How to Be an Au Pair in Italy
I remember not too long ago when I made the impulsive decision to be an au pair in Italy. While going through the process of finding the “perfect” host family I spent hours doing research and was almost convinced not to do it after reading all the horror stories out there, which I’m sure you’ve read too. To my dismay I could hardly find any information about the process, which left me doing more and more research about every little detail. Hopefully I can save you some time and guide you through the process while answering any questions you’ve been stumped about.
1. Finding a Family
The first, and probably most obvious thing to do is start looking for a family. The website I used was www.aupairworld.com, which was extremely helpful. You don’t have to pay a cent to register, you fill out a profile to let the families know a little bit about you and your experience and let the search begin!
2. Tips for Choosing a Family
Speaking from my experience as a nanny, and from what I’ve heard from other au pairs, I never choose a family who have never had au pairs before. Being the first au pair for a family can be difficult, they may expect you to do roles au pairs don’t normally do, or perhaps decide that they don’t want to have an au pair anymore in the middle of your stay, so I decided I wanted to avoid those potential situations altogether and go with a family that had had multiple au pairs in the past. Another thing I avoided when scrolling through potential host families profiles was if they mentioned they were a “busy family”. This could definitely mean that they will expect A LOT from you and make your stay a little more chaotic than planned like, driving around kids from swim practice to karate, or grocery shopping, doing laundry, cooking dinner every night, working over eight hours a day, 6 days a week, and so on. Now this doesn’t necessarily mean this will be the case, but it is very important to ask to speak with their former au pairs, and don’t be nervous to ask them any questions you might have or are concerned about, after all you will be living with them. After chatting with a few potential families your next step will be to have skype interviews with them so you can ask more questions and meet the kiddos!
3. Au Pair Contract
After you found the right family be sure to have an au pair contract before you leave! This contract will state how many hours you will work, what you’ll be doing, and how much pocket money you will be making a week (among other important things). Make sure to print a copy and bring it with you on your way to Italy in case customs ask for it (they didn’t for me, but it’s always good to have just in case).
4. Visas
Getting a visa depends on how long your stay will be, since I stayed less than 90 days I didn’t need a visa. If you’re an American citizen, like myself, then you won’t need a visa if your stay is less than 90 days, if you want to stay longer you’ll have to apply for a student visa. Applying for a student visa requires you to take an Italian language class( 20 hours a week), and unfortunately you will more than likely have to pay for that, although it really depends on your host family. It’s always a good idea to have some money saved up before you go, especially if you are staying longer than 3 months since you will have to pay for a visa and language classes.
5. Pocket Money
In Italy au pairs don’t officially make a salary, instead they receive pocket money. This can range quite a bit depending on how much you work, but the range is usually between 60-80 euros a week. I worked about 15 hours a week and received 60 euros a week, while my friend worked about 25 hours a week and received 80 euros a week(although she was paid monthly), so it definitely depends, but be sure to ask about it during your skype interview!
6. Paperwork
Okay, don’t panic when reading this, if you’re staying less than 90 days there really isn’t too much paperwork it’s more precautionary stuff. Before you fly to Italy make sure you have these things in your carry on: Au Pair contract, passport, copy of passport, proof of return ticket, and proof you have enough money to fund your stay (like a bank statement). To be honest I was asked two questions before getting my passport stamped during my layover in Poland and didn’t have to show any documents to them so chances are you won’t either, but be sure to get your passport stamped if you’re flying non-stop to Italy!
7. Book Your Flight!
Now that you have everything in order and you’re ready to go to Italy you can book your ticket! It’s always a good idea to book about 2 months in advance to save money, but it all depends on when you leave. I left in February, which is generally a low season for tourism, so even though I only booked about month before I left my ticket was still pretty cheap. If you’re planning on leaving in summer(May-July) be sure to book your ticket as soon as possible since plane tickets can get pretty expensive.
Hopefully, this helped you out a little and makes the process as painless as possible. Being an au pair can be an extraordinary experience, but each family is different so it’s important to take your time and go with your gut. I’d be happy to answer any other questions you might have, so don’t be afraid to shoot me an email!
