Before Brexit, most au pairs arrived from the EU with nothing more than a passport. That world has gone, and a lot of what you'll read online still hasn't caught up. Here is the position in 2026, in plain English — and why "already in the UK" has become the most valuable phrase in childcare.
The rule that governs everything
Anyone caring for your children must have the right to work in the UK. There is no au pair visa; this ended in 2008. What exists instead is a small set of routes that legitimately allow a young person to live and work here:
- Settled or pre-settled status. EU citizens who were living in the UK before 2021 and registered under the EU Settlement Scheme can work without restriction. Many experienced au pairs and nannies hold this status.
- The Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS). The closest thing to a modern au pair route: a two-year visa for young people from partner countries. In 2026 it covers ages 18–35 from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Korea, and ages 18–30 from a number of European and other partner countries; applicants from Hong Kong and Taiwan enter a ballot. Applicants must show at least £2,530 held in their bank account for 28 consecutive days.
- British and Irish citizens, who need no permission at all — and who increasingly make up the professional nanny side of the market.
- Students with work rights attached to their visa, within that visa's limited weekly hours — workable for part-time patterns, not full weeks.
If someone cannot show one of these, they cannot legally work in your home — however lovely they seem on a video call.
What this means for your family
Right-to-work checks are not optional. Whoever you hire, someone must verify their status before they start. It is stage three of our nine-stage standard, done before any placement is confirmed, with the evidence recorded.
The candidate pool has changed shape. Fewer young Europeans can simply arrive; more of the reliable candidates are already here — YMS visa holders partway through their two years, settled-status Europeans, and UK-based au pairs and nannies moving between placements. This is why we weight our book towards au pairs and nannies already in the UK: no visa uncertainty, no eight-week wait, often a start date within days or weeks, and a first meeting that can happen at your kitchen table.
Timing matters more than it used to. If you find a perfect candidate abroad who still needs a YMS visa, allow for the application, the maintenance-funds evidence and travel. Possible, and sometimes worth it — but not the route to choose when you need help urgently.
The questions to ask any agency
What status does this candidate hold, and who verified it? When does their visa expire relative to my placement? Are they in the UK now? If an agency can't answer crisply, keep looking. If you'd like the answers for your own situation, call us — this is our daily work, and the advice costs nothing.