What is a Host Family?
A host family is a family of any kind that needs childcare and that seeks a work-life/family-life balance. This family must be open to having a young adult live-in and be willing to share their culture with their Au Pair.
While a host family is an employer to the Au Pair and must follow provincial Employment Standards, they also accept the Au Pair into their own family and create more than an employer/employee relationship.
What is an Au Pair?
An Au Pair is a young adult, usually between 18-30 years old, who comes from abroad to live with a family for a defined period of time to provide flexible and customized childcare. Usually female (but not always), the Au Pair acts as a “big sibling” to your child(ren) as the Au Pair becomes like a member of your family to experience the daily life of a Canadian. The Au Pair will generally eat meals, spend some weekends, and take part in birthdays and other special events with the family.
If the Au Pair’s main language is anything other than French or English, they will want to improve upon these skills by speaking these languages daily. In return, your Au Pair will teach your child(ren) their native language and culture.
On top of childcare, an Au Pair provides jobs such as light housekeeping. Light housekeeping can include sweeping/vacuuming, folding the children’s laundry, tidying up after the children, and helping to prepare meals.
An Au Pair’s main job is to provide childcare in an international country where they can learn the culture and the language. By living with a host family, the Au Pair can be immersed into the Canadian culture.
Please note that we only offer an Au Pair program. This program is different from Nanny service. It’s true that Nannies and Au Pairs are similar because they are international caregivers that come through agencies. But there are many differences between them. You can learn more about the differences under our FAQ’s.
Why Should I Have an Au Pair?
Having an Au Pair is like having an extra set of hands in your home. An Au Pair provides catered, international childcare and is an affordable childcare option for families that have two or more children. With some families in urban centres paying over $1300/month for toddler care and just under $1000/month for preschool care, Au Pairs are able to have more one-on-one time at a comparable rate to daycares or after school programs.
Since Au Pairs live with host families, their schedule can be flexible to their needs. If parents need to leave the house by 7am for their jobs, the Au Pair can be there right away with no commute time. If they want to go on a last-minute date night, they have a babysitter at home.
Au Pairs come from cultures that are different from their host families with an interest in learning about the Canadian way of living. Engaging with your Au Pair allows your family to share your culture with your Au Pair and encourages your Au Pair to share her culture in return. When children grow up learning about new cultures at a young age, it is a great educational opportunity as they learn to have empathy and understanding of others.
Lastly, the Au Pair and the host parents work together to provide a nurturing and safe environment for children. With the Au Pair being a caregiver to the children and doing light housekeeping, parents can come home and spend more time with their children just being parents.
How Much Does it Cost?
Currently, the hourly minimum wage across Canada is between $13.00 CAD and $15.65 CAD. Below are examples of how much the Au Pair is paid if working in Ontario:
- If an Au Pair works 25 hours per week at $15.50 per hour with weekly room and board deductions of $85.25, the employer’s weekly out-of-pocket cost (including CRA remittances and vacation pay) will be $331.42
- If an Au Pair works 40 hours per week at $15.50 per hour with weekly room and board deductions of $85.25, the employer’s weekly out-of-pocket cost (including CRA remittances and vacation pay) will be $583.82
The host family would be required to pay for additional costs such as those associated with car and workers compensation insurance. The family will also be responsible for any costs associated with getting the Au Pair’s bedroom ready. If the Au Pair is expected to have a cell phone while working, then this would be considered a work-related expense and the family should pay for a part of her cell phone expense.
Our two fee options are:
1) Placement Fee: $1,450.00 plus tax is due when the Employment Contract is signed. The placement fee covers the cost of registering, applying and being matched with an Au Pair. It also includes an orientation in Toronto for your Au Pair and check-in calls to you and your Au Pair. Lastly, this fee also comes with a 17-week replacement guarantee.
2)Placement Fee plus Payroll*: $2,275.00 plus tax is due when the Employment Contract is signed. This fee includes everything above plus registration with CRA & WCB, personalized calculations for tax, CPP, & EI amounts, integration of room & board and other taxable benefits, preparing and filing the T4 slip & summary, completing ROEs, remitting to the CRA, online paystubs and direct deposit to your employee.
*At this time we cannot provide Payroll service to clients in Quebec. We apologize for the inconvenience.
About Us
Adanac Au Pair is a high standard au pair placement agency that matches young foreigners into Canadian families to provide flexible, dependable, and high-quality childcare.
Growing up in small town Ontario, Adanac founder Sarah Kelly pushed her boundaries, literally, by moving to France in 2012 for a year to live-in with an amazing family to work as an Au Pair. Sarah cared for three wonderful children, learned the beautiful French language, and gained 10lbs from eating all the delicious French food.
After returning back to Canada, Sarah became an aunt multiple times over; hooray! While Sarah was indulging in precious niece and nephew time, her siblings were struggling to find a balance between work-life and family-life. It was evident that Sarah’s contributions to her French family allowed for parents to find such equilibrium. The concept of “Au Pair” was quite unheard of in Canada at the time. Interested in this industry, Sarah began to research more about au pairs in Canada and around the world.
Adanac Au Pair is built on a foundation of Sarah’s passion and belief that au pairs provide the support and contributions that families need in order to find balance. This special live-in childcare solution places a focus on the children and provides a stable, safe and nurturing environment.
Mission Statement
To provide excellent, cultural and reliable in-home childcare and foster a mutual relationship of respect and belonging between host families and au pairs.
Vision
To build a Canadian network of au pair services that embraces child rearing in a uniquely cultural environment, empowering young adults to reach new limits and develop new relationships.
How do I get started?
STEP 1: Call or email us so an agent can answer any questions you may have on hiring an Au Pair and to see if this is the right childcare solution for you!
Call: 647.332.2477
Email: info@adanacaupair.com
STEP 2: All of our host families must complete the following documents before they can start looking at profiles of Au Pairs:
Host Family Application Form – This Application Form is the first thing your Au Pair is going to see about your family. Seriously contemplate the questions that are being asked of you in the Application and answer in detail. Think of it as if you were reading it as a young adult wanting to join a family. Remember, there is no right or wrong answer. Be honest and open to establishing a sincere relationship from the beginning.
Host Family’s Dear Au Pair Letter – Use this letter to explain your family in detail. Let the Au Pair know about your daily family life, your schedules and your intentions for hiring an Au Pair. Add in pictures so your Au Pair can visualize what life with your family will be like.
Host Family Character Reference – Ask a friend, neighbour or colleague (try to avoid family) to write a Character Reference for your family. An Adanac agent will check this reference.
Police Clearance – A police clearance is required for everyone in the home over the age of 18. Police clearances can either be done at your local police station or online by clicking here.
STEP 3: Send in your information to be checked.
STEP 4: Check out the available Au Pairs on our website.
STEP 5: Look at some profiles, interview, and choose!
STEP 6: Wait for your Au Pair to arrive.
STEP 7: Welcome your Au Pair to Canada and enjoy your new childcare and a more balanced lifestyle!