About the Program
The IND Au Pair cultural exchange program is an opportunity for young adults to experience life and culture in the Netherlands. The program offers opportunity for professionals and students to have a gap year and develop themselves.
In the Netherlands, you can only have an Au Pair through an IND-registered sponsor agency. There are few conditions the Au Pair candidate needs to fulfil, she/he should be single and within 25 years of age. The host family should be a minimum of 2 people and have a 1.5 times the statutory income requirement.
The host family provides a private room and welcomes the Au Pair to live and support them. An Au Pair can work for 30 hours a week and has 2 full off days. They essentially work with a weekly schedule and provide personalized care for children and also support with light household chores. They receive a pocket money of a maximum of 340 Euros.
How to find a good match for your family?
It is important to understand the program and carefully lay out expectations to find a suitable match for your family. You are able to look at candidate profiles through our agency or find your own match through www.aupairworld.com. The process of selection starts with a series of video interviews. It is important to ask for relevant experience and also access the personality of the candidate. Our agency goes through a meticulous process to provide a good match for the host family and the Au Pair. Sunshine Au Pair has 10 years of experience with the cultural exchange program, we have a robust selection and match process that helps both the families and Au Pairs have a good Au Pair year.
What are some benefits of having an Au Pair?
An Au Pair is able to give personalized support to families and is involved in the development of the children. Some of our Au Pairs are qualified teachers or have extensive childcare experience. It is also an opportunity as a family to learn from a different culture and share cultural experiences. This makes the program very interesting. Au Pairs also helps families keep up with a second language and practice it on a regular basis.
For dual career families or families aspiring for a dual career, this could be a great support. For expat and international families who stay far from their family, this is an opportunity to have additional support at home.
The Au Pairs form a nice bond with the children and families and become friends for a life time.
What does this mean for the Au Pair?
The Au Pair gets an opportunity to live and experience Dutch and International culture. They grow as individuals and develop skills through this process. We always see Au Pairs becoming a better version of themselves by the end of the year. Some of them become independent and gain confidence travelling on their own. This gives them the confidence to pursue their dreams and aspirations.
Majo Morales, an Au Pair from Ecuador, explains how she learned to take care of herself and learned so much from the host family during her stay here. She feels so fulfilled through the experience. She learned to be disciplined and to have patience. She says it helped her know herself during the Au Pair year.
Link for her Video :
How can Sunshine Au Pair agency help you?
We help you with finding a suitable match, but we can also help you if you have already found a candidate on your own. We conduct interviews and reference checks. We apply for the relevant visa with the Immigration Office and support the Au Pair in getting to the Netherlands. Once they are in the Netherlands, we support them during their stay through developmental activities, practical support and care. We help mediate any issues or hurdles during the year. Our aim is for Au Pairs and Host Families have a good Au Pair year.
To learn more about the program, you can watch Au Pair experiences and videos on our YouTube channel. Follow us on Facebook for updates or simply write to us for questions through our website and social medias.
