Opportunities exist to work as an au pair in Shanghai, often for an expatriate
European family. It is inexpensive to hire a maid who will help with childcare
and it is common for wealthier families to do so, but local maids will often
not speak any English and many families prefer an au pair who can speak their
native language. The au pair will be your employee and as
such will require a Z-visa in order to work legally in China (see the
Employment Visas section).
An au pair is in charge of taking care of the children. He or she will get
food and accommodation provided by the family free of charge, and a small allowance
in addition (sort of pocket money). The family must also allow the au pair time
off. During time off, the au pair is free to pursue his or her own interests,
for example learning a foreign language. Au pairs are not professional child
minders and will not have professional childcare qualifications. As such, they
should not be responsible for children under 2 years of age. There are no set
conditions, although candidates are likely to be EU citizens between the age
of 18 and 27 and are more commonly female than male.
What the au pair must know
She will have to take care of the children, i.e.:
- speak the same language, at least well enough to understand and communicate
with them
- be sure they get up on time; dress the children/ensure the children dress
themselves
- take them to school/nursery/activity classes
- play with them
- be in charge of their meals
- tidy up their rooms
- be free to baby-sit them if needed, some evenings
What the family has to do
The family should be prepared to welcome the au pair into the family, remembering
that she is not an employee but a home help for the children. Therefore they
will make sure that:
- the au pair has her own bedroom
- that the au pair works a maximum of 25-35 hours per week She should have
at least 2 days (2 x 24 hours) off during the week
- they understand that having an au pair is not the same as employing a full
time maid. She can be asked to do some housework, particularly in relation
to the children, but should not be expected to do all of the washing up, cleaning
and laundry for the family
- medical insurance should be provided to cover the au pair in case of sickness
or accident
- the family pays an allowance (pocket money) each week
It may be wise to register the au pair with the family GP upon her arrival.
Her possessions should also be added to the family's the house insurance policy.
Some addresses...
If you want to register as an au pair or as a family, you can contact:
You can also consult:
Agencies will usually charge a registration fee to the family, the au pair,
or to both parties.
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