Au pair vs nanny vs domestic worker in South Africa: what's the difference?
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In short:
In South Africa, the terms "au pair," "nanny," and "domestic worker" are used interchangeably in everyday speech but describe roles with meaningfully different duties, typical profiles, and legal nuances. All three are covered by the same employment law. The practical distinctions are about what the role prioritises — childcare, household duties, or a combination — and what kind of person typically fills it.
If you are a family trying to decide what kind of childcare professional to hire, or an au pair trying to understand your own role, this page maps all three clearly in a South African context.
The South African roles at a glance
| Attribute | Au pair | Nanny | Domestic worker |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary focus | Childcare and child development | Childcare and child management | Household duties |
| Typical child age | 0–12 (often school-age) | 0–5 (often pre-school) | Any |
| Typical age profile | 18–28 | Any adult age | Any adult age |
| Driving required? | Usually yes | Sometimes | Rarely |
| Housework expected? | Minimal (child-related only) | Light | Yes — primary duty |
| Typical salary (2026) | R6,000–R18,000/month | R5,000–R16,000/month | R3,500–R10,000/month |
| Legal classification (SA) | Domestic worker (SD7) | Domestic worker (SD7) | Domestic worker (SD7) |
| Minimum wage floor | R30.23/hr (NMW, March 2026) | R30.23/hr (NMW, March 2026) | R30.23/hr (NMW, March 2026) |
Salary ranges are indicative market rates based on AuPairly platform data and publicly available sources.
Important: South Africa's au pair model is different from the international one. Internationally, an "au pair" almost always means a young person who lives with the family (live-in), comes from another country, provides light childcare in exchange for board and pocket money, and is part of a cultural exchange programme. In South Africa, au pairs are almost always local, live-out, work for a market salary, and are treated as regular employees. The international model is rarely used in SA. When South African families say "au pair," they mean a qualified, paid, local childcare professional who goes home at the end of the day.
Au pair (South African definition)
An au pair in the South African context is typically a young adult — often with an early childhood development (ECD) qualification, a teaching degree, or equivalent experience — who is employed primarily to care for and stimulate children. Their role is focused on child development: school pick-ups and drop-offs, homework support, meals for the children, play, and age-appropriate activities.
Key characteristics of the SA au pair role:
- Live-out — they go home after their shift
- Driving is usually a requirement — school runs are central to the role, particularly for school-age children
- Light child-related household tasks — tidying the children's rooms, washing the children's clothes, packing school bags — but not general housekeeping
- Often qualified — many au pairs hold ECD certificates, social work degrees, or teaching qualifications
- Above-NMW salaries — market rates start significantly above the legal minimum wage, reflecting the qualification and trust required
What au pairs typically do NOT do: cook for adults, clean the whole house, do the family laundry, or perform gardening or maintenance tasks. Asking an au pair to perform domestic worker duties is a scope creep issue that should be resolved by either redefining the role or hiring two separate people.
Nanny
The word "nanny" is used loosely in South Africa and often overlaps with au pair. In practice, the role tends to differ in a few ways:
- Younger children — nannies are more commonly employed for infants and toddlers (0–4 years), while au pairs are more often employed for school-age children (5+)
- More personal care — nannies typically handle bathing, feeding, and the physical care of very young children, which is a different skill set from the structured educational support an au pair provides
- Age and profile — nannies are often older, more experienced, and may not hold formal childcare qualifications but have extensive hands-on experience
- Driving less critical — because the children are often pre-school age and not yet doing school runs
Practically, many families use "au pair" and "nanny" interchangeably. The distinction matters most when specifying the role in a job ad and when assessing what qualifications and experience to require.
Domestic worker
A domestic worker's primary job is the household — cleaning, laundry, ironing, cooking, shopping, and maintaining the home. Childcare may be part of the role, but it is secondary to household management. Domestic workers are typically not expected to drive, and are not required to hold childcare qualifications.
If a family needs both household management and childcare, they have two options:
- Hire a domestic worker and an au pair in separate roles (cleaner + childcare)
- Hire a "nanny-housekeeper" who does both — this is a valid combined role but should be specified clearly in the contract, and the salary should reflect the dual responsibility
AuPairly note:
Families frequently try to hire one person to do both roles at a lower salary than either role commands separately. This leads to scope creep, resentment, and high turnover. If the role genuinely involves both full household duties and primary childcare, pay accordingly.
Legal classification: what South African law actually says
South African law does not separately define "au pair" or "nanny." All three roles fall under the same legal framework:
- Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA) — sets minimum leave, working hours, notice periods, and payslip requirements
- Sectoral Determination 7: Domestic Worker Sector — sets additional minimum conditions specific to domestic employment
- National Minimum Wage Act — sets the floor at R30.23/hour from 1 March 2026
- UIF Act — requires employer and employee contributions of 1% each
The legal obligations on the employer are identical regardless of whether you call the person an au pair, nanny, or domestic worker. The title does not change the law.
Frequently asked questions
Why do SA au pairs cost more than domestic workers if the law treats them the same?
The title doesn't set the salary — the role does. An au pair is entrusted with the development and safety of your children, often holds qualifications, and may be driving your children daily. The market prices that responsibility above general housekeeping. The NMW is the floor for both; the market rate reflects what people are willing to pay for different levels of trust and skill.
Can I hire one person to be both au pair and domestic worker?
Yes, but be transparent about it. Write the dual role clearly into the contract, specify the split of duties (e.g., "40% childcare, 60% household duties"), and pay a salary that reflects both responsibilities. Hiring someone as an "au pair" and then asking them to clean the house daily is legally permissible but practically leads to high turnover.
Do I need different contracts for different roles?
No. The legal requirements are the same (BCEA section 29 applies to all). The contract should accurately describe the actual duties of the specific role — but the structure and requirements are identical.
Is a "helper" or "maid" the same as a domestic worker?
Yes. The words "helper," "maid," "housekeeper," and "domestic worker" are used interchangeably in South African households. The legal term is "domestic worker" under Sectoral Determination 7. The title does not change the employment obligations.
Can an au pair refuse to do household tasks?
If the employment contract specifies the duties and household tasks are not listed, an employee is within their rights to decline duties that fall outside the agreed scope. If a family wants both childcare and household duties, this should be agreed in writing before employment starts — not introduced after the fact.
Does "au pair" have any legal meaning in South Africa?
No. There is no legal definition of "au pair" in South African legislation. The term is a market convention, not a legal category. For legal purposes, anyone employed to work in a private household is a domestic worker under Sectoral Determination 7, regardless of the title used.
Sources
- Sectoral Determination 7: Domestic Worker Sector — Labour Guide SA
- Basic Conditions of Employment Act, No. 75 of 1997
- National Minimum Wage: R30.23/hour from 1 March 2026 — SA News
- Legal Aid South Africa — Domestic Workers
Page maintained by AuPairly — South Africa's au pair marketplace
This page is for general information only. It is not legal advice.