Au Pairs in Denmark

Au pairs

You can be granted a residence permit in order to function as an au pair with a host family in Denmark.

If you are a Nordic citizen, you are free to reside, study and work in Denmark. If you are an EU/EEA citizen or Swiss citizen seeking residence in Denmark based on the EU rules on freedom of movement, you may be subject to special regulations. More information about EU/EEA and Nordic citizens.

It is your own responsibility to obtain a residence permit if you are required to.

The purpose of an au pair stay

The term au pair means ‘on equal terms’. The idea of an au pair stay is for a young person to stay with a host family with children under the age of 18 ‘on equal terms’ with the other members of the family. The purpose is for the au pair to improve language and/or professional skills as well as broaden his/her cultural horizon by becoming more acquainted with Denmark. In return, the au pair participates in the host family’s domestic chores (e.g. cleaning, washing clothes, cooking, babysitting) for a maximum of five hours a day, and no more than six days a week.

If your chores exceed these time limits, or if you carry out work other than domestic chores, or carry out chores for someone other than your host family, then you are working illegally in Denmark.

Consequenses of abusing the au pair scheme

If you work illegally in Denmark, you risk deportation. You also risk fine or imprisonment, as does your employer.

Furthermore, your host family can be given a penalty period for abusing the au pair scheme, during which time they cannot be approved to host an au pair. A host family can be given a ten year penalty period for violence or similar against an au pair, a five year penalty period for illegal employment of an au pair, or a two year penalty period for other abuse of the au pair scheme (disregarding the limitations regarding an au pair’s tasks and duties, maximum work hours, accomodation, minimum allowance etc.).

Conditions

To ensure that you have a chance to improve your language and/or professional skills and broaden your cultural horizon as described above, it is a condition for getting a residence permit as an au pair that you already have the necessary linguistic and cultural foundation to receive the full benefit of your stay in Denmark.

This means that there are certain conditions which must be met, either by you, your host family, or both of you.

Conditions to be met by you

You must be between the ages of 17 and 29 (both years included) at the time of application.
You may not be married, married in the past or currently living in with a partner as this is incompatible with the purpose of an au pair stay.
You may not have any children.
You must have completed the equivalent of nine years of schooling.
You must have a working knowledge of either Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, English or German.
Normally, you may not previously have had two or more au pair stays in other Western European countries.
Normally, you may not previously have held a Danish residence permit.
You may not previously stayed in Denmark with different host families for more than a year.
As a general rule, you may not have the same nationality as one or more memebers of the host family.
As a general rule, you may not be related to one or more members of the host family

Conditions to be met by your host family

Your host family must be comprised of at least one parent and one child under the age of 18 who is living at home. Normally, the child must be registered at the family’s address. In families with shared custody where the children are not registered at the host family’s address, an au pair contract for each parent must have been completed and signed. Both parents must meet the conditions for being a host family as the au pair will follow the children.
Normally, at least one parent must be a Danish citizen in order that your host family can introduce you to the Danish language and culture. However, this does not apply if the parents are EU citizens residing in Denmark under the EU regulations on free movement, or if they are foreign nationals who have lived in Denmark for a long time and have a strong attachment to Denmark.
Your host family may not receive public assistance as their primary means of support under the terms of the Active Social Policy Act. They must declare this by signing a statement in the application form.
Your host family may not have been given a penalty period as a result of previous abuse of the au pair scheme. All adult members of your host family must declare that they have not been convicted of violence or similar against an au pair in the last ten years, and that they have not been convicted of illegal employment of an au pair in the last five years. Your host family declares this by signing a statement in the application form. Furthermore, your host family may not have been registered by the Immigration Service in a special ‘Au pair register’ as a result of other abuse of the au pair scheme (disregarding the limitations regarding an au pair’s tasks and duties, maximum work hours, accomodation, minimum allowance etc.).

Other conditions and terms

You and your host family must fill out and sign the Immigration Service’s au pair contract. The contract is part of the application form.
You should assume a role as a member of the family. This means that you should contribute to the household by carrying out chores related to the family’s daily housekeeping, such as babysitting, cleaning and washing clothes.
You are entitled to a minimum monthly allowance of DKK 3,000 from your host family as well as free food and lodging.The minimum monthly allowance is adjusted annually for inflation on 1 January. The Immigration Service recommends that you establish a bank account in your own name at a Danish financial institution, into which your allowance can be transferred each month.
You are entitled to your own room in the family’s home.In addition to your own room, the host family must also have a common living room, as well as one room for every two people registered at the residence. If the host family’s building is occupied by several families, there may only be calculated two members of the same family per room.
Your host family may not have other au pairs besides you. Your host family may not have other au pairs besides you. However, it is allowable for a new au pair to train with their host family prior to their predecessor’s departure for up to 14 days.
You must carry out daily chores for three to five hours per day, six days per week, i.e. 18 to 30 hours per week. This means that if your host family states in the au pair contract that you are to carry out chores for 6 hours every day, with the weekend off, you will not be granted a residence permit.
You are entitled to one full day off every week.
You are entitled to sufficient time off to follow language courses and pursue cultural and professional interests, including participation in religious events.
It is the responsibility of your host family to provide you with appropriate care if you should fall ill.
Your host family must pay your trip home if you are a resident of a country outside Europe.If you wish to change host family – and enters into a contract with a new host family – then the new host family assumes the responsibilities relating to the payment of your trip home. This responsibility also applies in instances where you are denied residency as an au pair, once the au pair contract has been entered into and you have arrived in Denmark.
Both you and your host family have a right to terminate the contract with a two weeks’ notice. Furthermore, both you and your host family have a right to terminate the contract with immediate effect in the case of serious violation of the contract by the other party, or if other serious circumstances warrant it. The Immigration Service recommends that any termination is in written form and signed by both you and your host family.
The au pair contract cannoth be changed to your disadvantage without the written consent of the Immigration Service.

About your residence permit

As an au pair, you will be granted a residence permit but not a work permit, as your daily chores with your host family are not considered as work. You are not allowed to carry out chores for your host family outside the time limits defined above, carry out tasks other than household chores, carry out chores or work outside your host family’s home, or take on paid or unpaid work.

Despite this, the relationship between you and your host family is regarded as an employer/employee relationship and as such is subject to Danish laws regarding vacation and taxation. The tax authority in the municipality of your host family can answer questions regarding taxation. Questions regarding vacation regulations should be directed to Feriekontoret, Finsensvej 78, 2000 Frederiksberg C; tel: 38 14 84 84. Telephone hours: Monday-Thursday 12 to 3 p.m., Friday 12 to 2 p.m.

It is the responsibility of your host family that you are registered at the Central Office of Civil Registration, and that you are covered by the Danish national health insurance, which entitles you to free medical care. Your host family is also responsible for insuring you against industrial injuries. Read more on the website of the National Board of Industrial Injuries.

It is your own responsibility to take out private insurance which covers you in your free time.

Extension

The condition for extending a residence permit is, first and foremost, that you still meet the conditions for your original residence permit.

If you wish to begin with a new family, you may not do so before you have been granted a new residence permit. However, you are allowed to move in with the new family and live there as their guest.

You can submit your application for an extension no sooner than 2 months before your residence permit expires. It is crucial that you submit your application for an extension before your current residence permit expires.

If you submit your application after the date your residence permit expires, you should expect your application to be rejected because you are residing illegally in Denmark. If your application is rejected, the Immigration Service will not process your application, and you will have to leave Denmark and apply for a new residence permit in your country of origin. Such an application will be regarded and processed as an entirely new application for a residence permit, i.e. it will be processed in accordance with the rules that apply to first-time applicants. In other words, you will lose the right to an extension of your previous residence permit.

If you are residing illegally in Denmark you risk being expelled and given an entry ban, i.e. you will be banned from entering Denmark for a certain period of time. You also risk being reported to the police for illegal residence.