After the au pair and the host family are in agreement with each other, there are three options:

• The UDI employment certificate for EEA nationals (pdf, 858 kB). 
• An employment contract that is in accordance with the provisions of the Working Environment Act.
• The UDI's contract for cultural exchange between au pair and host family. This contract must be used by au pairs from countries outside the EU/EEA. It is possible to make changes in this contract, but they must be in accordance with the provisions of the Working Environment Act. Note that the contract must clearly state how much the au pair will be paid per hour or per month, and how many hours he/she will work each week. An au pair from EU/EEA can work more than what it says in this contract, if he/she receives extra pay. 

To obtain a working holiday visa, theoretically it is not necessary an invitation letter, if the person is able to proof sufficient funds.

It is necessary to have enough money to live on for the three first months of the stay in Norway. This can be money in the bank and/or a concrete offer of paid work (NOK 10 092 per month , i.e. NOK 30 276 for the first three months).

The host family is responsible for sufficient insurance of the au pair (see also rules and regulations - health, accident and liability insurance).

Please, see "Rules and Regulations - health, accident and liability insurance".

To apply for a visa / residence title the au pair needs to register in the UDI Application Portal.

Necessary documents: 

• the UDI's Contract for cultural exchange between au pair and host family, signed by the au pair and the host family.
• printed checklist for au pair including all documents listed there.

The au pair needs to pay the fee and book an appointment.  

The au pair must show up at the police office or embassy in person:

• Make an appointment with the police.
• Find a Norwegian embassy.

To get the visa, the applicant must make an appointment with the police or embassy/consulate. The list with the necessary documents can be found here.

If any of the documents are in a different language than Norwegian or English, they must be translated into Norwegian or English.

Which further documents the au pair probably needs to bring along?

To proof the payment of the pocket money, most families will want to transfer the money to a bank account of the au pair. Therefore the host family should check what documents the bank asks for to open a bank account for an au pair, so the au pair can organize them at home already (see also “bank account” below).

If the au pair wants to drive a car in the host country, (s)he eventually needs e.g. a legally attested copy of the national driving license. See also “driving license” further below.

The trip will normally be organized by the au pair, of course in accordance with the host family.

Even when everything is clear and all questions are asked, it's good to stay in touch until the journey starts - it's important that also the children get to know that a new au pair is coming and communicating from time to time through Skype is a good way to get used to each other.

Although it's not mandatory, normally the host family picks up the au pair from the airport or train station (or organizes a pick-up).

The first days should then be reserved for getting to know each other and introducing the au pair to the family's daily routines.

You are not sure how to welcome your au pair and which rules you should define? Have a look at our tipps and discuss with other families in our community!

You are feeling homesick, the kids don't seem to like you and you just feel like returning home asap? Get comfort and tipps from other au pairs in our community!
And with our nearBy function you can immediately see which other au pairs live nearby and can meet with them.

When the au pair arrives in Norway he/she must book an appointment with the police to get a residence card.

It is important to provide the postal address to the Norwegian authorities. If the au pair intends to stay in Norway for a period of more than 6 consecutive months, she/he must also register his/her move.

The work permit is granted together with the residence permit.

The Working Holiday Visa will already include the Work Permit for Norway.

The pocket money is normally paid directly into a bank account.

It is necessary to have a Norwegian national ID number or D number to open a bank account in Norway. Banks may order a D number in some cases.

More information can be found here.

If the au pair comes from a country outside the EEA/EU area, different rules apply to the exchange of driving licenses depending on what country he/she is from.

It is recommended to obtain an international driving permit from the au pair´s home country if his/her license is not valid on its own in Norway.

For further information about exchanging driving licenses, please contact the Norwegian Public Roads Administration´s website.

Should the au pair be driving the host family's car, both au pair and host family should clarify issues of insurance and liability beforehand. It is important also to discuss who is to bear the costs for material damage in the event of a car accident.

Have a look at our tips, how to change family!

As the insurance is in the individual au pair’s name, the host family will not be refunded if the au pair changes host families. 

Everyone who changes residence in Norway is obliged to report their new address to a tax office within eight days of moving.

Detailed information can be found here.

Before leaving, the au pair must notify the tax office if he/she intends to leave Norway to go to a country outside the Nordic countries. If she/he is moving to another Nordic country, the move only needs to be reported in the country he/she is moving to.

More information can be found here.

Also consider the following, especially when the au pair leaves earlier than planned:

• Cancel standing order for pocket money
• Cancel au pair insurance