More than 10,000 young foreigners come to Australia each year to work as au pairs. Au pairs and the families who employ them are operating in a fast and loose business that largely escapes tax obligations and employment laws, the most detailed report on au pairs' working conditions has found. In practice, 60 per cent of au pairs in Australia work 36 hours a week and their tasks extend to housework, cooking and cleaning. Such rights included paying minimum rates of pay, withholding au pairs' tax, paying superannuation and ensuring compliance occupational health and safety requirements. The Cultural Au Pairs Association of Australia is lobbying the government to introduce a dedicated au pair visa with clear conditions to protect the workers and their families, she said.

Source: Stuff November 29, 2018 05:25 UTC