Frequently asked questions for au pairs and host families

This only applies to au pairs with a passport from outside of the European Union who are doing an au pair exchange through the Nina.Care agency.

You need to do your exchange through an agency that is recognised by the IND. Nina.Care is no longer a recognised sponsor. They are no longer a recognised sponsor because they did not adhere to the rules. There was nothing you could do about this. You can, however, do something to meet the requirements again.

Is your residence permit valid for more than 3 months? Then you have 3 months to find another recognised au pair agency. You can stay with your host family and perform the same tasks during this period. You are allowed to stay in the Netherlands for the next 3 months.

Is your residence permit valid for less than 3 months? Then you do not need to find a new au pair agency. The residence permit of 1 year will end soon and cannot be extended. You can stay with your host family and perform the same tasks and stay in the Netherlands until your permit expires.

You can find au pair agencies that are recognised in the public register of recognised sponsors. Contact a recognised sponsor from this register. And ask if this agency can be your new sponsor. Involve your host family in this. The host family namely has to agree to this new au pair agency.  

Notify the IND of your new au pair agency. Do this with this form meldingsformulier vreemdeling (7579). Email this form securely to the IND. Or send the form by post. You can find the address on the form.

Having a recognised sponsor is a requirement for the residence permit au pair. There are no exceptions possible for this requirement. Do you not have a recognised sponsor after 3 months? Then the IND will first send you a letter. This is called an intention to withdraw your permit. You then have 2 weeks to let the IND know why you believe that your permit should not be withdrawn. The IND will use your response in making the decision. If the IND decides that your residence permit stops, you have to leave the Netherlands.

Nina.Care often paid the pocket money for au pairs. Now that Nina.Care is no longer a recognised sponsor, the agency will stop doing that. You keep the right to pocket money. Meaning that your host family now has to pay your pocket money. Make agreements about this with your host family. It is a form of abuse if you do not get pocket money.

Does it concern fraud or abuse? Because you for example do not get pocket money or work more than 30 hours, or have to perform tasks that were not agreed upon? Or because you cannot access your passport? Then call the IND’s Au Pair Hotline: 06 108 235 94. Or use the fraud form. File a report with the police if it concerns serious abuse. 

A recognised sponsor is a trustworthy partner for a collaboration with the IND. This collaboration gives the sponsor rights. The sponsor may for example apply for a residence permit on your behalf. There are also obligations: the recognised sponsor needs to check whether you meet the requirements for the permit, provide information about the exchange and find an appropriate host family. An important obligation is the duty of care. The sponsor needs to check in to see how you are doing. And solve potential problems. This is important, because au pairs are young adults, often from a different culture. Without a trustworthy au pair agency, the au pair is mostly on their own. This puts them at risk to be abused by a host family. 

To live in a country outside of the European Union as an au pair, you need a residence permit au pair. Only an IND-recognised au pair agency can apply for one for you. If you meet the requirements, you can also apply for another residence permit. But then you cannot do an au pair exchange

Until you have a new au pair agency, you need to report changes in your situation to the IND yourself. In order to do this, use form: Reporting form for foreign nationals (9597) For example:

• If you are going to do tasks that were not agreed upon.
• If you go to another host family.
• If you request a different host family.
• If you are leaving the Netherlands. 
   

The IND is organising information meetings online. The letter from the IND tells you more about this. During this meeting you can ask your questions. Can it not wait that long? And the answer to your question is not in this list? Or you want to go to the meeting, but you have not received the letter? Then call the IND on 088 043 0430. 

You are responsible for handling mail from the IND during your absence. If you fail to do so and are therefore unable to submit your viewpoint or appeal, the risk is yours. If an appeal is not submitted or not submitted in time, you may be refused entry at the Dutch border.

You may stay with a friend during the period in which you have not found a new recognised sponsor. It is important that you inform the IND of this. You must inform us of the date when your stay with the friend begins, your new address, and the reason for leaving your host family. You can do this using a reporting form. The IND needs to know where you are staying in order to contact you or send mail.

You can leave immediately once you have arranged everything for your stay in the other EU Member State. It is important that you de-register in the Netherlands. You should do this preferably within the departure time limit or soon after. You must show that you have a right of residence in the other country. You can do this by sending a copy of the decision to the IND. Or by sending a copy of the residence permit issued by the other Member State. Please include the V-number with the request to delete the SIS-alert.

Yes, you also need a new au pair agency. Together with your au pair, you should arrange for a new au pair agency. The public register for recognised sponsors will tell you which au pair agencies are recognised by the IND. 

You probably need to pay mediation costs again. What the costs are, depend on the new au pair agency. Because the au pair is already in the Netherlands, and already has a host family, you probably will not have to pay for all the costs. The new agency will decide on this. Do you want to ask the money back from Nina.Care? Then contact them. The IND cannot help you with this. 

Nina.Care no longer pays for their au pairs’ pocket money. Your au pair keeps the right to pocket money. This means that you now need to pay pocket money. At least for as long as the au pair does not have a new agency. Make appointments about that together with your au pair. It is a form of abuse if your au pair does not receive pocket money. Have you paid Nina.Care for pocket money beforehand? And do you want to ask the money back? Then contact Nina.Care. The IND cannot help you with that. 

We understand that this situation is unpleasant for you. The IND cannot help you find a new recognised sponsor. This is the responsibility of the au pair and you have to agree on that. Do you have questions about your agreements with Nina.Care? Then contact Nina.Care.

You should look for a new recognised sponsor together with your au pair. The au pair needs to report the new agency to the IND themselves. This is because you cannot arrange your au pair’s affairs. You also cannot access your au pair’s IND file. Except if your au pair has authorised you to do so. Your au pair can authorise you with the authorisation declaration.

Do you not find the answer here? Then call the IND at 088 043 0430. Do you have questions about your agreements with Nina.Care? Then contact them.