Becoming an Au Pair (or Host Family!) in the Netherlands: Your Complete Guide 🇳🇱

Thinking about biking through tulip fields, sipping coffee along the canals, and spending weekends exploring Amsterdam? Then au pairing in the Netherlands might be just the adventure you’re looking for.

Let’s walk you through what to expect.

EU/EFTA Au Pairs

As an EU citizen, you don’t need a visa or residence permit to au pair in the Netherlands. That means:

✅ No complicated paperwork with immigration
✅ No long waiting times
✅ No extra visa costs

Instead, you just register with your host family’s local municipality once you arrive.

Non-EU Au Pairs:

Even though there’s no visa process, there are still a few ground rules to make sure your stay is a true cultural exchange:

• Age: 18–25 years old
• Duration: Up to 12 months (one-time only, no extensions)
• Work hours: Max. 30 hours per week (around 5 hours per day, 6 days a week)
• Days off: At least 1 full day per week
• Allowance: Host families must provide pocket money (usually €340–€400 per month), plus room and board
• Cultural exchange: You should join the family as a member, not an employee, helping with childcare and light household tasks while experiencing Dutch culture
  

Costs and Allowance for EU Au Pairs:

Here’s the fun part: there are basically no big costs for EU au pairs.

• Visa/permit fees: €0 (you don’t need one!)
• Nina.care placement fee: Covered by the host family
• Allowance + room & board: Provided by your host family
• Travel to NL: Usually paid by you (sometimes families help out)
• No income requirements for the host: No need to fit the IND income requirements.

Host families in the Netherlands provide au pairs with pocket money along with free housing and meals. The allowance is usually around €340 per month, which is enough to cover your personal expenses while you enjoy your year abroad.

Officially, Dutch au pair rules set this allowance together with age limits (18–25 years). But here’s an important detail: since EU citizens don’t go through the Dutch Immigration Service (IND) process, in practice we often see host families also welcoming au pairs who are a bit older. It’s always best to keep things clear and simple with your host family, and we recommend checking the official guidelines if you want to read the exact rules.

You can find the Dutch government’s information on au pair regulations here:

• Government of the Netherlands – Au pair program
• IND – Au pair residence permit
• Rijksoverheid – Rules for au pairs

Timeline

Since there’s no visa process, things move quickly for EU au pairs.

• Matching with a host family: This is the main step!
• Travel to the Netherlands: As soon as you and your host family agree on a start date.
• Registration: Once you arrive, you’ll register with the municipality to get your BSN (Dutch citizen service number).

This means you can go from “thinking about it” to “moving in with your host family” in just a few weeks.

Why the Netherlands Is Amazing for EU Au Pairs 🇳🇱

• The Dutch speak excellent English (but you’ll also pick up some Dutch phrases, gezellig!).
• You’ll get a bike-first lifestyle and plenty of time to explore.
• The allowance, free housing, and meals mean you can live affordably while traveling around Europe.
• It’s truly a cultural exchange: you become part of a family while discovering Dutch traditions.

Ready to start your adventure? At Nina.care, we’ll help you match with the perfect Dutch host family, guide you through the practical steps, and make sure your au pair year is as smooth (and fun!) as possible.