Host Family Obligations in Germany: The Complete Checklist
Photo: Katerina Kolomina / Pexels
A host family in Germany must legally provide its au-pair with the following: a private furnished room, full board, €280 pocket money per month, a language-course subsidy of at least €70, health, accident and liability insurance, and regulated working hours (no more than 30 hours per week). On top of that come free days, paid holiday and inclusion as a full member of the family.
This checklist gathers every obligation in one place — honestly and with no fine print. So as a family you know up front exactly what you're signing up for, and you can plan your budget and daily life realistically.
The obligations checklist at a glance
The table below lists every legal obligation with its minimum standard and a short note. The figures apply to a standard au-pair arrangement in Germany (as of 2026).
| Obligation | Minimum standard | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Private furnished room | Lockable, heatable, with bed, wardrobe, desk | No walk-through or shared room; roughly 9 m² or more. |
| Full board | 3 meals per day, free of charge | Including on free days and during holiday; accommodate dietary needs where possible. |
| Pocket money | €280 per month | Statutory minimum, regardless of the number of hours worked. |
| Language-course subsidy | at least €70 per month | Mandatory, even when no course is currently running. |
| Insurance | Health, accident and liability insurance | Organised and paid by the family, with no gaps for the entire stay. |
| Working hours | max. 30 hrs/week, max. 6 hrs/day | Childcare and light housework count; the language course does not. |
| Free time | at least 1.5 free days/week + 1 free Sunday/month | Free time is binding, not „as needed“. |
| Paid holiday | at least 4 weeks per 12 months | Pro rata for shorter stays; pocket money continues during holiday. |
| Official paperwork | Support with registration & residence permit | Family helps with address registration, immigration office and appointments. |
| Inclusion as a family member | Shared meals & free time | The au-pair is part of the family, not just a worker. |
The green line: the figures above are minimum standards — the floor, not the goal. Good host families go beyond them: a little more pocket money, a monthly public-transport pass, a private bathroom, or small gestures on birthdays and holidays. It costs little, but it makes the difference between a happy au-pair who is glad to stay and one who already wants to switch after three months.
What a host family must NOT do
An au-pair is not a substitute for a full-time housekeeper. The program is a cultural exchange — helping in the household is secondary. The following is not allowed:
- Treating the au-pair like a full-time domestic worker or using them for more than 30 hours a week.
- Requiring heavy cleaning, window washing or the care of adult relatives — only light, child-related housework is permitted.
- Cancelling free days, holiday or the language course because things are „busy right now“.
- Reducing, withholding or offsetting pocket money against room and board.
- Excluding the au-pair from family life or treating them in isolation.
Crossing these lines risks not only a quick end to the arrangement, but also trouble with the immigration office.