Deciding What Type of Nanny is Best for You

So you’ve decided that you want to hire a nanny in Calgary, Alberta. Now the question is, exactly what type of nanny should you hire? Options include live-in nannies, live-out nannies, full-time and part-time nannies, and nanny shares.

Here are some basic definition of what each of these types of nannies provide, so you can best decide which type suits your lifestyle best.

Live-in nanny: A live-in nanny is, as its name suggests, a nanny who lives with you and your family. But just because she lives with you doesn’t mean she works 24/7. A live-in nanny is a profession like any other, and she has a set number of hours she needs to work a week, a previously-agreed upon salary, sick days, vacation days and all other employee benefits.

If you wish to hire a live-in nanny from abroad, you must apply to Canada’s Live-in Caregiver Program, which stipulates, among other things, that you must regularly pay your nanny, provide a safe work and living environment, travel fees and health insurance. A live-in nanny from abroad must work full-time, not part-time, in order to qualify for the Live-in Caregiver Program. Read more about Canada’s Live-in Caregiver program on the next page.

Live-out Nanny: A live-out nanny can be either a full-time or part-time nanny; she is a nanny who lives in her own accommodations and comes to your house during set hours to watch your children. The hours of a live-out nanny should be determined by the employer and employee and mutually agreed upon.

Nanny share: A nanny share is when two or three families share the same nanny. This can mean any number of things; either one nanny watches the children of two families at the same time, in one of the family’s houses, or the same nanny watches one family’s children in the morning and another family’s children in the afternoon. The benefit to the parents is that they don’t have to pay the cost of a full-time nanny; the benefit to the nanny is that they end up making either a full-time salary or even more than that, since they receive payments from two or more families.

Once you decide what type of nanny is best for your family, you can begin the search process.

Finding the Right Babysitter or Nanny in Calgary

If you have a need for childcare at home but don’t require the more extensive services of a nanny, a babysitter is a good option. In Calgary, you can have your choice of reliable, quality babysitters - all you need to know is where to look for them! Nanny Calgary has wonderful resources available for finding the right sitter for you - so contact us today!


A babysitter’s fee depends on a number of factors: age, experience and hours of work. Teenagers generally charge less than adults, but don’t possess the same amount of experience. You have to make the call as to what is more important to you; though, each babysitter should be judged as an individual, without generalizations.

Find an experienced local nanny or babysitter in Calgary near you- Nanny Services is a online household employment matching service, specializes in matching nannies, babysitters and caregivers with families seeking qualified care providers in Calgary and accross Canada.