Employing an au pair in Spain
Empleados de hogar (Special System)
Last reviewed
This is general guidance, not legal advice.
Employment law changes, varies by region and depends on your exact arrangement. Figures below are researched from official sources but go out of date — always confirm the current position with the official body linked on this page, or with a qualified labour adviser, before you rely on it.
Household employees in Spain (empleados de hogar) are covered by a dedicated regime — Royal Decree 1620/2011 and the Special System for Household Employees within Social Security. Registration is required regardless of hours. Confirm details with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.
Pay floor
€9.55 / hour (household work by the hour)
Set by Real Decreto 126/2026 for 2026. The general SMI is €1,221 a month over 14 payments (€17,094 a year, €40.70 a day). The hourly household figure is higher than salary ÷ hours because it already includes the pro-rata share of Sundays, holidays and the two extraordinary payments. Reviewed by Royal Decree, usually early in the year. Verified against the BOE on 2 September 2026.
What to get right
Spain has no au pair law — read this first
Spain ratified the European Agreement on Au Pair Placement but never passed a domestic regulation to implement it. So unlike Germany, France or the Netherlands, there is no Spanish legal definition of an au pair, no statutory allowance and no statutory hours cap. What exists instead is the household-employment regime below. That matters: if the arrangement is in substance household work, it may simply BE household employment under Real Decreto 1620/2011 — with the minimum wage and compulsory Social Security registration attached — whatever the placement is called. Take advice before assuming an au pair arrangement sits outside employment law in Spain.
Register BEFORE work starts
A household employee must be affiliated and registered with Social Security before starting work, regardless of how few hours are involved. Registering late — or not at all — is treated as a serious infraction and carries a financial penalty. This is the obligation families most often miss when they believe they have taken on an au pair rather than an employee.
What au pair placements pay in practice
With no statutory figure, agencies and families typically settle on €60–€80 a week (roughly €260–€347 a month) plus a private room and full board. Treat that as market practice, not as a legal entitlement or a legal ceiling — Spanish law provides neither.
Written contract
A written employment contract is expected for household employees. Use the contract template in the NannyTank app as a starting point.
Minimum wage
The national minimum wage (SMI) applies; there is a specific minimum hourly rate for household employees paid by the hour. Confirm the current rate.
Register with Social Security
You must register the employee with Social Security under the Special System for Household Employees (Sistema Especial para Empleados de Hogar) and pay contributions — regardless of how many hours per week they work.
Leave & payslips
Paid annual leave, public holidays and payslips apply. Failing to register or underpaying exposes the household to Labour Inspectorate (ITSS) sanctions.
Official sources
Check these for the current position — they are the authority, this page is not.
An editable contract template for Spain
NannyTank includes a downloadable employment contract template that references Empleados de hogar (Special System) — you fill in the agreed pay and hours. Available in the app, along with hours, overtime and claim tracking.
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NannyTank is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. This page is a starting point to help you know what to look into; it may be incomplete or out of date, and it does not account for your specific circumstances. Confirm anything you rely on with the official bodies above or a qualified adviser.