Au Pair Canada Agency

Au Pair Duties and Responsibilities in Canada

As an au pair, you will focus on taking care of your host children. Learn more about the daily duties and responsibilities of an au pair.

Becoming an au pair offers you the chance to explore a new country and also a new culture, although the most important part of your experience will be taking care of your host children.

You should keep in mind that you are not expected to perform tasks that are not related to children or include heavy manual labor, such as house cleaning, garden maintenance and other types of household tasks.

It is important that you know that our program has a series of regulations to help you protect your rights as an au pair. They are limits established by law by the Canadian Law.

Au pairs in Canada are responsible for providing quality childcare for up to 40 hours per week. As an au pair, you’ll create a special bond with your host family.

Au Pair Responsibilities

Your duties as an au pair can be varied and will include tasks related to the host family’s children such as:

  • Waking the children and dressing, bathing and playing with them
  • Playing with the children and keeping them safe
  • Preparing meals for the children, tidying up after them, making their beds and washing their clothes.
  • Helping to keep the children’s room tidy
  • Bathing and dressing the children
  • Helping school age kids by packing lunches, taking them to school
  • Helping with homework
  • Entertaining the children and teach them about your culture
  • Taking the children on outings to parks, playgroups and other activities
  • Driving the children to and from school or to other activities
  • Travelling with your host family on vacations and providing care for the children
  • Babysitting in the evenings when the parents go out …. And having fun with them!

In accordance with the program regulations, au pairs are entitled to the following benefits:

  • Au pairs are required to do their homework no more than 45 hours a week and no more than 10 hours a day.
  • Au pairs must receive one consecutive day and a half off per week and one full weekend per month.
  • During the year that the program lasts, au pairs must receive 2 weeks of paid vacation.

Typical Au Pair Daily Schedule

7:00
Wake Up
7:30 Make breakfast for Sam and Ann
8:30 Help Sam get ready for school
9:00 Drive Sam to school
10:00 Take Ann to ‘Tiny Tots’ gym class
12:00 Make lunch for Ann
13:00 Clean up lunch dishes and fold Sam & Ann’s laundry
14:00 Put Ann down for a nap
15:30 Ann wakes up from nap
Pick Sam up from school
16:00 Make Sam a snack and help him with his homework
17:00 Host Mom, Margo, arrives home from work
18:30 Host Dad, Eric, arrives home
Dinner with the family
20:00 Free evening to relax and spend time with friends
Morning Afternoon Evening
Monday
Breakfast
Drive Sam to school
Play at park with Ann		 Lunch
Nap for Ann
Pick up Sam
Play in backyard		 (Personal Time)
Dinner
Homework time for class
Tuesday Breakfast
Drive Sam to school
Gym class with Ann		 Lunch
Nap for Ann
Pick up Sam
Help with homework		 (Personal Time)
Dinner
Go to movie theater with friends
Wednesday

(Personal Time)
Sleep in
Margo is getting Ann and Sam ready

 Lunch
Nap for Ann
Pick up Sam
‘Play date’ with neighbor’s children		 Feed Sam and Ann dinner and get them ready for bed
Margo and Eric have date night
Thursday Breakfast
Drive Sam to school
Visit library with Ann		 Lunch
Nap for Ann
Pick up Sam
Fun activity with Sam and Ann		 (Personal Time)
Dinner
Meet up with friends at local cafe
Friday Breakfast
Drive Sam to school
‘Play date’ with Ann’s friends		 Lunch
Nap for Ann
Pick up Sam
Help with homework and fun activity		 (Personal Time)
Head into city for dinner and a concert with friends
Saturday (Personal Time)
Meet au pair for a game of tennis		 (Personal Time)
Shop at the mall with friends		 (Personal Time)
Skype with my family and friends back home
Sunday (Personal Time)
Family breakfast at local restaurant		 Lunch
Fun activity with Ann and Sam while parents run errands		 (Personal Time)
BBQ at friend’s house, watch evening TV with host family

You will not be expected to perform heavy tasks that are not related to children but you are expected to do light housework as a family member, you may be asked to help participate in duties that a typical family member would help with such as ironing, dusting, cooking light meals for the children and vacuuming. What families want most is for you to provide quality childcare.