of 25 hours per week (approximately 5 hours per day).
The remaining time should allow the au pair to attend language classes funded by the family and to fully immerse themselves in their cultural experience in Luxembourg.
Steps to host an au pair in Luxembourg
Obtaining approval as a host family
Approval issued by the National Youth Service (SNJ) is mandatory. It officially authorizes a family to host an au pair.
The application for approval must be accompanied by several documents, including:
- A certificate of household composition (issued by the municipality)
- A criminal record check
If you have a child under the age of 6, you must also provide proof of additional childcare arrangements.
Sign an agreement with the au pair
A host agreement must be signed between the family and the au pair. It specifies the terms of stay, as well as the rights and obligations of each party.
This document must be validated by the SNJ.
A copy of the authorization and approval must be submitted to the Joint Social Security Center for the au pair’s enrollment.
Consult the official information on guichet.lu
Becoming an au pair in Luxembourg: requirements and procedures
Why become an au pair in Luxembourg?
Becoming an au pair in Luxembourg allows you to have an immersive international experience while keeping costs low thanks to covered housing and meals.
The country offers a particularly multicultural environment, with over 170 nationalitiesand widespread use of multiple languages in daily life.
This experience also serves as a first step toward professional or personal integration in Europe.
In addition to the unforgettable nature of the au pair experience in Luxembourg, you’ll gain your first professional experience abroad.
Requirements to become an au pair in Luxembourg
- Be between the ages of 18 and 29
- Have an educational level equivalent to high school
- Have basic knowledge of a language spoken by the host family
- Not be engaged in any professional activity during your stay
A medical certificate issued within the last 3 months is also required prior to arrival.
Administrative steps to become an au pair
Before arrival
- Find a host family
- Sign a host agreement
- Obtain approval from the Ministry of Youth
- Submit an application for a temporary residence permit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. More information is available at guichet.lu.
The application must be sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Once you have obtained the temporary residence permit, you can apply for your entry visa to Luxembourg, if applicable. You will then be authorized to enter Luxembourg.
After Arrival in Luxembourg
- Registration with the municipality
- Medical examination
- Application for a residence permit with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This step is mandatory, as the temporary authorization is valid for only 90 days.
Once settled in Luxembourg, the au pair must attend an information session at the National Youth Service. This session gives au pairs the opportunity to meet other au pairs.
To learn more about the Au Pair childcare system in Luxembourg, visit the website au-pair.lu.
Key Points
- The au pair program is a cultural exchange, not a job
- Childcare hours are limited to 25 hours per week
- The host family must be approved by the SNJ
- The au pair must take language classes
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