Hello.Kitty

I'm just wondering about getting an au-pair and having looked into the visa requirements, I'd like to know if any of you have had experience of this... or have any tips!

Basically, as far as I can tell, an au-pair would have to come in as a "maid/nanny", with labour contract et al, as per the Dubai Government Internets. Fair enough...

... apart from I've read that only certain nationalities can be "maid/nanny" ("You can only sponsor a maid from the following countries: India, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, and Indonesia.") and/or (bit of a conflict) that if you were to sponsor one from your own country, she would be "subject to approval" from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs - as well as jumping through a few more hoops to do with proving she's not related to you).

So, is it possible? Is there a simpler/better way? Surely someone must have done this before...

Millhouse

what nationality are you considering?

Hello.Kitty

it's early days yet, but I've had enquiries from a British lass, as well as French, German and Spanish. The British one shows the most interest and enthusiasm though.

Madam Medusa

but it will cost a fortune...the visa is just under 8k and presumably you will be offering a proper "nanny" salary, which i believe is £25k+ a year, plus flights, health insurance etc etc...

MM, xx

Hello.Kitty

No, au-pairs aren't qualified child-carers, MM, they are generally young women who have just finished/ in the process of doing their studies and want to see a bit more of the world and experience a bit more in life. The host family offers board and lodging and "pocket money", which currently seems to be £60-80/week minimum (I should hope it is a minimum!)

They are therefore more like the "nannies" we see here in the UAE, rather than the Jo Frosts of this world.

The only thing is, yes, the visa. Having totted it up on the official site, it seems to be in the order of 5500-5750, not including a 2000 AED refundable deposit.

You also have to draw up an employment contract that sets out flights, annual leave and medical cover, but again, that's no different to if you were to sponsor your own maid/nanny from one of the "approved" countries!

Hello.Kitty

... and yes, I'm just trying to figure out the maths.

Madam Medusa

wow, so you would be paying them quite a bit less than a non-european helper then...especially if it's only £60 a week...

MM, xx

Tockalosh

I reckon a European nanny would expect a real bedroom instead of a typical maids room/khaya

Guess she would also want to get and get wrecked at a weekend and party.

Guess she would also expect to use the pool

Too much hassle, sounds like it would be easier with the standard flipper or Bangla

The Dean

How many children have you got, and what ages are they?

Millhouse

Oh, so this will be an 17-19 year old british girl from maidstone. good luck!

it'll end in tears mark my words!

(sorry to be negative!)

Madam Medusa

i may be mistaken, but i'm sure kitty morally objects to the "standard" helpers...seems it's ok to pay a european peanuts for doing the same thing though...

MM, xx

Hello.Kitty

awww, you lot!

Firstly, cost: did you know, that as per official Dubai Gov site, the Bangladeshi government has set the minimum wage for Bangladeshi maids/nannies to... wait for it... 750AED/month! ... although they hasten to add that " there's nothing stopping you from paying more than the minimum wage."

Coming back to au-pairs, I mentioned the current recommended for those staying in London - I would imagine those staying in Dubai to need more, but at the end of the day, it very much depends on the young woman and host family coming to a mutually beneficial agreement, dunnit?

"Mutually beneficial" is the crux of it, in fact. The au-pair doesn't come to be an employee of the host family, she comes to gain experience of a different culture (hence foreign au-pairs, like exchange students), way of life, travel the world, whatever. Her "favour" to the host family in exchange for this opportunity/ lodging/board is to look after the children for a pre-defined amount of time per week. ... and yes, she's allowed to use the pool, go out and even keep possession of her own passport.

Interrogation spotlight is on, so I'll continue... The Dean, I have 2 children, 9 months and 2.5 years and am doing perfectly fine looking after them on my own. I'm investigating options that would allow me to go back to work. Nurseries here do rubbish hours and quite frankly, I've seen too many bored toddlers in the company of bored-looking Filipina nannies to want to go down that route.

Soooo... no tips on the visa?

Millhouse

but why would a European be any less bored? or any better? (apart from the different cultural standards which can be teached)

We have a Filipina nanny/maid or what ever you want to call her. She and our son have a blast together, she gets 3 days off per week - she is required to baby sit for about 1 hour, 4 times a week so we can use the gym and for one evening a week so we can go out. She is 42 years old and doesn't feel the need to go out and get pissed every night like a 17 year old brit will.

treat them like humans and pay them fairly and I have discovered that amazingly they even behave like them!

I know full well the problems with filipina maids, but I'm not sure a brit will give you any less grief. Can you imagine the shite you will be in when your 17 year old maid is caught sucking on jumeriah beach?

Of course, I can understand the case for a 17 year old Swedish girl coming to visit...

Hello.Kitty

no, I hear you, EM... as I said, I'm exploring possibilities.

There's a vetting process that should go on with taking anyone into your home - by both parties - and the horror stories invariably come when that hasn't happened properly.

And, er... I don't know if I've come across as saying otherwise, but I'm not looking for slave labour here or to find the cheapest option. It would sicken me to the core to treat anyone impolitely, let alone as "not humans". Did I ever give the impression otherwise?

Anyhow, I was just thinking of an au-pair because I vaguely remember a French au-pair staying with my family when I was little and she was lovely.

So much for helping a young woman explore the world... may as well go off and do as everyone else here does - pick someone of the quite frankly racist "approved nationality" list. At least then you won't get half the grief I'm getting on this thread!

F*** it... this has really disheartened me.

The Dean

Don't be disheartened - I for one totally approve. My own daughter (nearly 21, currently at university) would love to do it for a year (not available this year though, I'm afraid). She would love your children, and they'd love her.

She would fully understand that this isn't a way to get rich - quite the opposite. It would be an opportunity to experience a foreign culture (although my own daughter knows the UAE well) without totally cutting yourself off from your own.

And by the way - one of the best employees I ever recruited had previously been - among other things - an au-pair in Switzerland. It's a very good character-building experience, I'm sure.