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Host an au pair in Netherlands
Country guide · host family

Host an au pair in the Netherlands

The verified guide to host an au pair in the Netherlands.

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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 hosting 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)

Your host-family obligations · 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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How it works

  1. Create your family profile
  2. Browse the most compatible profiles
  3. Chat and video call in the mobile app
Your first contact with an au pairMessages and video calls in the mobile app; your phone number is never shown on your profile.
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