Being a host family will give you a lot of advantages including reliable and affordable childcare solution and a possibility to get acquainted with a new culture.
You will discover the joy of having more flexibility with your kids in the mornings, more time for family's activities, etc. While living with a family, the au pair will contribute to your daily routine by helping with light housework and childcare. In addition, there is a nice opportunity for you and your children to learn about a new culture, try new food and even improve your language skills.
You will get a new family member who will assist you in taking care of the children and will participate in family life. The au pair will follow and get the kids to/from school /kindergarten, play with them and help them do homework, as well as babysit them during busy evenings. At the same time, your children will get the opportunity to enrich their social experience and become more open-minded by being introduced to a new culture on a daily basis.
Joining the au pair program will enhance your family life in many different ways and will make it more exciting and interesting.
The au pair is a young foreign person who stays with a host family and helps with light household duties and childcare in exchange for pocket money, board and lodging. The aim of the program is to acquire international experience and to get an opportunity to learn the local culture. The au pair should be treated as part of a host family and must be given an opportunity to learn Dutch culture.
An au pair work permit can be granted for a period of 12 months maximum and cannot be renewed. The au pair is only allowed to work for the host family and at the address of the host family. Working at another place/ for other families is not allowed and will put the the au pair under risk of losing their residence permit and having to leave the Netherlands.
In the Netherlands au pairs can work maximum 30 hours a week, with 8 hours maximum per day and should have at least 2 days off per week (at least one fixed, free of work weekend per month (from Friday evening to Monday morning).
Au pair duties may vary and depend on the host family’s needs and daily routine, but it is only allowed to perform light domestic work and childcare. The au pair and the host family will agree on a daily routine schedule, which will be added to the au pair application.
As a host family, you should not expect everything to work smoothly from the very beginning. It might take time for both the au pair and the host family to adjust to each other; at the same time, the au pair might need more time getting used to host-family’s lifestyle since she/he has just moved to a foreign country. Please be patient and remember that nice and open discussion often helps to solve problems. It is important to bear in mind the cultural differences between you and the au pair, therefore try to be polite but clear while discussing any issue.
Should any problem arise, we are here to assist you and the au pair to solve it. If things still do not work out, we do our best to find a new au pair for your family. We offer 3 months guarantee service, which means that you will not be charged extra for the au pair replacement (insurance and visa fee may still apply).
For the host family:
For the au pair:
In addition:
(the working and living conditions in the host family must comply with Dutch au pair regulations)