Employers we help
Welcoming an au pair into your home is a cultural exchange, but to the CRA, it is an employment relationship. RoostPay is the au pair payroll software built to handle specific host family challenges: legal room and board deductions, taxable benefits, and mandatory remittance schedules. Focus on the cultural exchange, not the calculator.
Most host families assume an au pair is a casual arrangement or a stipend-based exchange. However, under Canadian law, au pairs are employees entitled to minimum wage and subject to standard CRA tax rules.
Meals & lodging
Calculating how much you can legally deduct for meals and lodging according to provincial limits.
Perks & coverage
Understanding how paying for a cell phone, transit pass, or language classes impacts their gross taxable income.
Immigration & hours
Managing payroll for temporary foreign workers with specific hour limitations.
Room & board
Enter your weekly meal and lodging deductions once. RoostPay automatically subtracts them from net pay while keeping gross pay CRA-compliant.
Taxable benefits
Easily add transit passes or tuition contributions as taxable benefits so year-end T4s are perfectly accurate.
CRA remittances
We calculate and remit your CPP, EI, and federal taxes, so your au pair's temporary work status is never compromised by bad accounting.
Clear answers for host families navigating au pair employment, room and board deductions, and CRA obligations.
Yes. Regardless of the cultural exchange aspect, the CRA and provincial employment standards classify au pairs as domestic employees. You must pay at least minimum wage and remit payroll taxes.
Yes, your au pair is considered an employee in Canada and is afforded the same employment standards rights as other employees in your province. While some provinces have carve-outs for live-in domestic workers, you need to ensure that you are following the law when scheduling and paying your au pair. The RoostPay app has a scheduling feature built in and tracks your au pair's hours—properly calculating overtime in each province.
Room and board deductions are strictly capped and vary by province. You cannot deduct more than the provincial maximum, and these deductions must be clearly stated on their pay stub. RoostPay automates these maximums.
Yes, each province mandates that employees (and that includes an au pair) receive a pay stub with certain minimum requirements on it. The RoostPay app automates this process by delivering a provincially compliant pay stub to your employee on time, every time. It is securely stored and transmitted to ensure PIPEDA compliance—so you can relax and enjoy your family and au pair experience.
Yes. To pay your au pair legally and remit their CPP, EI, and income tax, you must register for a domestic employer Business Number with the CRA.
Yes. Au pairs working in Canada on working holiday visas or temporary work permits are subject to Canadian income tax, CPP, and EI deductions on their gross wages.
No setup fees. Automated room & board math. 100% CRA compliant.
