Au pair stay in Ireland

For au pairs and host families, you'll find everything you need to know about au pairing in Ireland here: Who can be an au pair, what are the conditions and entry requirements, how to organise an au pair stay successfully. All the resources you need to research, plan and be perfectly prepared for an Irish au pair stay.

Irish coastline

Enjoy Irish music in a 100% real Irish pub, take part in one of the huge St. Patrick's Day parades, or simply enjoy the gorgeous green landscapes that are famous as the backdrop for various films and TV series. All of this is waiting for au pairs who would like to join a host family in Ireland. Irish host families can look forward to new flexibility in family management and the optimal combination of childcare and cultural exchange right in their very own homes.

Are you interested? Then this is the place to get started and find out more!

Grafik Au-pair

Requirements for au pairs


What do you need to be an au pair in Ireland?

  • You are at least 18 and no more than 30 years old
  • You are unmarried and have no children.
  • you have a basic knowledge of English.
  • You can pay for your travel costs.
  • You would like to go to Ireland to learn a foreign language and take care of children.
  • You have access to sufficient financial resources (several thousand euros)*. Not required for EU and EFTA citizens.

Non EU citizens must prove that they have several thousand euros at their disposal in order to be able to obtain a visa.

You fulfil all the requirements? That's great. Then you can get started with the next steps of your au pair adventure. Use the information below to find out more about entry requirements and the specific conditions for an au pair stay in the Ireland. 

You don't fulfil all the requirements? Then unfortunately you cannot be an au pair in Ireland. But don't give up. There are lots of other countries to consider. Check now in which countries you can become an au pair.

 

Grafik Familie

Requirements for host families


What do you need to be a host family in Ireland?

  • At least one child under 18 lives in your household.
  • You can provide your au pair with a separate room.
  • Your au pair should look after your children and help with light housework.
  • You speak English in your daily life.
  • You are willing to give your au pair the opportunity to attend a language course and get to know the Irish culture.

You fulfil all the requirements? That's great, you can move ahead with hosting an au pair. Have you registered already at AuPairWorld? Then you can use EasyFind to search for your au pair. 

You don't fulfil all the requirements? Then unfortunately you cannot use AuPairWorld for your search.

Please note: In Ireland there is no formal recognition of au pairing as a distinct form of cultural exchange, unlike in most other European countries. In the absence of such recognition, the only relevant official regulations governing the status of young persons in Ireland who have joined Irish families as au pairs are administered by the Workplace Relations Commission. The Workplace Relations Commission views au pairs as workers and the families that host them as employers. On this basis, the WRC maintains that the Minimum Wage regulations detailed here should be applied to au pairs. 
Despite these requirements, we at AuPairWorld continue to view au pairing as a form of cultural exchange that works through integration of a young person into family life. The information provided on these pages and throughout our website is based on this idea, our Basic idea of au pairing.

Ready for the next step?

We'll be happy to help you on your way. 

 
We are continually researching and updating our host country information, but cannot guarantee that all material provided is complete and correct. If you notice gaps or inaccuracies, we would like to hear from you.