Become an Au Pair in Italy

There are is no official au pair program in Italy, so you'll need to follow the same guidelines that you would to enter the country for any other job. You may need a visa, which depends on which country you are from.

Which country are you from?

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland or the UK

Australia, Canada or New Zealand

None of these countries

Good news! As a member of the European Economic Area you do not need any special visa for Italy and you can enter with a valid passport or ID card.

If you're planning on working as an au pair in Italy for less than three months, you can enter as a tourist. Citizens of some countries may need a Tourist Visa to do this, and you can find out if you need one on the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' website.

If you are staying for longer than three months, you can become an au pair with a Student Visa, but you will need to be enrolled in an Italian language course for at least 20 hours per week. When you apply for your Student Visa, be sure to check that the course you choose is on the official list of approved schools. You can find our more about Italian Student Visas on the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' website.

Since you are from Australia, Canada or New Zealand, you can also legally enter Italy with a Working Holiday Visa. Check the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' website for more details about the Working Holiday Visa.

Requirements for EEA citizens

You must be aged between 17 and 30.
You will need to sign and complete an au pair contract with your host family.
Within 48 hours of arriving in Italy, you'll need to submit a Host Declaration ("Dichiarazione di Ospitalità") to your host family's local police station, which states that you will living with them.
For stays longer than 3 months you'll need to apply for a residency certificate at your host family's town hall ("Anagrafe"), for which you'll need to prove that you have enough money to support yourself for your entire stay.
You'll also need to apply for a Tax ID number ("Codice Fiscale") at the tax office ("Agenzia Delle Entrate").
If you don't have private health insurance which covers you in Italy, you'll need to register with the national health service ("Servizio Sanitario Nazionale").

Requirements for non-EEA citizens

You must be aged between 18 and 30.
You will need to sign and complete an au pair contract with your host family.
You may need a Tourist Visa, Student Visa, or Working Holiday Visa (see above) which you should apply for at your local Italian Embassy or Consulate.
Within 48 hours of arriving in Italy, you'll need to submit a Host Declaration ("Dichiarazione di Ospitalità") to your host family's local police station, which states that you will living with them.
For stays longer than 3 months you'll need to apply for a residency certificate at your host family's town hall ("Anagrafe"), for which you'll need to prove that you have enough money to support yourself for your entire stay.
You'll also need to apply for a Tax ID number ("Codice Fiscale") at the tax office ("Agenzia Delle Entrate").
If you don't have private health insurance which covers you in Italy, you'll need to register with the national health service ("Servizio Sanitario Nazionale").

Requirements for non-EEA citizens

You must be aged between 18 and 30.
You will need to sign and complete an au pair contract with your host family.
You may need a Tourist Visa or Student Visa (see above) which you should apply for at your local Italian Embassy or Consulate.
Within 48 hours of arriving in Italy, you'll need to submit a Host Declaration ("Dichiarazione di Ospitalità") to your host family's local police station, which states that you will living with them.
For stays longer than 3 months you'll need to apply for a residency certificate at your host family's town hall ("Anagrafe"), for which you'll need to prove that you have enough money to support yourself for your entire stay.
You'll also need to apply for a Tax ID number ("Codice Fiscale") at the tax office ("Agenzia Delle Entrate").
If you don't have private health insurance which covers you in Italy, you'll need to register with the national health service ("Servizio Sanitario Nazionale").

More Information For Au Pairs

Length of Stay

You can be an au pair in Italy for a minimum of one month, and a maximum of two years, depending on your visa.

Lodging

Your host family must provide you with a private room, and meals for the duration of your stay with them.

Pocket Money

There is no official recommendation in Italy but most au pairs receive between €250 and €300 per month, which will be agreed in your au pair contract.

Hours

You can agree on your work hours with your host family, but au pairs are not allowed to work more than 30 hours or 6 days per week, which includes babysitting. You also may not work more than 5 hours in a single day.

Holidays

Under Italian law, you are allowed at least one full day of rest per week, including at least one Sunday per month. There is no official legislation beyond this, but most au pairs also get at least four weeks of holiday for every year of their stay.

Language Classes

You are allowed to attend Italian language classes at a local college in your spare time. This is usually paid for by you, but you can ask your host family if they will help with the cost. If you are from a non-EU country and on a student visa, this may be required.

Next Steps

If you haven't already done so, click here to create a profile and find a host family.
Sign the au pair contract for Italy with your host family.
Read about the European Au Pair regulations, which govern au pairs in Italy.

Next Steps

If you haven't already done so, click here to create a profile and find a host family.
Sign the au pair contract for Italy with your host family.
Read about the European Au Pair regulations, which govern au pairs in Italy.
Check the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' website to see which kind of visa you need, depending on your length of stay.

Next Steps

If you haven't already done so, click here to create a profile and find a host family.
Sign the au pair contract for Italy with your host family.
Read about the European Au Pair regulations, which govern au pairs in Italy.
Check the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' website to see which kind of visa you need, depending on your length of stay.