Residence permit for au pairs in Austria: host family, childcare, age limit, German skills, AMS notification and application documents.
The residence permit for au pairs is designed for a clearly limited stay in Austria. An au pair from a third country lives with a host family, helps with household tasks including childcare and improves her German through family life. This model is not the same as ordinary full-time employment or a general employment permit.
Residence law and labour law must fit together. The migration authority lists au pair work among the special cases of dependent employment under section 62 NAG. The host family also needs an AMS notification confirmation before the activity begins.
Several points therefore matter together: age, German skills, genuine inclusion in the household, care of children, the limited period and compliance with the employment conditions.
This check sorts age, host family, German skills and the AMS notification. The result shows which documents should be clarified first.
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Collect the au pair agreement, age evidence, German language evidence, passport, insurance documents and the host family's details. The host family must notify the AMS in time and wait for the notification confirmation.
The AMS information specifies a minimum age of 18 and an age below 28. For people close to the limit, the confirmation can only be issued until the 28th birthday. Compare the planned start with the date of birth before proceeding.
The au pair model requires inclusion in the household and light assistance including childcare. If the plan is mainly regular employment, full-time care or another type of work, the appropriate labour and residence basis should be checked first.
A minimum level of German must be shown before the activity begins. An A1 certificate under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages may be suitable. Depending on its content, a school record or study confirmation showing at least one year of German lessons may also be considered.
The host family must notify the AMS office responsible for the place of work at least two weeks before the activity begins. Since the confirmation should be available before the start, the start date, application and documents should be coordinated early.
The residence permit for au pairs belongs to the area of temporary stays. For au pair work, the residence permit for special cases of dependent employment under section 62 NAG is the relevant route. It does not provide general access to every job in Austria.
The labour law side must be completed as well. For au pairs from third countries, the Employment Service requires an AMS notification confirmation. The host family must notify the office responsible for the place of work. The confirmation initially applies for six months and can be extended for another six months if the applicable conditions are met.
The information on residence permit applications explains the general order of preparation. For an au pair, it must be combined with the AMS procedure and the specific agreement.
The AMS information describes an au pair as joining an Austrian household with children requiring care. At least one parent or other person with parental responsibility should live in the host family with a child. The au pair becomes part of the household and receives accommodation and food there.
The assistance covers light household tasks including childcare. The model also has a cultural and language purpose: the au pair should learn about Austria and the life of its people and improve existing German skills through living with the family.
The model must therefore be distinguished from ordinary domestic employment, full-time childcare or general labour placement. The true economic substance of the arrangement matters. Tasks, care periods and the role in the household should be described clearly in the agreement.
The au pair must be at least 18 and younger than 28. For people close to the age limit, the AMS notes that the notification confirmation can only be issued until the 28th birthday. The planned start and the validity of the documents must therefore be checked against the date of birth.
A minimum level of German must be shown before the employment begins. The AMS gives an A1 language certificate under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages as an example. Depending on the content, a school record or study confirmation showing at least one year of German lessons may also be suitable.
In addition, the au pair must not already have worked as an au pair in Austria for more than one year within the previous five years. This history should be checked openly and documented consistently with the rest of the file.
The host family must notify the AMS of the au pair arrangement at least two weeks before the activity starts. The responsible office is determined by the place of work. In Vienna, the dedicated service for employment of foreign nationals is responsible. A copy of the agreement signed by both parties and the other documents requested in the form should be ready.
The notification is not a substitute for the residence permit. The residence application must be prepared through the competent residence authority and the relevant application route. Passport, identity documents, insurance evidence and the au pair agreement should show the same names, dates and periods.
The notification confirmation initially applies for six months. It may be extended for another six months under certain conditions. The residence plan should therefore coordinate the start, end, possible extension and validity of all evidence from the outset.
According to the current AMS information, working time including standby time may not exceed 16.5 hours per week. The agreement must keep household assistance and childcare within this limit. The au pair must also receive at least one full day off each week.
Employment rights arise in particular under the House Helpers and Domestic Employees Act and the minimum wage tariff for au pairs. The AMS model agreement states a gross monthly payment of 551.10 euros for 2026. It also records rights to special payments, leave and a dated breakdown of hours, pay and deductions.
The au pair must be registered for statutory social insurance. If an international social security agreement does not provide health insurance cover, private health insurance must be shown. The host family should also clarify which costs it pays for language courses, cultural activities and any required educational qualification.
A reliable file starts with the au pair agreement. It should identify the host family and au pair and describe the accommodation, tasks, childcare, weekly hours, start, end, payment, days off and language course. The AMS model agreement also provides for a private furnished and lockable room and full board.
Add the age evidence, German language evidence, passport, information on earlier au pair work and insurance documents. The AMS notification and residence file should name the same host family, place of work and period. The guidance on NAG application documents, certificates and translations helps with the general document file.
The information on health insurance evidence explains the insurance issue in more detail. If the actual work goes beyond light assistance and childcare or exceeds the weekly limit, another labour and residence law assessment is needed before entry.
The AMS information specifies a minimum age of 18 and an age below 28. For people close to the limit, the notification confirmation can only be issued until the 28th birthday.
Working time including standby time may not exceed 16.5 hours per week. The assistance must fit the au pair model and may not become ordinary full-time employment.
Yes. The host family must notify the responsible AMS office at least two weeks before the activity begins. The confirmation initially applies for six months and may be extended for another six months if the conditions are met.
A minimum level of German must be shown before the activity starts. An A1 certificate under the Common European Framework of Reference may be suitable. Depending on the content, school or study records showing at least one year of German lessons may also be considered.
The au pair must be registered for statutory social insurance. If an international social security agreement does not provide health insurance cover, private health insurance must also be shown.