Being an au pair genuinely supports long-term travel goals. A placement year abroad builds real-world international experience, develops transferable skills, and creates a foundation of cultural confidence that makes future travel easier, cheaper, and more meaningful. For young adults between 18 and 25, an au pair year is one of the most structured and financially accessible ways to live abroad rather than simply visit.
The benefits extend well beyond the placement itself. Former au pairs consistently find that the year reshapes how they approach travel, work, and life abroad in lasting ways. Below, the most common questions about the au pair experience and long-term travel are answered directly.
Does being an au pair count as international work experience?
Yes, au pair experience counts as international experience, though it is best described as a cultural exchange program rather than formal employment. The distinction matters because an au pair year demonstrates cross-cultural adaptability, independent living abroad, and hands-on childcare responsibility — all of which are genuinely valued by future employers, visa authorities, and travel programs.
In the Netherlands, the au pair program is legally defined as a cultural exchange governed by the IND (Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service). This means participants are not classified as employees, but that does not diminish the practical value of the experience. Living with a host family in a foreign country, managing daily responsibilities, communicating in a second language, and adapting to a new cultural environment are all markers of maturity and international capability that stand out on a CV.
For those pursuing careers in education, childcare, social work, or international relations, an au pair placement is especially relevant. It demonstrates verified childcare experience backed by reference checks, the ability to integrate into a household and community, and the resilience required to live abroad independently for an extended period.
How does an au pair year build skills that help future travel?
An au pair year builds a specific set of skills that make future travel more manageable and more rewarding. These include language ability, cultural intelligence, logistical independence, and the confidence to navigate unfamiliar environments — all of which are directly applicable to long-term or independent travel.
Living with a host family rather than staying in a hostel or tourist accommodation fosters genuine cultural immersion. Au pairs learn how daily life actually works in another country: how public transport operates, how social norms differ, how to manage a budget in a foreign currency, and how to build relationships across language barriers. These are practical travel skills that cannot be learned from a guidebook.
Language development is another significant benefit. Even au pairs who arrive in the Netherlands with no Dutch often leave with conversational ability, simply through daily exposure. English fluency is a minimum requirement for the program, and regular use in a real-world family setting strengthens it considerably. Multilingual confidence is one of the most useful assets a long-term traveler can have.
There is also a less obvious but equally important benefit: the ability to feel at home somewhere unfamiliar. Au pairs who complete a full year abroad typically report a much higher tolerance for uncertainty and discomfort — the two things that most often discourage people from traveling independently.
Can au pair experience make it easier to get future visas?
Au pair experience can positively influence future visa applications, particularly for countries that assess an applicant’s travel history, ties abroad, and demonstrated ability to comply with immigration rules. A successfully completed au pair visa in a regulated country like the Netherlands is evidence of responsible international participation.
Visa authorities in many countries look favorably on applicants who have lived abroad legally under a structured program. It signals that the person has experience navigating immigration requirements, has a track record of returning home after a placement, and understands how to operate within formal systems. These are factors that reduce perceived risk in a visa assessment.
Working holiday visas, which are popular among young travelers in their mid-to-late twenties, often require evidence of prior international experience or cultural exchange participation. An au pair year in Europe provides exactly that kind of documented, verifiable history.
It is worth noting that the quality of the original au pair placement matters here. Placements arranged through an IND-recognized agency, with proper visa documentation and legal compliance, carry more weight than informal arrangements. A well-documented, fully legal au pair year creates a clean immigration record that supports future applications.
What travel opportunities are available during an au pair placement?
Au pairs in the Netherlands have genuine opportunities to travel during their placement year, both within the country and across Europe. It is important to understand that au pair schedules are fixed rather than flexible — working hours, rest days, and annual leave are all agreed upon with the host family at the start of the placement and must be followed consistently. Travel is planned around these fixed arrangements, not in place of them. Weekends, public holidays, and annual leave all create defined windows for exploration, and the Netherlands’ central location in Europe makes short trips to neighboring countries straightforward and affordable.
Within the Netherlands, au pairs can explore cities like Amsterdam, Utrecht, The Hague, and Rotterdam, as well as smaller towns and coastal regions. Organized community events, such as those run by Sunshine Au Pair, include city tours, museum visits, cultural festivals, and seasonal outings like ice skating — all of which help au pairs experience the country meaningfully rather than just passing through it.
Europe’s rail and budget airline networks make weekend travel to countries like Belgium, Germany, France, and beyond very accessible from the Netherlands. Many au pairs use their fixed free weekends and scheduled days off to visit multiple European countries during their placement year, building a travel record that would be difficult and expensive to replicate through independent travel at the same age.
Annual leave is also a structured benefit of the program. Host families are required to support the au pair’s cultural exchange, which includes respecting rest days and holiday entitlement. Because this time off is agreed in advance and follows a fixed schedule, au pairs can plan longer trips within Europe with confidence, knowing exactly when they are available to travel.
Should you do an au pair program before or after independent travel?
Doing an au pair program before independent travel is generally the better sequence for most young people. The placement year provides a financially supported, structured introduction to living abroad that builds the skills, confidence, and savings foundation needed for independent travel afterward.
Independent travel requires a level of logistical confidence, cultural fluency, and financial discipline that takes time to develop. An au pair year accelerates that development in a supported environment. By the time the placement ends, most au pairs have a clearer sense of where they want to travel next, a stronger grasp of how to manage money abroad, and a network of contacts across different countries.
There is also a practical financial argument. During an au pair year, accommodation and meals are provided by the host family, which means the monthly pocket money — while modest and designed to cover local expenses rather than savings — can be managed more carefully than it could during solo travel. Former au pairs often find they leave their placement year in a stronger financial position than peers who traveled independently for the same period.
That said, doing an au pair program after some independent travel is not a disadvantage. Older applicants who have already traveled tend to arrive with greater maturity and cultural awareness, which benefits both the host family and the au pair’s own experience.
How do former au pairs typically use their experience to travel long-term?
Former au pairs use their experience to travel long-term in several consistent ways: leveraging their documented immigration history for future visa applications, applying their language and cultural skills to work abroad again, and drawing on the confidence and practical knowledge gained during their placement year to travel more independently and sustainably.
Many former au pairs go on to apply for working holiday visas in countries like Australia, New Zealand, or Canada, where their prior international experience strengthens their application. Others return to Europe through different cultural exchange programs or pursue further education abroad, using the relationships and references built during their au pair year as part of their application.
The professional references gained from a successful au pair placement are also valuable. Verified childcare experience, confirmed through reference checks conducted during the original placement process, opens doors to nannying, teaching assistant, and childcare roles in other countries — creating a pathway to funded travel that continues well beyond the original program year.
Perhaps most importantly, former au pairs typically approach long-term travel with a different mindset than first-time travelers. Having already navigated visa applications, cultural adjustment, and daily life in a foreign language, they are better equipped to handle the unpredictability that comes with extended international travel.
How Sunshine Au Pair helps you build toward long-term travel goals
Sunshine Au Pair is the Netherlands’ leading IND-recognized au pair agency, and it is designed to give au pairs the most legally secure, well-supported foundation for their year abroad. For young people with long-term travel ambitions, that foundation matters enormously.
- Full IND compliance: Your visa and immigration documentation is handled correctly from the start, creating a clean international record that supports future visa applications.
- Dedicated Program Manager: A single point of contact supports you throughout the entire placement year, not just during the matching process.
- Active community: Regular events, city tours, and cultural outings help you explore the Netherlands and build connections with other au pairs from around the world.
- No fees for au pairs: Participation in the program is entirely free of charge, meaning your pocket money stays available for your own experiences and travel.
- Placements across 20+ nationalities: A diverse, international program community that reflects the kind of global perspective long-term travelers value.
If you are ready to take the first step toward a year abroad that genuinely supports your long-term travel goals, get in touch with the Sunshine Au Pair team to find out how the program works and whether you qualify.