10 Frequently asked questions

Usually the host families like a female au pair, but in rare occasions the host families may request a male au pair. If you are a male, feel free to apply. We will invite you for an appointment if we have an actual request from a host family for a male au pair.

The matching process may take anywhere from a day up to a year. Please keep in mind that we cannot 100 % guarantee you that you will be matched. It is up to the host family to decide which au pair they will choose. We do not influence this process, as our priority is making a great match and we don’t want to rush this process. This being said, of course we will be working very hard at finding a perfect matching host family for you.

Yes, this is possible. Host families may choose an au pair from another Schengen country, because costs are be lower and the process can go faster. If you stay in a very nearby country, you can meet your host family prior to being invited officially as an au pair.

If you meet the legal requirements, such as age requirements, no criminal record, etc., and your host family meets the requirements as well, then we will gladly arrange this for you. We would like to contact you and your host family to have an interview before we submit the application, as we have the legal obligation to inform you and your host family about the applicable laws and regulations, rights and obligations that will apply to both you and the host family. We are also obliged to check if you and your host family are suited to participate in the program.

Please note that it is no longer allowed to invite relatives to the third degree from July 1, 2015.

Please see this page.

See this page.

Yes, you can talk about this with your host family and agree together. We will look for host family that we believe fits you very well, both in terms of personal characteristics and also in requested tasks.

Please note that you will always have to keep in mind that it is not allowed to do heavy household chores or tasks which require specialized skills. The maximum is 30 hours a week over maximum 5 days a week, 8 hours a day of which a maximum of 3 nights a week.

Please see this page. Also note that even if you posses the required documents, this does not automatically mean that you can apply successfully, as we have to judge your personality as well. Please make an appointment with us before you invest time and money in obtaining the required documents.

We recommend our host families to contract a special au pair insurance, which we may arrange for them. You as an au pair are then insured for example, medical costs, repatriation, travel accidents and liability. If the above insurance is not contracted, then any of these costs will be charged to the host family.

Besides the special au pair insurance you as an au pair are also required to contact a ‘basic health insurance’ (basis zorgverzekering) within 4 months of arrival. We would gladly guide you for arranging this matter. The costs of basic health insurance are compensated by care allowance (zorgtoeslag), unless your host family is a single parent. In that case, you are fiscal partner of the host family and you will therefore not receive care allowance (zorgtoeslag) from the government. The costs of the basic health insurance (basis zorgverzekering) will then have to be paid by your host family.

Yes, an au pair may remain in the Netherlands for a maximum of one year in compliance with Dutch law. It is possible to become an au pair in another European country. You can arrange this yourself, or we can have you get in touch with an au pair agency in another European country who may arrange this for you.

As an au pair, you are obliged to live with your host family. However, during the day, you do not need to stay home if you do not perform any tasks for your family at that time. You can do whatever you like to do and leave the house during your off-time.

We will gladly let you get in touch with other Filipino au pairs, as we have a really big Filipino network. Your will also meet other Filipino au pairs at the cultural trips which we organise. You are ensured to have plenty of social contact by these ways.

Please don’t hesitate to ask us any questions which you or your host family may have. We are there for you to answer your questions and help you both. As per our initiative we will also frequently contact you and your host family to make sure both of you are enjoying the program.

Does the au pair agency or cultural exchange organization not comply with the rules set by the IND? Then inform the IND. In that case, the IND will investigate whether measures must be taken. Do you have complaints about the host family? First try to solve the problems in mutual consultation. If that does not work, contact your au-pair agency. In serious cases, for example in case of abuse or exploitation, you can also contact the police directly or call the special hotline for au pairs (06-1082 3594)

You and your au pair can report problems to us. We will gladly help to find or give advice for a suitable solution.

Does the au pair agency or cultural exchange organization not comply with the rules set by the IND? Then inform the IND. In that case, the IND will investigate whether measures must be taken. Do you have complaints about the host family? First try to solve the problems in mutual consultation. If that does not work, contact your au-pair agency. In serious cases, for example in case of abuse or exploitation, you can also contact the police directly or call the special hotline for au pairs (06-1082 3594)

If we notice that rules are violated, we are required to report this to the IND. If we notice that a host family is breaking the rules intentionally and / or repetition of the offense is to be expected, then we are obliged to inform the appropriate authorities (including the police) and remove the au pair from the host family. The cost of temporary housing will be charged to the host family.

Does the au pair agency or cultural exchange organization not comply with the rules set by the IND? Then inform the IND. In that case, the IND will investigate whether measures must be taken. Do you have complaints about the host family? First try to solve the problems in mutual consultation. If that does not work, contact your au-pair agency. In serious cases, for example in case of abuse or exploitation, you can also contact the police directly or call the special hotline for au pairs (06-1082 3594)

Law allows an amount between € 300 and € 340 per month.

If it turns out that it really doesn’t click well between you and the host family and we are not able to solve this then we can find another host family for you or you can return to the Philippines prematurely. We will discuss this matter with you and will consider your preferences.

Legally, a host family can only end the program with the au pair with a good reason, with a term of notice of one month.

As an au pair you may end the contract prematurely with a term of notice of one month. By law the au pair does not need to provide a valid reason. This is to protect the au pair as being the economically weaker party. Please do note that the host family has invested a lot of time and money in inviting you. A decision to quit prematurely should therefore not be taken lightly and should only occur if there is no alternative solution to the situation.

It is not allowed to invite relatives up to the third degree.

In compliance with the law should be the goal of ‘cultural exchange’. If the goal is to just to earn a living, becoming an au pair is not a legal suitable solution.

Of course you can count on your host family paying your allowance as agreed upon, so you will be earning a living, even though that is not your main goal.

It is really up to you to decide with what kind of family you would like to be matched with. You do not necessarily have to make a choice before making an appointment with. We can discuss this matter and decide about this together.

As an au pair you will need a phone with the Android or Apple operating system. If you do not have one, then your host family or we will provide you with one, including a SIM card with € 10 balance. You can refill their balance at their own expense.

The phone can be used by your au pair to stay in touch with family and with us. Your host family will have internet access at home, for example by Wifi.

A Dutch language course is not mandatory. The cultural goal is met by the cultural trips and participation with your host family for (cultural) activities, such as Sinterklaas, Easter or birthday parties and visiting places within the Netherlands.

In preparation for the Dutch language and culture, before you come to Holland, we will prepare you for basic words of the Dutch language and especially Dutch culture.

The cultural trips are mandatory to meet the cultural exchange goal of the program. It is not required that however that we will take care of this as your host family may arrange this if they wish to do so. The total number of trips should be at least five per year. The places you then want to visit, you can discuss with us.

It is not legally allowed to work more than 30 hours per week spread over a maximum of five days per week, 8 hours per day including up to 3 nights. This is also not allowed for a single time. Of course you can still exchange working times once in consultation with your host family, as long as the hours don’t exceed the time limits.

Our founders Shyrell van Galen – Navarro and Wendy Gonzales themselves came as Filipino au pair to the Netherlands before. They have kept social circles and contacts with other Filipino au pairs and Dutch host families. Both au pairs and host families were often not so pleased with the services of their au pair agency. Our initiative to remedy this situation this was therefore born.

We are a 100% bona fide, trustworthy and honest company with a humanitarian vision. We charge you as an au pair no registration fee, training fee, deposit or other amount. We think it is not appropriate to make a profit at the expense of economic weaker party. The entire recruitment and preparation for you as an au pair is at our expense.

Our team consists of three people in the Netherlands and two in the Philippines. You will have a fixed contact in the Philippines and the Netherlands as well.