Au pair in Netherlands
Official Au Pair in Netherlands Program Information
There is an official program to become an au pair in
Netherlands. Being an au pair in Netherlands is considered a
cultural exchange so to become an au pair in Netherlands, you are
bound to the new migration policies for au pairs and cultural
exchanges.
To become an au pair in Netherlands, you are required to go
through an approved au pair agency in the Netherlands. The agencies
are engaged to process au pair applications and residence permits
(Refer: http://www.ind.nl/en/News/Pages/PilotwithAuPairAgencies.aspx
for further information, including a list of approved
agencies).
The agencies are seen as sponsors and can submit necessary
applications on behalf of a prospective au pair. A host family can
no longer bring exchange participants to the Netherlands without
the intervention of a recognised agency. For more information on
exchanges, please see the attached info sheet from the Immigration
and Naturalisation Service
http://www.ind.nl/en/Themes/Modern-Migration/Information-Sheets/Documents/aupair_ENG_2013.pdf
* Please note that we recommend you find your
au pair / host family on TheBestAupair, and provide details to the
agency who can sponsor you to become an au pair in Netherlands.
Au Pair in Netherlands Mandatory Criteria
- To be an au pair in Netherlands, you must be 18-25 years old
for an au pair visa or 18-30 years old for a working holiday
visa
- Have a valid travel document
- Be neither married nor have any dependants
- Not constitute a risk to public order
- Not have previously stayed in the Netherlands on a residence
permit
- Not have worked for the same family abroad
Host Family in Netherlands Mandatory Criteria
- The family must consist of a minimum of 2 people
- They must support the au pair during their stay in the
Netherlands
- The family must have sufficient income to support
themselves and you. Remember having an au pair in Netherlands means
supporting another adult member in the household
- The responsible person in the host family must sign a sponsor
declaration
- The responsible person in the host family must sign a
declaration of awareness
- The family must draw up a daily schedule
- The family must pay for medical and accident insurance for the
au pair
Au Pair in Netherlands General Information
Pocket Money
- An au pair in Netherlands is paid approximately 300-340 Euros
per month pocket money
Working hours, free time and holidays
- An au pair in Netherlands works a maximum of 30 hours per week,
with a maximum of 8 hours per day, inclusive of a maximum 3
evenings of babysitting per week
- An au pair in Netherlands gets 2 full days free time per week
and at least 1 weekend off per month
- An au pair in Netherlands gets 2 weeks holiday for a 12 month
stay. Holidays for shorter stays are to be negotiated
Accommodation and meals
- An au pair in Netherlands is provided with their own room, 3
meals per day and have free access to the family home
Travel costs
- The au pair must pay all travel costs
- Please refer to our Travel
Partners for discounts on flights and travel
insurance
Language skills and course
- Basic Dutch is desirable for an au pair in Netherlands, but not
compulsory
- It is not essential for an au pair in Netherlands to attend a
language course however an au pair should be given the opportunity
to participate in a Dutch language course. It is expected that the
host family will pay up to 230 Euros towards the cost of the
course
Length of stay
- An au pair in Netherlands can stay for up to 12 months
Insurances
- The host family must provide medical, accident and repatriation
insurance unless the au pair is on a working holiday visa. In this
case, the au pair must bear the cost of a comprehensive insurance
policy covering medical, liability, repatriation and accident
costs. For non-EU citizens there are Dutch
insurances specifically made for au pairs. We recommend selecting
one local to your host family. For EU citizens, check if your health card
and private health insurance are valid in the Netherlands. Make
sure you take your health card and private health insurance
documents with you to the Netherlands. If not valid in the
Netherlands, you and your host family must organise a mandatory
health insurance for you
Job Duties
- Au pair in Netherlands duties include child care and light
housework
Driving
- If you are required to drive as an au pair in Netherlands, you
will need to be at least 18 years of age, and have a valid driver's
licence
- TheBestAupair recommends obtaining an international driving
permit from your home country if your licence is not valid on its
own in the Netherlands
- Discuss with your host family what happens if you have a car
accident, who pays, and have your agreements put in the
contract
- More information about driving and driver licences in the
Netherlands can be found here: http://www.government.nl/issues/driving-licence
Visa Information
EU,
EFTA and Swiss nationals who wish to be an au pair in
Netherlands require a valid ID card or passport to enter The
Netherlands. No entry visa is required. For stays of more than 3
months, you must register with the local authority, GBA, and also
register with IND. (www.ind.nl).
Different rules apply for citizens of Romania and Bulgaria
who wish to be an au pair in Netherlands. Please refer
to www.ind.nl for
further information.
Non-EU
nationals who wish to be an au pair in
Netherlands require a residence permit and a regular
provisional residence permit (MVV - visa) for stays of more than 3
months. For stays of less than 3 months, no residence permit is
required however you will still likely need a visa. Visa
applications must be made at your local Netherlands embassy or
consulate before departing your home country. Processing time can
take up to 3 months. It is advisable to first find out whether you
meet the requirements, as application fees are costly and
non-refundable. This advice can be obtained from the IND. Nationals
from the following countries do not need an MVV: Australia, Canada,
Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, South Korea, The USA or Vatican
City.
Upon arrival in the Netherlands, all NON-EU, EEA or Swiss nationals must
report to the local police within 3 days of arriving. You must have
with you a certified copy of your birth certificate. If you wish to
stay for more than 3 months, you will need to apply for a temporary
residence permit within 8 days of your arrival by appointment at
the IND.
All applicants requiring a residence permit will also require a
written contract with the host family, be required to sign a
declaration of awareness stating their stay in the Netherlands is
temporary, provide a sponsor declaration and undergo an examination
for tuberculosis. Citizens of the EU, EEA, Australia, Canada, Israel,
Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Surinam, United States of America,
Switzerland and Liechtenstein are NOT required to undergo this
examination.
Citizens of Canada, Australia and New Zealand can also become an
au pair in Netherlands by taking part in a paid working holiday. A
work permit is not required for working holiday makers. A residence
permit is required. Canadians participating in the Working
Holiday Program (WHP) and New Zealanders and Australians on the
Working Holiday Scheme (WHS) can be aged between 18-30, must not
have dependents and must have a return ticket or sufficient funds
to purchase one. The WHS and WHP programs require participants to
also have their own private medical, accident and liability
insurance.
The Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) provides an
extremely informative Info Sheet for anyone wishing to enter the
Netherlands. Reading this info sheet is a must if you want to
become an au pair in Netherlands. For further information,
you can contact the IND directly. (www.ind.nl)
http://www.ind.nl/en/Themes/Modern-Migration/Information-Sheets/Documents/aupair_ENG_2013.pdf
The IND website also has a residence wizard which determines
your eligibility to work in the Netherlands and provides a list of
conditions you will have to fulfil, fees to pay and documents you
will require. Please make sure you adhere to requirements for
translating and legalising documents. If not done correctly, you
will not be able to work as an au pair in Netherlands. http://www.ind.nl/EN/RESIDENCE-WIZARD/Pages/default.aspx.
Additional Information
You can find additional information about being an au pair in
Netherlands in the websites listed in the Relevant links section on
the right panel of this page.
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