How long can an au pair stay with a host family?

Whether you are an au pair or a family, you’re probably wondering what is the duration of the au pair stay. The period differs from country to country and it’s recommended to be informed about the officially allowed duration for a certain country.

Australia – 1-6 months
Austria – EU: no restrictions, non-EU: 1- 12 months
Belgium – EU: no restrictions, non-EU: 1-12 months
Canada – 1-12 months
Denmark – EU: no restrictions, non-EU: 1-12 months (the duration can be lengthened up to 18 months)
Finland – EU: no restrictions, non-EU: 1-12 months
France – 3-12 months (the duration can be lengthened up to 24 months)
Germany – EU: no restrictions, non-EU: minimum 6 months, maximum 12 months
Iceland – EU: no restrictions, non-EU: 1-12 months
Ireland – EU: no restrictions, non-EU: 1-12 months (the duration can be lengthened with a student visa)
Italy – EU: no restrictions, non-EU: 1-3 months (the duration can be lengthened up to 12 months with a Working Holiday Visa)
Liechtenstein – 1-12 months
Luxemburg – 1-12 months
Netherlands – 1-12 months
New Zealand – 1-12 months
Norway – EU: no restrictions, non-EU: 1-24 months
Spain – EU: no restrictions, non-EU: 6-12 (the duration can be lengthened with a student visa)
Sweden – EU: no restrictions, non-EU: 1-12 months
Switzerland –  EU: 1-12 months (the duration can be lengthened up to 24 months), non-EU: 1-12 months
United Kingdom – EU: no restrictions, non-EU: 1-24 months
USA –  12 months (the duration can be lengthened by 6, 9, or 12 months)