Finding an Au-Pair in Spain: The Guide for Host Families (2026)

Spain does not have its own au-pair program, but the European au-pair agreement of 1969 has been in force there since 1988. According to it, au-pairs are 17 to 30 years old, help the host family for at most about 5 hours a day, have at least one full day off per week, and receive board, lodging and a mutually agreed pocket money. A written contract is mandatory. A Spanish peculiarity: if the au-pair needs private health insurance, the host family pays half of the premium.

This guide is intended for families in Spain looking for an au-pair — whether for the first time or this time without an agency. How the stay looks from the au-pair’s perspective is described on our country page Au-pair in Spain.

Sources: European Agreement on Au Pair Employment with the Spanish declaration, published in the Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE-A-1988-21042); Real Decreto 1155/2024 (Foreigners Regulation, BOE-A-2024-24099); Policía Nacional, Certificate of registration of Union citizen. Retrieved in September 2026.

Spain has not set its own au‑pair rates. Therefore there is no official amount – but there are fixed items:

• Pocket money: freely agreed upon; the amount and payment date belong in the contract. There is no official guideline for Spain. For comparison: in neighboring France the legal minimum for au‑pairs with a visa is €320 per month.
• Board and lodging: the au‑pair eats with the host family and, as far as possible, gets a private room.
• Insurance: an au‑pair from the EU is covered by the European Health Insurance Card. If private health insurance is required, the host family pays half of the premium according to the Spanish declaration of the agreement. This is an exception: in most other agreement countries the family bears the full cost.
• Language course: the au‑pair must have enough time for a Spanish course. Who pays the fees is decided together.
• Optional: monthly public‑transport pass, mobile phone contract, contribution to travel costs.

In addition, there is the one‑time search fee. On AuPairMatch it is free for host families during the startup phase, including contact initiation. Well‑known other platforms charge from €49.70 per month for contact initiation (AuPair.com) or €49.90 (AuPairWorld) as of September 2026. Agencies cost more but provide pre‑selection and support.

Au-Pairs from the EU can enter freely. Anyone living in Spain for more than three months must register in the Central Foreigners Register and will receive the Certificado de registro de ciudadano de la Unión, with the foreigner identification number (NIE). You should plan the appointment for this together right after arrival.

Au-Pairs from outside the EU have a harder time: Spain does not have its own au‑pair visa. The current foreigner regulation (Real Decreto 1155/2024) implements the EU directive that also covers au‑pairs, according to its own statement, only partially. In practice, au‑pairs from outside the EU often come on a residence permit for study purposes, such as a language course. Whether the au‑pair activity is covered by this and which conditions apply should be clarified with the Spanish consulate in your home country or the Oficina de Extranjería of your province before accepting. The visa assessment on AuPairMatch provides an initial orientation but does not replace this information.

Without your own program and without an official template contract, your contract in Spain is the most important safeguard. The agreement requires it in writing—ideally before arrival, at the latest within the first week. Include at least the following:

• Start date, duration, and termination (for indefinite contracts, two weeks' notice according to the agreement; immediate termination for serious breaches)
• Duties: child care, school runs, play, language practice—an Au-Pair is not a household helper
• Hours per day, fixed days off, evenings with babysitting
• Allowance: amount and payment date
• Room and board
• Language course: schedule and fees
• Health insurance: which card or policy, how the premium is shared
• Vacation and what applies during your family holidays

Tip for multilingual regions: If you speak Catalan, Basque, or Galician at home, note in the profile and the contract which language the Au-Pair should use with the children.

A good conversation says more than any profile picture. Ask specifically: What have you experienced with children of this age? How do you handle sibling arguments? What do you hope to gain from a year in Spain? How much Spanish do you speak, and do you want to take a course? Describe openly what a typical day looks like for you, when the children have school, and how late dinner is served — this surprises many Au-Pairs. Also ask for references from previous childcare experience.

On AuPairMatch you start the video meeting after the match directly in the app, without exchanging phone numbers — up to 75 minutes, extendable once by 60 minutes.

On AuPairMatch you search yourself: create a profile, view au-pairs with a match score and contact them directly — in the founding phase free for host families, contact included. Messages and profile texts are automatically translated into your language, so you can also write with au-pairs who don’t yet speak Spanish. Through the au‑pair community your on‑site au‑pair finds other au‑pairs nearby.

AuPairMatch launched in 2026 and is growing; established providers have more profiles. Many families therefore search in parallel on multiple platforms — an additional free profile expands your search.