The remuneration that you can expect to receive as an au pair differs from one
position to another, but here are some guidelines for agreeing on a fair salary
with the family:
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Request a basic salary of between R35 and R60 per hour, depending on your
experience and qualifications, as well as the number of hours per week you will
be required to work. The less hours per week that you will be working, the
greater the hourly rate should be to compensate fairly for this. As a
guideline, an inexperienced au pair working 20 hours or more per week can
expect to earn around R35-R40 per hour, whereas one working for 10 hours or
less can expect to earn roughly R45-R50 per hour. A more experienced or
qualified au pair can expect to earn around R45-R50 per hour and R55-R60 per
hour respectively for these types of positions.
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Occasional baby-sitting should be remunerated at roughly the the same rate as
above, provided that the family gives you sufficient notice each time they need
you for baby-sitting.
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For travelling expenses, you should request around R2.00 to R3.00 per kilometer
for all traveling done for the family in your own car during your working
hours. Instead of calculating the amount each time, you can also suggest to the
family to add a set amount to your salary to cover your average driving
expenses.
Should the family be offering any special benefits, such as a cellphone
allowance, the use of their car, accomodation (for a live-in position), you
should allow for these when determining a fair salary to ask for.
Au pair salaries are usually paid either weekly or monthly, but you should also
be willing to arrange a different payment schedule if the family requests it.