The au pairs, placed by Energy Au Pair, will receive an "Energy Au Pair Book", where detailed information about the au pair program in Norway and all the practical information will be given.
Between 18 and 30 years (au pair needs to apply for a work permit before she/he turns 30).
The application for an au pair-permit for non-EU-citizens takes approximately 3 months. It has to be arranged before going to Norway.
EU citizens do not need au pair-permit, they can come to Norway and start working any time. We will help with the registration in Norway.
A work permit can be granted for a period of two years maximum.
A permit to work as an au pair may be renewed if au pair changes a host family. However, an au pair work permit cannot be given for more than 2 years. The application for a new work permit must be handed in at the local police station in Norway.
An au pair is required to pay a fee to the Embassy or police if he/she applies for the residence permit. The fee is 9.300 NOK ( starting from 01.01.2024) for citizens of countries outside the EEA area. The au pair is responsible for paying the fee. However, we ask all our host families to cover a part of the expenses for the application fee so that the au pairs pay only 3800 NOK including the exchange rate and the transfer fee.
The au pair must bear the travel costs to Norway herself/himself.
The host family shall cover the au pair's necessary travel expenses in connection with the au pair's travel home. This commitment will cease if the au pair stays in Norway on another residence permit or if the au pair wishes to return to a country other than his/her home country.
The au pair is entitled to 25 working days holiday per calendar year. If the au pair has not been an au pair the entire calendar year, but starts with the host family by the 30th of September, the au pair is entitled to a full vacation. Au pairs who have been au pairs throughout the calendar year, but start after the 30th of September are entitled to six business days holiday. The same rules will apply to any change of host family unless the au pair can document that the holiday has been held at the former host family.
Au pairs should be accorded to paid vacation.
An au pair with a valid work permit is automatically a member of the National Insurance Scheme (Folketrygden). The au pair will be covered by the Norwegian national health service during her stay. To be included in the scheme, the au pair must be registered at the "Folkeregister".
In addition, the host family shall cover the cost of insurance for the au pair which covers the au pair’s repatriation in case of death, illness, or injury.
The basic idea is that the au pair should take part in the host family's daily chores in the home. These chores may especially include, for example, housework duties, child care, and minding animals.
Possible tasks within childcare:
Possible tasks in the house:
Help with animals:
Tasks which are not suitable for the au pair:
Working hours must normally not exceed five hours per day and 30 hours per week. The au pair is entitled to one day off (24 hours) during each week. At least one such day per month shall be a Sunday. In addition, the au pair shall have at least one fixed afternoon off per week. The au pair shall also be given an opportunity to attend Norwegian language tuition and participate in leisure activities.
The au pair must be ensured housing (lodging) for the period being applied for. The applicant must live with the host family for the entire period of employment and have his/her own room.
Minimum 7.000 NOK per month (before taxes).
Must be paid from the amount of the au pairs pocket money. The tax percentage is estimated by the au pairs monthly salary and the value of food and lodge the au pair receives. The au pair has to be registered with the Tax Office.
The family has to be representative for Norwegian culture. The Norwegian language must be spoken as the main language in everyday life.
A host family may only welcome one au pair at a time. The au pair lives together with the host family and has his/her own room.
The au pair is not allowed to work for any employer but the host family.
The au pair has to be given the opportunity to attend Norwegian language courses. The host family has to pay for the au pair to attend Norwegian language tuition with a minimum 10.225 NOK per year (880 NOK per month.
The au pair should have experience with children and basic knowledge of English.
The contract is terminated if one of the parties has given a written notice period of 1 month.
The au pair has to be registered with the local police office within 7 days after the arrival to Norway in order to receive a final residence permit. About ten days later a residence card will be sent to the au pair by post. A residence card is a plastic card that is the size of a credit card. It is a proof that the au pair has a residence permit in Norway.
The au pair has to be registered with the Social Registration Office in order to obtain a social security number.
Processing time for au pair applications is now 3-4 months from the day the au pair hands in the documents to the police, an Embassy, a consulate, or a Visa application center abroad. The waiting time may change. The changes will apply even to those applications which were submitted earlier. The information on the UDI website is updated once a month.
If the au pair wants to change the host family, he/she has to apply for a new work permit.
From 01.01.2020 the au pairs who change host families in Norway can move to a new host family and start performing his/her tasks in the host family as soon as the application on the UDI's Visa Portal is completed, the application fee is paid and time to the police is booked (if the police have available time). The other requirements of the permit must be met.
From 01.01.2024 the fee is 9.300 NOK. Most of the host families agree to pay this fee for the au pairs, who are changing host family.
The receipt from the application portal will be the only practical document, which will prove that the application has been registered.
The period of time spent with the new host family while the application is being processed is included in the total time of residence as an au pair.
More information about your rights and obligations will be given to you when you are about to make an agreement with a host family.
The au pairs, placed by Energy Au Pair, will receive an "Energy Au Pair Book", where detailed information about the au pair program in Norway will be given.