What income do you need to host an au pair in the Netherlands?

To host an au pair in the Netherlands, your household income must be sustainable, sufficient, and independent, the three criteria the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) uses to assess financial eligibility. In practice, this means your income needs to comfortably cover your regular household expenses plus the financial obligations that come with hosting. Understanding exactly what that looks like in 2026 is what this article breaks down, question by question.

How much income do host families in the Netherlands actually need?

The IND does not publish a single fixed income figure for host families. Instead, it requires that your income be sufficient to cover your existing household costs plus the additional financial obligations of hosting an au pair. As a general benchmark, families should expect their net monthly income to comfortably exceed their regular living costs after factoring in the au pair’s monthly allowance and full board.

The key principle is that your income must be demonstrably stable and not reliant on temporary or uncertain sources. The IND looks at whether your financial position is sustainable over the full duration of the hosting arrangement, not just at a snapshot in time. This is why employment contracts, payslips, and tax records carry significant weight in the application process.

For dual-income households, both incomes are typically considered together. Single-parent families are assessed on the same criteria, with the same expectation that the household can absorb the extra costs of hosting without financial strain.

What counts as qualifying income for an au pair sponsorship?

Qualifying income for IND sponsorship purposes is income that is sustainable, sufficient, and independent. This means it must come from a reliable source, cover your needs without support from third parties, and be expected to continue. Salaried employment is the most straightforward qualifying source, but other income types can also meet the standard.

The following income types are generally accepted:

Employed income – regular salary from a permanent or long-term contract
Self-employed income – verified through tax returns and business accounts, typically assessed over multiple years
Pension income – if it meets the sufficiency threshold
Rental or investment income – if it is consistent and documentable

Income that does not qualify includes social benefits, temporary or zero-hours contract income that cannot be demonstrated as stable, and financial support from family members. The IND distinguishes between income you earn independently and income that depends on circumstances outside your control.

Does the income requirement change if you already have children?

Yes, having children at home does affect how your income is assessed. The IND evaluates whether your income is sufficient relative to your actual household composition, which means the more dependants you have, the higher the income threshold effectively becomes. A family with three children needs to demonstrate greater financial capacity than a couple with one child.

This is not a separate rule for au pair hosting specifically – it follows the same logic applied to all IND sponsorship assessments. Your household costs are expected to reflect the reality of your family size, and your income must cover those costs plus the additional obligations of hosting.

On the positive side, having children is also a core eligibility requirement for hosting. The IND requires that at least one child lives full-time at the same address as the host family. So while children increase the income bar, they are also what makes you eligible to participate in the programme in the first place.

What other financial obligations come with hosting an au pair?

Beyond meeting the IND’s income threshold, hosting an au pair comes with direct financial obligations that you are legally required to fulfil throughout the hosting year. These are not optional extras – they are conditions of the programme and part of what makes the arrangement fair and compliant.

The core financial obligations include:

Monthly pocket money allowance – up to 340 euros per month, paid to the au pair regardless of the number of days worked in that month
Full board – all meals provided, including on rest days and during illness
Private furnished room – a dedicated room with natural light, separate from family bedrooms, provided at no cost to the au pair
Health insurance – host families are responsible for ensuring the au pair has adequate health coverage during their stay
Support for cultural exchange activities – including helping the au pair participate in language courses and community events

It is also important to understand that au pair schedules are fixed, not flexible. The programme sets clear rules on the maximum number of hours an au pair may assist per day and per week, and these hours must be agreed in advance and adhered to consistently. Host families cannot adjust the schedule week to week based on personal convenience. This structure is a programme requirement, and budgeting your household needs around a predictable, fixed schedule is part of planning your hosting arrangement responsibly.

These obligations exist because the Dutch au pair programme is legally defined as a cultural exchange, not an employment arrangement. The financial commitments reflect that spirit: the au pair is a guest in your home, not a hired worker, and the programme rules are designed to protect that distinction.

What happens if your income drops during the hosting year?

If your income drops significantly during the hosting year, it can affect your status as an IND-recognised sponsor. The IND expects the income conditions that qualified you at the start of the arrangement to remain in place throughout. A substantial or prolonged drop in income, such as losing your job or a major reduction in business revenue, is something you are expected to report and that could have implications for the au pair’s visa status.

In practice, short-term fluctuations are less likely to trigger immediate consequences than structural changes to your financial situation. However, the responsible approach is always to communicate proactively. If your circumstances change, speaking with your programme manager early gives everyone the best chance of navigating the situation without disruption to the au pair or your family.

This is one of the reasons the IND places so much emphasis on sustainable income at the application stage. They are not just assessing your finances today – they are assessing whether your financial position is likely to hold for the duration of the hosting period.

How do you prove your income when applying to host an au pair?

Proving your income as part of the host family application process involves submitting official documents that demonstrate your income is stable, sufficient, and independent. The exact document list is provided after your match is confirmed, but the standard evidence required typically includes:

Recent payslips – usually the last three months for employed applicants
Employment contract – showing the nature and duration of your employment
Tax returns or annual income statements – particularly important for self-employed applicants
Proof of household composition – confirming who lives at the address
Bank statements – in some cases, to support the picture of financial stability

All documents typically need to be recent and, where applicable, officially translated. The IND is thorough in its review, which is why getting the documentation right before submission matters. Errors or missing documents are one of the most common causes of delays in the visa process.

Starting your application well ahead of your preferred au pair start date gives you the time to gather everything correctly without pressure. The earlier you begin, the smoother the administrative process tends to be.

How Sunshine Au Pair helps with income and eligibility requirements

Navigating the IND’s financial requirements is one of the more complex parts of becoming a host family, and getting it right from the start makes the entire process faster and less stressful. Sunshine Au Pair, as an IND-recognised sponsor, guides host families through every step of the eligibility and documentation process.

Clear guidance on what income documents are required and how to prepare them
A full document checklist provided after match confirmation
A dedicated Programme Manager who supports you from registration through to your au pair’s arrival
End-to-end IND paperwork management, including visa applications and immigration forms
Over a decade of experience helping families across the Netherlands meet sponsorship requirements

Whether you are just starting to explore the programme or are ready to move forward, the team at Sunshine Au Pair is here to help. Get in touch with us and we will walk you through your eligibility and next steps.