AU PAIR PLACEMENTS

AU PAIR PLACEMENTS: are usually for CHILDCARE only and for a 6 to 12 month period. However, occasionally COMPANION CARE is also available on this Youth Mobility/Working Holiday Work Permit. People from countries which share a Cultural Exchange program with Canada are able to come on this open Work Permit. There are slight variations to the program depending on which country the person is from, but most visas are issued for a maximum 12 month period. Those coming to Canada on this type of visa, and wishing to do childcare, are usually 18 to 25 years of age but can be up to 30 years old. They are required to specify if they wish to work with children when applying and complete the embassy’s medical exam prior to being issued a work permit. To qualify for this visa, they are also required to:

– Purchase their own return ticket to Canada
– Purchase health insurance coverage for the entire period of time for which the visa is issued
– Be 18 – 30 years of age.

They may be required to show proof that they have both their return ticked & health coverage when they pass through Immigration upon arrival in Canada.

AU PAIRS are looking for the Canadian Experience. They usually work 25 – 35 hours/week, although some are willing to work more. They are entitled to 9 paid Stat Holidays and 2 weeks vacation/year. Most want to become a part of a family and will want to spend some time traveling around & visiting points of interest. Some are looking to improve their fluency in English or French, but they are not permitted to attend traditional schools. They can however, attend private language schools at their own expense, although costs are usually high. Most are also looking to work for 6 to 10 months so they have time to travel and experience more of Canada during their Canadian experience.

AU PAIRS are considered an “extra pair of hands” around the home to assist parents with their childcare needs – teaching, supervising, taking to & from school/activities/lessons etc., organizing play dates & taking on outings etc. They are also able to do some light housekeeping duties, but this is mainly related to the areas of the house the children use and children’s laundry etc. In homes where the children are all in school full time, AuPairs could do more general light housekeeping duties such as family laundry and dusting & vacuuming throughout weekly etc., as time permits, during the time the children are at school.

This is an excellent option for families who require before and after school care, teachers who only need care 10 months of the year, and others who only need part time help. They are usually younger than LCP caregivers and have less experience, but enjoy working with children and are willing to help out around the home with light housekeeping duties as time permits.

WAGES: As per the new Canadian Caregiver Program,  wages for Live-In AuPairs will be based on the “Median Wage” for classification “Babysitters” as posted on the National Job Bank for the area the Host Family live in. There is no Room & Board deductible for them to live-in as per the government guidelines for caregivers. Live-Out AuPairs will require a slightly higher wage to offset the cost of Room rental. The Agency also requests Host Families pay $100.00/month towards their AuPair’s transit card in exchange for 4 additional hours bi-weekly evening baby-sitting by pre-arranged agreement.

 

COMPANION CARE:  Occasionally we have young adults who enjoy being around and working with seniors and who are interested in coming to Canada on this same Youth Mobility Work Visa. They are not trained eldercare workers, but are willing to assist with light housekeeping duties. (dust, vacuum, clean the bathroom, do laundry, change the bed, assist with cooking/meal preparation etc.) They accompany seniors for walks or on outings to the doctor/grocery store/shopping etc. They play cards, engage them in stimulating conversation, make afternoon tea for them & their friends . . or just the two of them, assist preparing nutritious meals etc. Basically they expect to provide support and companionship.

Remember, they do have time off during the day & on their days off, so they are NOT suitable for people who need more regular supervision throughout the day. But they can provide a wonderful feeling of security for someone who is nervous about living alone or family members who are worried about a parent or parents not eating well or one parent taking on too much responsibility in caring for their spouse.  Availability of Companion Care on the Youth Mobility visa is very limited, but if you are interested, please give us a call to discuss your situation. We will be happy to do our best to find someone who meets your needs.

Visit our Register page to access the Au Pair – Host Family questionnaire.

News/Upcoming Events

MINIMUM WAGE Rate in GTA

Childcare – $14.00/hr

Eldercare – $15.72/hr

Wage Guidelines are set by the Government & can be found  on the National Job Bank Wage Guide @ Job Bank.

CAREGIVER CAMP WEEKEND
At Camp CanAqua in Halliburton
June 8 – 10, 2018

Au Pairs on Cultural Exchange placements are another option to meet your childcare needs!