Au Pair in Sweden: Requirements, Pocket Money and Rules

Being an au pair in Sweden means living with a Swedish host family, looking after the children for a maximum of 25 hours a week and devoting the rest of your time to learning Swedish. The rules are set by the Migrationsverket, the Swedish Migration Agency: it is the reference point for everything that follows. If you are an Italian citizen or a citizen of another EU/EEA country, the process is much simpler than for those arriving from outside Europe.

Who can be an au pair in Sweden

Age: at least 18 years old and under 30 at the time of the decision on the application. Official pages aimed at families instead say not over 30: if you are close to the limit, ask the Migrationsverket to confirm.
A valid passport or identity card. Non-EU citizens need a passport.
A written agreement with the family, signed by both parties before departure (see below).
Language motivation: the official purpose of the programme is to learn Swedish and get to know the country's culture, not to work full time.

The Migrationsverket does not specify a minimum level of Swedish nor mandatory experience with children. In practice, however, many families ask for references and experience with children: prepare a few references before applying.

How long the stay lasts

The au pair residence permit is valid for a maximum of one year and in any case not beyond the expiry date of the passport. It cannot be extended. You can change families without submitting a new application, provided the permit is still valid and the conditions continue to be met. The permit limit concerns non-EU citizens: if you are Italian you do not need one, but one year remains the maximum duration that families and portals usually indicate.

How many hours an au pair works in Sweden

The maximum is 25 hours a week between childcare and light household chores. The Swedish course is added on top: working hours and study hours together cannot exceed 40 a week. The agreement must state how much time you have each week to study.

Industry portals also indicate a limit of 5 hours a day and at least one day off a week. These are widespread practices, not a figure we found written on the official pages: put it in black and white in the contract.

The permitted tasks are childcare and small household chores. Heavy cleaning, work for other people or for the family's business do not fall within the programme.

How much an au pair earns in Sweden

The rule is this: the family must pay you at least 10% of the prisbasbelopp (the base amount set each year by SCB, the Swedish statistics institute), per month and before tax. For 2026 the prisbasbelopp is 59,200 kronor, so the minimum pocket money is 5,920 kronor per month, in cash. Food and accommodation are owed in addition and must be stated in the agreement.

Some sites still report lower figures, such as 5,250 or 3,500 kronor: they are probably out of date. Since the amount changes every year with the prisbasbelopp, always check the one in force. The pocket money is income and can be taxed: for details, contact Skatteverket, the Swedish tax agency.

Food, accommodation and holidays

The host family must provide room and board. The Migrationsverket does not set a minimum room size: agree with the family that you will have a room of your own and write it into the agreement.

On holidays, the official regulations do not specify a number of days and refer to the rules on free time that you include in the contract. A sector portal cites 4 paid weeks for 12 months of stay: use this as a starting point for negotiation, and remember that holidays spent with the family looking after the children are work, not vacation.

Insurance: what is required

Two types of cover are needed, both active from the first day:

Accident insurance paid by the family, covering accidents during work, those on the commute between home and work, and illnesses caused by work. Cover that only applies during free time is not enough.
Comprehensive health insurance for the entire duration of the stay, including emergency care, hospitalization, urgent dental care and medical repatriation. It can be paid by the family or by the au pair, according to the agreement.

The written agreement with the family

Before departure, an agreement signed by you and the family is required. The Migrationsverket requires that it contain:

working hours (maximum 25 per week) and study hours;
room and board and the amount of the pocket money;
accident insurance details (company, policy number, period);
the rules on free time;
a contact person in the family.

Visa and permit: what changes for Italians and non-EU citizens

If you are an EU/EEA citizen you do not need a residence permit to live and work in Sweden. According to the Swedish Embassy, for a stay of one year or more you generally must register with Skatteverket; for shorter stays, check directly with them. For Swiss citizens and long-term residents of another EU country, a permit is instead required if you stay beyond three months.

If you come from a non-EU country you must apply for the permit before entering Sweden, at the Swedish embassy or consulate in your country. The family starts the online application and then you complete it. The cost is 1,500 kronor. The Migrationsverket indicates that 75% of recent cases were decided within 3 months if the application is complete (4 months if incomplete), so act in advance. Family members cannot accompany you. Documents must be in Swedish or English.

In summary

Age: from 18 to under 30 years.
Duration: up to 1 year, permit not extendable (non-EU).
Hours: maximum 25 hours per week; with the course, maximum 40.
Pocket money: at least 10% of the prisbasbelopp, i.e. 5,920 kronor per month in 2026.
Room and board: provided by the family.
Language: Swedish study for much of the free time.
Insurance: accident (family) and comprehensive health insurance.
EU/EEA citizens: no permit, registration with Skatteverket for stays of one year or more.
Non-EU: permit to be applied for before departure, 1,500 kronor.

How to recognize an anomalous offer

Be wary of a host family that asks you for more than 25 hours a week, offers less than 5,920 kronor, refuses to sign a written agreement, or doesn't leave you time for a Swedish language course. These are the most common warning signs: if you spot one, reconsider the offer before you leave.

The amounts and requirements listed are those in force as of October 2026 and may change. Before departing, always check the conditions on the Migrationsverket website (migrationsverket.se) and on that of Skatteverket (skatteverket.se). This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice.