Au pair guide

Hosting an au pair in Switzerland: permit, pay & obligations

An au pair is not a normal employee but a cultural exchange with clear rules: limited hours, room and board, a language course and pocket money instead of a market wage. Here are all the obligations as a host family - from the permit to AHV to the cantonal pocket-money rules.

Reading time: 8 min·As of: June 2026

Au pair with a child at the front door of a Swiss host family

In short

Updated As of: June 2026

An au pair is a cultural exchange, not a full-time job: max around 30h/week for pocket money, room and board. You still register them with AHV and pay social contributions - just like a nanny.

Max around 30h/week, 1.5 days off, 4 weeks holiday
Pocket money CHF 500-800 plus room & board (in-kind CHF 990)
AHV registration and UVG accident insurance are mandatory from day 1

~30h

max per week

500-800

Pocket money CHF/mo

990

In-kind CHF/mo

day 1

AHV required

An au pair is not cheap full-time childcare

If you need more than ~30h/week or professional care, you cannot solve it with an au pair. Above the hourly limit or for full-time needs you have to hire a proper nanny - with a market wage, contract, AHV and UVG. Au pair and nanny are two legally distinct models.

Your au pair moves in - Clino takes the paperwork (AHV, contract, UVG) off your hands.

Permit: EU/EFTA vs non-EU/EFTA

Passport and documents at the Swiss migration office

Which permit your au pair needs depends mainly on nationality. Here is the difference:

Non-EU/EFTA (third countries)

•Strict: prior cantonal approval required, often with a labour-market test.
•Usually mandatory through a recognised au-pair agency.
•Maximum 12 months, no extension as an au pair.
•Narrower, often 18-25.

EU/EFTA

•Straightforward: register with the municipality, short-stay or residence permit.
•Not mandatory, but recommended.
•Flexible under the free movement agreement.
•Usually 18-30 (cantonal).

Non-EU au pairs: cantonal approval BEFORE entry

For au pairs from non-EU/EFTA countries the approval must be in place before entry - the procedure almost always runs through a recognised agency, is capped at 12 months and tied to age limits. Never travel on the off chance: without cantonal approval the au pair may not work.

First message to an au pair

Lena

online

Hi Lena, so glad you replied to our ad! We're a family in Bern with two children (4 and 7) looking for an au pair from August. Own room, full board and pocket money at the usual rates. Would you be up for a video call to get to know each other?

19:30

Hi! Yes, I'd love to. Your kids sound lovely. When would suit you?

19:48

How about Sunday at 5pm? You'd get to meet the children too. We'll of course handle the contract and registration officially.

19:52

Message

Pocket money, room & board and AHV

An au pair receives no salary but pocket money plus room and board. Together they are the compensation - and both count toward AHV.

Room & board = wage-in-kind

CHF 345

Lodging (room)

CHF 645

Board (full meals)

CHF 990

Board + lodging total

AHV

For AHV it is not just the pocket money but pocket money plus the in-kind value (room and board ≈ CHF 990/month) that counts. You calculate AHV/IV/EO/ALV on that total - and register the au pair with the compensation office. UVG accident insurance is also mandatory.

What does your au pair cost you - and what do you settle on?

The cash figure looks small, but room, board and social contributions are real costs. Set your canton and pocket money - the calculator shows your monthly cost and the AHV-liable wage you account on.

Savings jar with Swiss francs by a village window

Au-pair cost calculator

Got (or getting) an au pair? See in 10 seconds what it really costs you per month - and what you owe AHV on.

Canton of residence

Language-course contribution per month

CHF

Mandatory - amount depends on the course. Monthly average.

Pocket money (paid to the au pair)CHF 700

CHF 400CHF 1'000

Your au pair costs you

CHF 1'131/month

Cash you pay on top

+ about CHF 990 in-kind value for room & board you provide anyway.

Pocket money CHF 700Contributions CHF 351Course CHF 80

How the month breaks down

Pocket money (cash)

CHF 700

Contributions + source tax

AHV/IV/EO, ALV, UVG and 5% source tax (simplified procedure), to the compensation office.

CHF 351

Language-course contribution

CHF 80

Total cash per monthCHF 1'131

Room & board (in-kind)

Room ~CHF 345 + board ~CHF 645. In-kind, not extra cash.

CHF 990

AHV-liable wageCHF 1'690

Pocket money + in-kind value (room & board). You calculate AHV/IV/EO, ALV and UVG on this.

Projected over the yearCHF 13'571

Guide values 2026. The source tax and the au pair's share are settled via the compensation office under the simplified procedure; Clino splits it exactly on the payslip.

Clino registers your au pair with the compensation office, settles the contributions on pocket money + in-kind value every month, and handles UVG and the contract.

2026 rates · Updated 17/07/2026·All sources ↗

Au pair already here? How to register it correctly now

Once your au pair has moved in, you register it with the compensation office of your canton of residence and account for AHV/IV/EO, ALV and UVG on pocket money + in-kind value. Pick your canton - you get the right office, its online portal and the registration form.

A Swiss house under an umbrella with the Swiss cross

Clarify the permit (EU/EFTA: registration; non-EU: cantonal approval before entry).

Set up a written au-pair contract (hours, days off, holiday, pocket money, room & board, language course).

Take out UVG accident insurance - without it you are personally liable for accidents.

Health insurance: the au pair must be covered in Switzerland - arrange the enrolment.

Pay the language-course contribution and give the au pair time to attend.

AK finder: your cantonal compensation office

AHV registration runs through the compensation office of your canton of residence. Pick your canton - you get the right office, its online portal and the registration form.

Your canton of residence

Zürich

SVA Zürich

Online portal: AHVeasyFAK contribution (employer): 1.025%

Open registration form Guide for Zürich

Office website+41 44 448 50 00

Source: official data from the cantonal compensation offices.

Au pair or actually a nanny?

Au pair and nanny are often confused but are legally very different. The au pair is a cultural exchange with pocket money; the nanny is a real employee with a market wage and a full employment contract. If you regularly need more than ~30h of care or a trained professional, the nanny is the right route.

Au pair

•Cultural exchange, not a market wage
•Pocket money + room & board, max ~30h/week
•Lives with the family, non-EU max 12 months

Nanny

•Real employment with a market wage
•Full-time possible, full employment contract
•Contract, AHV and UVG, can be permanent

→Au pair vs nanny: the direct comparison →Hiring a nanny in Switzerland - step by step →Clino for nannies: contract, AHV and pay, automated

Reputable placement: Swiss Nanny Association

The Swiss Nanny Association also supports au pairs and fair, ethical placements. If you want to be on the safe side, you will find standards there for a correct arrangement. Visit swissnanny.org ↗

Free Checklist: Hire Household Help Correctly

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Your au-pair admin - handled automatically

Registration with the compensation office, the monthly payslip on pocket money + in-kind value, UVG and the au-pair contract: Clino takes over all the paperwork for your au pair - CHF 19.90/month, 30 days free.

Frequently asked questions

How many hours may an au pair work?

Usually a maximum of about 30 hours per week, including light childcare and light housework, plus at least 1.5 days off per week. The exact cap is set by the cantonal standard employment contract for domestic staff.

How much pocket money does an au pair get?

Pocket money is set cantonally and usually ranges between CHF 500 and 800 per month (about CHF 800 in Zurich). It is deliberately not a market wage - room, board and the language-course contribution come on top.

Do I have to register an au pair with AHV?

Yes. Pocket money plus the in-kind value (room and board, about CHF 990/month) count as AHV-liable income. You register the au pair with the compensation office and calculate AHV/IV/EO/ALV as well as UVG accident insurance.

What does an au pair really cost the host family?

Budget for the pocket money (CHF 500-800), the real value of room and board (about CHF 990), the language-course contribution and AHV and insurance contributions. The cash figure looks small, but the room and meals are real costs.

Can I host an au pair from a non-EU country?

Possible, but strictly regulated. Non-EU au pairs need cantonal approval before entry, usually through a recognised agency, with age limits and a maximum stay of 12 months. It must be a genuine au-pair arrangement, not a disguised employment.

How long may an au pair stay?

For non-EU au pairs a maximum of 12 months with no extension as an au pair. For EU/EFTA nationals it is more flexible under the free movement agreement. For longer or permanent care you need a regular employment as a nanny.