Finding an Au-Pair in the Netherlands: The Guide for Host Families (2026)

In the Netherlands a host family can find its own au pair, but the residence permit application must always be submitted by an IND‑approved au‑pair agency as sponsor. The allowance is capped at a maximum amount: no more than €340 per month, otherwise it becomes taxable wages. The au pair must be between 18 and 25 years old at the time of application and may work up to 30 hours per week and eight hours per day.

For families this means: a platform helps you find the right person. The agency checks the requirements and submits the application to the IND. This guide explains how both fit together, what an au pair costs, and which mistakes you should avoid (as of September 2026).

Sources: IND, Residence permit au pair (page updated on August 19, 2026) and income requirements for au-pairs; Regeling achterwege laten inhouding loonheffing au-pairs (wetten.overheid.nl). Retrieved on September 18, 2026.

The Netherlands have linked the Au-Pair program to a sponsor system. Only an Au-Pair agency that is recognized by the IND as a sponsor (recognized sponsor) may submit the application. The agency checks whether the Au-Pair and the family meet the requirements, prepares the documents, submits the application, and remains responsible throughout the year. Which agencies are recognized is shown in the public register of recognized sponsors on the IND website.

The agency is not the only way to find the person. The division of labor looks like this:

• Platform: You search yourself, contact candidates, get to know them via video, and decide who fits your family.
• Agency: It takes over your selected Au-Pair, checks everything, submits the application to the IND, and supports you throughout the year.

Ask agencies specifically whether they will accept an Au-Pair you have found yourself and what they charge for it. Fees vary from agency to agency; request a written offer.

This is the point many families misunderstand: In almost all au pair countries there is a minimum pocket money, in the Netherlands a maximum limit. Up to €340 per month remains tax‑free; if you pay more, the pocket money becomes salary — with income tax and social contributions, and the arrangement is no longer considered a cultural exchange. If you want to do something nice for your au pair, do it through what you should already be providing: a bike, public transport pass, language course, joint outings.

The duties are also narrowly defined. The au pair assists you with the children but never has sole responsibility for them and does not provide specialized care. All times are recorded in a signed seven‑day schedule, which also notes who looks after the children when the au pair is off.

• Allowance: up to €340 per month.
• Board and lodging: a private room and full meals.
• Insurance: The au-pair needs insurance that covers health costs in the Netherlands. How it is arranged and paid for is decided together with the agency.
• IND fee: €423 for the application (as of 2026).
• Agency: varies depending on the agency and scope of services.
• Search: free during the startup phase on AuPairMatch.

The family must also consist of at least two persons who hold Dutch citizenship or a valid residence permit, and must demonstrate an income of at least 1.5 times the statutory minimum wage for at least one year.

Au-pairs from EU and EEA countries and Switzerland do not need a residence permit; for stays longer than four months they must register with the local municipality. Whether the au-pair rules with the €340 threshold also apply to them without a recognized agency is presented differently: outside the framework of the au-pair program, the arrangement can be considered regular employment with entitlement to the minimum wage. Play it safe and clarify this with a recognized agency or the tax authorities before you sign a contract.

Because the au-pair year in the Netherlands cannot be extended and is only possible once in a lifetime, a thorough selection is worthwhile. In the first conversation, check the hard requirements: age at application no older than 25, not married, no own children, no previous au-pair stay in the Netherlands. Afterwards, it matters whether you match: experience with children of your host’s age, handling bicycles and traffic, expectations regarding leisure time and days off.

Talk openly about daily life: when the day starts, who takes the children to school, what afternoons look like, what happens on the two days off. Whoever sketches the seven‑day plan together before the match experiences fewer surprises later. A second video call, preferably with the children, often reveals more than the first.

On AuPairMatch you create a family profile and see which au-pairs match you based on the match score. Messages and profiles are automatically translated into your language, and getting to know each other via video call happens within the app. During the launch phase this is free for host families, including contact initiation. AuPairMatch is not an agency: we do not submit applications nor accompany the au‑pair year. AuPairMatch launched in 2026, established providers have more profiles — many families therefore also search through multiple channels, including candidates from their agency.