Become an Au Pair in Canada
Canada does not have an official au pair program, but if you qualify for the International Experience Canada (IEC) program you can work as an au pair by applying for it under the “Working Holiday Visa” category.
Which country are you from?
Australia, Belgium, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Ukraine or the United Kingdom
None of these countries
Good news! You’re eligible to apply for the Working Holiday visa under the International Experience Canada (IEC) program, as long as you meet all of the other requirements.
The IEC program has a limited number of spaces set aside for each country every year, so your first step will be to check if there are any left for your country, and we encourage you to do this as early as possible. You can check availability here.
If there are spaces still available for your country, your next step is to check your eligibility for the Working Holiday Visa on the government’s Come to Canada website.
The rest of the application process has several steps, and you can find out more about these, and the IEC program in general, on their website.
We're sorry, but since you are not a member of one of these countries there is no easy way to become an au pair in Canada, however you may still be able to apply for a student visa, depending on your situation.
Requirements for the Working Holiday Visa
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You must be aged between 18 and 30.
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You should have a basic knowledge of either French or English.
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You should have a minimum of C$2,500 in available funds.
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You must not have had a Working Holiday Visa before.
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You will be required to submit a clean criminal record.
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You will need to submit a medical certificate to show that you are in good health. You can find out more about how to get a medical exam here.
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You'll need to have medical insurance that is valid in Canada for the duration of your stay.
More Information For Au Pairs
Length of Stay
You can work as an au pair under the IEC program for a maximum of 6, 12 or 24 months depending on which country you are from. Check the IEC website for more details.
Lodging
Your host family must provide you with a private room, and meals for the duration of your stay with them.
Pocket Money
In Canada your au pair pocket money is governed by the minimum wage, which depends on which province your host family lives in. You can find out the minimum wage rates in each province on the government website.
Hours
There are no official regulations about how many hours an au pair should work in Canada, but most au pairs work between 25 and 40 hours per week, which includes babysitting.
Holidays
There are no official regulations about holidays under the IEC program, so you should check with your host family and agree upon an amount. A reasonable starting point would be two days per week, and 4-5 weeks of holiday if you are with a family for one year. On top of this, you should reasonably expect to have the day off on public holidays, like Christmas, New Year's Eve and so on.
You should expect to sometimes go on holiday with your host family and help look after the children. You will also be able to travel home to see your family during the year.
Language Classes
You are allowed to attend English or French language classes at a local college in your spare time as long as the course does not last longer than 6 months. This is usually paid for by you, but you can ask your host family if they will help with the cost.
Next Steps
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If you haven't already done so, click here to create a profile and find a host family.
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Sign the au pair contract for Canada with your host family.
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Learn more about International Experience Canada (IEC) program, and the Working Holiday visa, on their website.
