Last verified: May 2026
The most established au pair tradition in Europe, regulated by the Bundesagentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency). Six- to twelve-month placements with mandatory language-course contributions, full board, and a regulated €280/month pocket money. Filipino candidates need a national D-visa.
Germany has the oldest and best-regulated au pair tradition in Europe. You'll be on a national D-visa specifically for au pairs, which requires basic A1 German skills, a signed contract, and a confirmed placement before applying.
Pocket money is exactly €280/month, regardless of hours worked or whether you're sick or on vacation. This is a flat rate set by federal employment guidelines. The host family must additionally contribute €70/month toward your German language course (totalling €840/year), bringing the total realised cash value to about €4,200/year — plus free room, board, and insurance.
Working hours are capped at 30/week, max 6 hours/day. You're entitled to one full day off per week, four free evenings, and four weeks of paid annual leave. The work is exclusively childcare and very light household tasks related to the children — you should never be asked to clean the entire house or do laundry for the family.
Visa applications go through the German Embassy in Manila and typically take 6–12 weeks. The host family signs a standardised Federal Employment Agency contract — be wary of any host who proposes a 'custom contract' instead.
After your year, the time spent learning German often opens doors to follow-on visas — student visas, ausbildung (vocational training) programmes, or Blue Card pathways for skilled work.
Hosting an au pair in Germany costs the family roughly €4,500–€6,000/year cash (€280 × 12 + €70 × 12 + insurance + course contributions), plus the cost of food and a private room. There are no agency fees if you arrange the placement directly through a platform.
You must speak German as your primary household language, and at least one adult member must be a German national or hold EU/EEA citizenship.
You're required to provide a private, furnished, lockable bedroom; three meals per day; full health, accident and liability insurance; and the regulated €280 pocket money plus €70 language-course contribution.
Filipino candidates bring strong English language skills (often a relief for the children's English exposure), basic to intermediate German on arrival, and high cultural adaptability. Filipino caregivers consistently rate among the most reliable au pair populations in European host-family surveys.