Click to expand the information below to learn more about pocket money, holidays, language courses, and more in the Netherlands.
The pocket money for an au pair in the Netherlands is €340 per month. Additionally, it is obligatory that our host families contribute €45 a month toward our au pair academy which includes courses for the Dutch and English languages, child development, and personal development.
We also ask our host families to contribute €20 toward the phone costs and €60 toward the travel costs each month for their au pair. We also offer an optional €45 insurance monthly in case of a rematch. The total monthly cost combined is €510.
Our host families are also required to pay at least 50% of the flight tickets of the au pair to arrive in the host country.
An au pair in the Netherlands is allowed to have working hours of maximum 30 hours per week and cannot do extra jobs or babysitting on the side. They should not work more than 8 hours per day and should not work more than 5 days per week.
Au pairs in the Netherlands are entitled to 2 full days off per week. While there aren’t specific regulations regarding holiday days, we recommend host families give at least 2 weeks off for a 12-month stay.
The au pair program is not a job but a cultural exchange program, therefore bank holidays don’t apply to them.
A lot of parents ask us: Can I bring my au pair on holidays with me? The answer is: Yes, you can! But she cannot perform au pair duties outside of her registered address, meaning that she will be on holidays too.
The maximum length of stay for an au pair in the Netherlands is 12 months. This cannot be extended.
Taking a language course is not mandatory in the Netherlands, but we recommend that au pairs learn basic Dutch to integrate better into Dutch society and further their cultural exchange experience.
As part of the au pair program, au pairs are entitled to free room and board. This means that they get all meals and housing from the host family. They must live in the same house as their host family and should have a private room with a door, window, bed, wardrobe, and desk as well as access to a bathroom. Their food and living quarters are included if they become sick or are on holiday time.
The au pair is mainly responsible for childcare during their working hours which can include some meals, planning activities, and pick up from school. They cannot work during the night.
They can also contribute to light household tasks especially those that relate to the children such as doing the dishes, organizing toys, or doing the children’s laundry. Their responsibilities do not include heavy household work such as scrubbing bathrooms or vacuuming the whole house.
Au pairs with driver’s licenses in their home countries can drive for the first 6 months of their au pair stay. After that, they must retest in the Netherlands to get a Dutch license if they wish to continue driving.
Au pairs from within the EU can drive throughout their stay as an au pair.
It is mandatory for au pairs in the Netherlands to apply for basic health insurance with the government. They are entitled to a monthly refund which covers the majority of the costs.
We also recommend that host families take out additional au pair insurance to cover them in case of accidents.
