1. Don't know where to go? 2. Registration for the programme 3. Orientation 4. Support 5. Moving families 6. Then what? 7. Being an Au Pair

1. Don't know where to go?

Come and talk to us, check out the "countries" section of our site (in the Au Pair section on the side bar under the main menu) or have a look at the list below to get more information about your options - the different countries you can choose from, estimated travel costs, visa requirements, airline bookings, etc. This will help you choose where you would like to travel to so we can then discuss your travel plans for the future and advise you on the financial side of things.

France, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Scotland, Spain, USA.

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2. Registering for the programme

Once you've decided on where to go and how long you want to stay there for, fill out our application form to register yourself for the programme. You will be contacted by a member of our staff for an interview - this is also when we'll contact your referees.

After that's all sorted, Can Do Kiwis will call up our overseas partners to find a good host family for you to stay with. Just keep in mind that it can take 3-6 months to find you a family and suss out the right visa so try to apply early (at least 6 months ahead). If you really want to leave earlier than this have a chat with us before you make all your plans so we can advise you.

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3. Orientation

After you've registered and committed to the programme by paying a deposit, you'll be given a one day "Pre-departure Orientation session" in either Wellington, Auckland or Christchurch (or other major departure cities depending on how many applicants we have - so talk all your mates into it too!). This session can be up to 3 months before you leave. You'll get pointers on being a good Au Pair and we'll do our best to prepare you for your OE. You'll also get a KIWI Au Pair handbook with useful information to help you while you're abroad.

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4. Support

We'll keep in touch with our overseas partners to make sure your overseas stay is going well and that everything's running smoothly. If you're worried about anything, or if you don't get along with your host family (although this doesn't happen very often), Au Pair and our overseas partners will both be there to help you out.

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5. Moving families

On rare occasions when things just aren't working out you might need to change to another host family. If this happens, providing you haven't broken any of the Au Pair rules, we'll find you another host family with our overseas partners and let you know your new host family's details, visa matters and any other information that you need.

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6. Then what?

We've formed the Alumni of KIWI Au Pair Overseas Experience Club (quite a mouthful isn't it??) where you can talk about your experiences with other KIWI Au Pairs. You'll be invited to another Pre-Departure Orientation to share your experiences with a new group of KIWI Au Pairs so they know what they're in for!

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7. Being an Au Pair

What's an Au Pair? Basically, being an Au Pair means that you stay with a host family and help with childcare and housework for a certain number of hours a week - the number of hours differs slightly between countries. You'd be a bit more than a big brother or sister but less than a nanny. As an Au Pair you'd be expected to really love children and have experience in childcare. You'd also need to be flexible, open-minded, responsible and hard working.

It is highly recommended that you have a driver's licence and a first aid certificate and you will need to have a clear medical and police check before leaving New Zealand. Different countries want Au Pairs of slightly different ages, so check the country page to see if you fit into the age range. Most countries want Au Pairs between 18 and 25 years of age.

All families offer free room and board but the pocket money and other "benefits" vary from country to country so check it out on the country pages.

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