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Become an au pair in Netherlands
Country guide · au pair

Become an au pair in the Netherlands

The verified guide to prepare your au pair stay in the Netherlands.

Sources

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Age
18–25 years
Working time
Up to 30 h
per week, 5 h per day
Visa
Required
« Cultural Exchange »

Your journey, step by step

  1. Find a host family and a cultural-exchange contract through an IND-recognised au pair agency IND-recognised au pair agency
  2. The agency files the combined MVV + residence-permit application (Toegang en Verblijf / TEV) with the IND IND — www.ind.nl
  3. After a positive decision, have the MVV visa affixed at the competent Dutch embassy or consulate-general (e.g. Pretoria / Cape Town for ZA, Manila for PH) Dutch embassy / consulate (NetherlandsWorldwide)

The official data for Netherlands

Legal status

  • Au pair (cultural exchange) residence status Non-EU/EEA Residence permit filed by an IND-recognised au pair agency + MVV for non-EU/EEA nationals

Visa

Required — MVV + “Cultural Exchange” residence permit (au pair)

Non-EU/EEA nationals (incl. ZA, PH) must obtain an MVV (provisional residence authorisation) and then the au pair residence permit. The combined application (Toegang en Verblijf) is filed by an IND-recognised au pair agency.

Age requirement: 18–25 years at the time of application. People aged 25 and over are no longer eligible for the au pair scheme (new IND regulation).

Working time

5 h/day · 30 h/week

The Dutch au pair status (Cultural Exchange) limits light household tasks and childcare to max 30 h/week. The IND requires a recognised host family and an exclusively cultural-exchange purpose; any excess is a sign of abuse of the scheme.

Agreement

Cultural-exchange agreement (contract) via an IND-recognised au pair agency — Written au pair contract (model of the recognised agency)

IND (Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst) via the recognised au pair agency · Before arrival: the TEV (access + residence) application must be filed and approved before entering the Netherlands

Only an IND-recognised au pair agency can file the application. The au pair lives with the family, takes part in family life and performs up to 30 h/week of light tasks and childcare.

Pocket money

The Netherlands imposes no legal pocket-money amount: the host family must provide lodging and meals as well as a reasonable monthly allowance so the au pair can discover the country (amount set by mutual agreement). No binding official figure exists.

Contributions

IND / host family

Cultural-exchange scheme (outside salaried employment): no classic EU social contributions for the au pair

The Dutch au pair status is an unpaid cultural exchange; the family provides lodging, meals and a monthly allowance, without a salaried employment contract.

Tax

Where detailed legal rules are missing on some aspects (criminal record, exact allowance amount), AuPair Connect recommends referring to the IND requirements (~30 h/week max, lodging and meals provided, reasonable monthly allowance, IND-recognised au pair agency), to references and to a thorough interview before hosting.

Not reported

Official sources

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