Can I be an au pair in Ireland if I am from the US?

Question

I have heard that families can't hire au pairs from the US in Ireland, is that true?

Answer 1

You'll need a working visa to come legally.

Additional Reply: Partly true. Its very hard for anyone to get a work visa for Ireland for unskilled work. This means US citizens along with all other non-European Union citizens. They only give work visas for people with specific skills.

EU citizens can work here without a visa, of course. And an employer that wants to hire a non-EU person must prove they couldn't find an EU citizen to do the job. For low skilled work, there are always EU citizens to be found.