Pocket money, working hours and contract for au pairs in the Netherlands

The au pair and host family should clarify their expectations for the au pair stay in advance and sign an au pair contract that includes the important conditions of the stay such as duties and working hours.

A basic contract is provided by the official agency arranging the placement. Our Dutch partner Au Pair International serves as an official sponsor for registering au pair stays with the IND.

Contract termination
The au pair contract can be terminated before it expires if, for example, the au pair and host family do not get along. In this case, a 14-day notice period applies. This allows both the au pair and the host family to find a replacement and organise the return trip. However, on serious grounds the au pair contract can also be terminated immediately without any period of notice.

The maximum length of an au pair stay in the Netherlands is one year.

The au pair's most important duties involve helping with childcare in the family. The au pair also helps with light household chores. Together the host family and au pair should set up a schedule that shows the exact working times and duties of the au pair.

More info:

• Housework: What is an au pair expected to do?

Au pairs receive between 300 and 340 EUR pocket money per month in the Netherlands.

More information on this topic:

• Is there extra pay for babysitting?

In addition to the pocket money provided to au pairs, host families also provide all meals and lodging for the au pair in a room of her or his own. Board and lodging are also made available to the au pair during any periods of holiday or illness.

More information on the topic:

• What should an au pair room look like?

An au pair in the Netherlands is not allowed to work more than a total of 30 hours per week. On any particular day, the working time should not exceed 8 hours, nor more than 5 days of work in the course of the week. Also it is not allowed for an au pair to babysit extra hours or to have a job on the side.

More information on the topic:

• What are working hours and what is free time?
• How are public holidays handled?

Au pairs in the Netherlands are entitled to two full days off per week. These days don’t need to be consecutive. However we recommend host families give their au pair at least one full weekend off per month.

In the Netherlands, there are no official regulations with regard to public holidays for au pairs. We recommend that au pairs have a day off on public holidays. Only in exceptional cases should au pairs work on public holidays. The host family should discuss this with their au pair beforehand.

More information on the topic:

• Family holidays and your au pair – What works best?
• Going on family holidays without the au pair - how to handle?

Au pairs in the Netherlands are entitled to attend a language course. The host family should help the au pair in finding suitable offers within their area, and contribute 320 euros per year to the language course.

The au pair programme in the Netherlands is explicitly designed for a cultural exchange. This includes the au pair and host family pursuing typical Dutch activities together to bring the au pair closer to Dutch culture.

More information on this topic:

• Do au pairs have to attend a language course?
• Which language level do I need to become an au pair?

In the Netherlands an au pair needs to have health insurance. The basic mandatory health insurance that is available to all residents in the Netherlands covers the standard cost of general and specialist physicians, hospital visits and pharmacy costs.

In addition to basic health insurance the host family is also required to take out au pair insurance. This insurance contains accident and liability insurance, medical repatriation and baggage insurance for the au pair. There are insurance plans in Netherlands developed specifically for au pairs, like the ISIS au pair insurance and Young Global Traveler health insurance.

More information on this topic:

• How should I be insured as an au pair?

Many host families prefer to have an au pair with a driving licence. If this is the case, then it is important to clarify that the au pair has sufficient driving experience. 

The au pair will in all probabilty drive a car belonging to the host family. With this in mind it also important to clarify questions relating to insurance and liability in the event of an accident or other damage. 

If the au pair will be driving in the Netherlands it should be checked if the driving licence is valid there.

If your au pair comes from outside the EU they are only allowed to drive for half a year in the Netherlands with their foreign driving licence. After this time, they will need either to exchange their driving licence or to obtain a Dutch driving licence. For this, they need to take a written and practical exam. The written exam can be taken in English. Of course there are costs associated with the exams, which vary per driving school. We advise host families to pay for the costs of the Dutch driving licence of their au pair.

More information on this topic:

• Do au pairs really need a driving licence?