The information below applies to you who have applied for a first time residence permit as an au pair after July 1, 2012:
Who is eligible for a residence permit as an au pair?
In order to be granted a residence permit as an au pair these conditions apply:
- You must be above the age of 18 years and not have reached the age of 30.
- If you have children of your own you will, as a main rule, not be able to get a residence permit as an au pair.
- It must be probable that you will return to your home country at the end of your stay in Norway, and the circumstances in your home country must also indicate that you will be able to return.
Requirements concerning the host family
- The host family can be a married couple, partners or cohabitants with or without children, or a single parent with children.
- The host family must have sound knowledge of Norwegian society and speak Norwegian with the au pair.
- If one of the host parents is of the same nationality as you are, he or she must have lived in Norway for a minimum of 10 years.
- The host family can only have one au pair at a time.
- The host family must treat the au pair like a member of the family.
You cannot be a host family if you are:
- Single without children
- A member of the au pair's own family, in direct line of ascent or descent, or the au pair’s sibling, cousin, brother or sister-in-law, uncle or aunt.
The rights of the au pair
- You will carry out light work such as housework, child care and looking after pets (cat, dog etc.).
- The working hours must not exceed five hours a day, and the maximum number of working hours per week is 30. You cannot work more than these 30 hours, not even for extra pay.
- You are entitled to participate in tuition in the Norwegian language and recreational activities, and you must have full freedom to exercise your religion.
- The host family shall pay a minimum of NOK 7,500 per year for you to attend Norwegian language courses.
- You must live with the host family for the duration of the contract and have your own room in the host family's home.
- You shall have free board and lodging, and receive at least NOK 5,000 per month before tax as pocket money/ pay.
- You are liable to pay tax. This also applies to free board and lodging. These benefits are regarded as taxable income. When you apply for a tax deduction card you must meet in person at the tax office. For further information, go www.taxnorway.no
- You are entitled to a total of 25 weekdays of holiday each calendar year, in accordance with Norwegian laws (ferieloven). Even if an au pair has not been an au pair for the whole calendar year, but started working for the host family no later than 30 September, he/she is entitled to full holidays. If an au pair starts working after 30 September, he/she is entitled to six weekdays’ holiday. The same applies if the au pair changes host families, provided that the au pair can document that he/she did not take holidays while working for the previous host family.
- Holiday pay is regulated by the Ferieloven (the holidays law).
- You are entitled to at least one day off (24 hours) per week, and at least one such day off per month must be a Sunday. In addition, you are entitled to at least one afternoon off per week.
- You and your host family must have signed the UDI's Contract for cultural exchange between au pair and host family.
- The host family shall pay an insurance for you which covers repatriation in case of death, illness or injury for the whole period of time you are in Norway.
- While you are an au pair, you cannot work for other employers or other families than your host family, neither for payment nor for free.
- An au pair with a valid residence permit automatically becomes a member of the Norwegian National Insurance scheme.
Requirements for insurance
The host family shall pay for insurance for the au pair that covers the au pair's return travel home in the case of death, illness or injury.
Where can the host family take out insurance?
Insurance can be taken out in Norway, in the EU/EEA area or, under certain conditions, in the au pair's home country If the host family wishes to use an insurance company in the au pair's home country, this must be an approved insurance company in the home country and the company must be accredited by the Schengen group in that country. The foreign mission in the au pair's home country can provide information about which insurance company to use.
The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration can not answer questions regarding the insurance. This is a relationship between the policyholder and the insurance company.
What shall the insurance cover?
The insurance shall cover the whole period for which the au pair applies for a permit. The insurance shall cover the au pair's return home in the case of serious illness or injury when the au pair, for medical reasons can no longer fulfill his or her contract and has been given the necessary medical treatment. If the au pair should die during the contract period, the insurance shall cover all costs relating to the return of au pair's remains and personal belongings. If it is not possible to return the au pair's remains, his or her next of kin shall be contacted through the embassy in the au pair's home country.
Who will pay for the insurance?
The host family shall cover the full cost of the insurance. This means that the host family cannot impose on the au pair to pay part of, or the whole cost of the insurance by making deductions from the au pair’s pocket money or through some other agreement on repayment.
The insurance is linked to the au pair. It is not necessary to take out new insurance if the au pair changes host family, as long as the insurance is still valid. The host family's expenses relating to the insurance will therefore not be refunded if the au pair terminates the contract or changes host family. The host family will have to pay for new insurance cover if they want to have new au pair. The host family does not have the right to claim a refund of the expenses relating to the insurance if the au pair is not granted a residence permit.
If the host family does not take out insurance for the au pair, this is seen as a breach of the au pair contract. The host family is then responsible for covering the cost of the au pair's return to his or her home country.
Information for au pairs from the Philippines
You can find information for au pairs from the Philippines on the website of the Norwegian embassy in the Philippines.
Mandatory testing for tuberculosis
When the au pair arrives in Norway, it is required by law that the host family ensures that they attend ex-ray and skin testing for tuberculosis.
Information for the host family: In Oslo, Asker og Bærum the x-ray test is done at the Diagnosestasjonen and the skin test at helsetasjon i bydelen, at Folkehelsekontoret i Bærum or at Smittevernkontoret i Asker. For other municipalities and counties, please contact the "smittevernlege" in your municipality.
The tests must be carried out before the au pair starts looking after the children, therefore the host family should book an appointment for one of the first days after the arrival.
People from Western Europe, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, the United States, Canada, New Zealand , Australia and Japan do not need to be tested for tuberculosis.
How to apply
Check where to hand in your application
- If you are outside Norway you hand in your application at a Norwegian embassy or consulate in your home country or the country where you have held a residence permit for the last six months. In some countries you will hand in the application at the Swedish or Danish embassy instead. Check here where to hand in the application.
- If you are in Norway, you can apply from here if you have held another type of permit for the past nine months. You can also apply from Norway if you have skilled worker qualifications. You must be in Norway legally, and you cannot be an asylum seeker.
Learn more about who can apply from Norway
Your host family cannot submit an application on your behalf.
Find out if you should apply online
You should register your application online if you apply from Norway or through a Norwegian embassy. You cannot register your application online if you hand in the application at a Swedish or Danish embassy.
If you hand in the application at a Swedish or Danish embassy you must fill in a form on paper and hand it in at the embassy. You can find the application form here. The form is also used for renewing a permit
What must be enclosed with the application?
Both applicants who register their applications online and those who hand in a paper version need to hand in their passport and other necessary documentation.
- If you apply online, you will at the same time book an appointment for handing in your documents to the police or an embassy. You will not have to wait in line when you turn up for your appointment.
- If are not applying online you need to contact the embassy to find out when to hand in the documents along with the application form.
When you have visited the embassy or police station and handed in your passport and other necessary documentation we will start to process your application.
In addition to the completed application form (online or paper version), you must enclose (this also applies to renewals):
- The UDI's Contract for cultural exchange between au pair and host family, signed by yourself and your host family
- documentation of the nationality of the host family (e.g. copies of their passports)
- a copy of your passport. If you apply from Norway, the date when you entered Norway must be shown in your passport or in other documentation.
- a translation of the documents into Norwegian or English
- a passport photo/ photo that meets specific requirements
- you must pay a fee
You may also have to enclose the following:
- documentation that you have had legal residence in the country that you applied from for the past six months if you applied from a country other than your home country
- if the host family is a single-parent family, you must document the single parent's percentage responsibility for care and control of the child(ren)
- a written authorisation for your host family if you wish to have them act on your behalf.
If you enclose a copy of the documents with your application, it is a condition that you present the original documents when you submit your application.
How long will it take to process the application?
Case processing times are available here
Residence card
If your application is granted, you must get yourself a residence card. This is proof that you have the right to live in Norway. You will receive a letter which informs you that you must visit the police to have your fingerprints and photo taken. About ten days later the card will be sent to you by post.
Read more about residence cards
The content of the permit
- The UDI grants residence permits to au pairs for up to two years at a time. However, the duration of the permit can neither exceed the period applied for nor the duration of the contract.
- You can only hold a permit as an au pair for a total of two years
- You can travel into and out of Norway for as long as the permit is valid.
- The permit does not form the basis for a permanent residence permit (settlement permit) or family immigration.
Is the permit renewable?
- The permit can only be renewed if you have had an au pair permit for less than two years. You can only hold a permit as an au pair for a total of two years.
- Your permit can be renewed even if you have turned 30 years old.
- As long as you hold a valid residence permit as an au pair, you can submit an application to change host families at any time. This will be considered an application for renewal.
- If you wish to renew your residence permit as an au pair, you must submit a new application at least one month before your current permit expires.
- You can live with the host family and perform your tasks as described in your new contract as soon as you have handed in a complete application to the police. Your stay with the new host family while you wait for the application to be processed will be counted when the total time of residence as an au pair is calculated.
- The application must be registered through the Application Portal Norway, where you also book an appointment to hand in the necessary documentation to the police.
- The same documentation requirements apply as for first-time applications. However, you may have reached the age of 30. You can find more information about what must be enclosed with your application here.
- Renewal applications are also subject to a fee.
You can appeal a rejection
Read more about how to appeal a decision here
Further information
If you have further questions about this topic, contact your nearest Norwegian embassy or consulate, the nearest police district or the Information Service for Applicants.
If you have any enquires about personal ID number and tax liability, please contact the Directorate of Taxes
If you have any enquires concerning your working envirronment, payment of holiday pay etc, please contact The Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority
