Au pairs coming to Australia should have more visa options and a minimum payment level, the peak body for the au pair industry has argued.
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The Productivity Commission has made a draft recommendation that the federal government should simplify working holiday visa requirements to allow au pairs to work for a family for the full 12 month term of their visa and not the current limit of six months.
The Cultural Au Pair in Australia Association says this does not go far enough and is calling for au pairs to be eligible for a special program visa that is designed to "enhance international relations and cultural exchange" through youth exchange, cultural enrichment or community benefit programs.
"One of the reasons an au pair chooses to come to Australia is the cultural exchange experience," president Wendi Aylward said.
In its final submission to the Productivity Commission's inquiry into childcare, the Cultural Au Pair Association is also calling for a one month travel period to be added to the working holiday visa to "allow sufficient time for au pairs to travel".
Pointing out that there is little data on the rates paid to au pairs, Ms Aylward said the commission should consider recommending a mandatory minimum payment to "ensure au pairs are fairly compensated".
The association suggests that Australia follows the New Zealand model where an au pair's pocket money is calculated using the average costs of room and board under a homestay, minus the average hourly rate for a childcare worker.
The call comes after the Australian Nanny Association said it did not support extending the amount of time au pairs were allowed to work, due to the "unregulated, unqualified and inexperienced type of care" they provide.
The Cultural Au Pair Association hit back at this, saying there were an estimated 10,000 au pairs in Australia each year and the Nanny Association was ignoring the "elephant in the room".
"Rather than dismissing au pairs from Australia's future childcare planning, interest groups such as the Australian Nanny Association would do better to support the call for the introduction of a [regulatory] framework for the recruitment, screening and placement of au pairs."
The Productivity Commission has explicitly not recommended that government childcare subsidies be extended to support au pairs, but has noted that they are a "low cost option for some families".
It is due to provide its final report to the federal government by October 31.
