Erkend door het Ministerie van Asiel en Migratie

What is an au pair?

According to a Dutch au pair program an au pair is a boy or a girl from 18 till 25 years in the context of a cultural exchange at a temporary host family.

The au pair has shared care of children and do light domestic work in exchange for room and board and pocket money. The au pair must have the opportunity to do a (language) course and learn the culture. For the au pair it’s very important to have her own social network by meeting other au pairs. In the Netherlands an au pair is in your family for one year. In exchange for board and lodging she helps you up to 30 hours per week.

Duties of an au pair can be:
* raising and caring for the children
* babysit
* cook a simple meal
* light household tasks like laundry, ironing, vacuuming etc.

The term "Au Pair" comes from the French (‘and par’) and means "on equal foot". An au pair must be included as a member of the family and is considered to participate in family gatherings. An au pair is not a housekeeper or nanny.

Good communication, mutual respect, understanding, openness, kindness and interest in each other’s culture, language and cuisine are the ingredients for a fine and exciting year for both parties.

BASIC AU PAIR RULES
* Age: from 18 till 25
* You only visit The Netherlands because you like to explore the Dutch culture and society
* You are not maried
* You have no children and not reponsible for any other (foster) children
* You have no family members in the Philippines, who are dependent on your pocket money
* You have no criminal record
* You are only allowed to do light household chores and/or taking care of children for your host family
* You are only allowed to perform light household chores and/or taking care of children of your host family at the address of your host family, where the au pair and the host family are registered in the Municipal Personal Records Database ('BRP')
* You are only allowed do help your host family, so you are not alowed do do activities for other people
* You stay in the house of your host family and you have your own room
​* You are not related to the host family till the 3rd grade
* 30 hours a week are the maximum allowed hours to help your host family. Not allowed to do more
* 8 hours is the maximum in a day
* 2 days per week off (minimum)
* Calculation example: If you perform au pair tasks on Monday for 8 hours and on Tuesday for 8 hours, there are only 14 hours left do do au pair tasks on 3 other days that week
* It is mandatory to do the au pair tasks via a daily schedule that is approved by AUPAIR4ALL. Any new daily schedule, first must be approved by AUPAIR4ALL
* You will receive 340 euro pocket money per month. It is not allowed to receive/earn more money
* Agency fee AUPAIR4ALL is 34 euro
* The consequence of not following the rules is that the residence permit will be cancelled and you have to leave The Netherlands instantly

In The Netherlands an au pair can be placed by a families whithout children as well. That can be a good solution for people who work and want to have an au pair in their house doing light household work or for elderly people who need also some assistance with light household chores.