Iceland Au Pair Residence Permit
For a non-EEA or non-EFTA national aged 18 to 25 entering a regulated cultural-exchange placement with an unrelated eligible host family in Iceland.
- Route type
- Cultural, religious & volunteer
- Can bring
- children from the official record
- Requirements
- 14 each quoted below
Who this route is for
Every item below is the government’s own wording, quoted from the official source. Whether you personally qualify depends on your full profile.
14 requirements quoted from the official source.
- Age Max
The application must not be submitted after the applicant's twenty-fifth birthday.
- Age Min
The applicant must be at least eighteen when applying.
- Directorate Au Pair Agreement Required
The applicant and host family must sign the Directorate's written au pair agreement.
- Eligible Host Household
The host must be a family household with at least one child.
- Host Additional Monthly Support Isk
The host must show ISK 129,976 monthly support for the au pair in addition to household support.
- Host Adult Status Required
At least one adult in the host family must be Icelandic or a permanent resident.
- Host Au Pairs At One Time Max
A host family may have only one au pair at a time.
- Hours Per Day Max
Au pair tasks may not exceed five hours per day.
- Hours Per Week Max
Au pair tasks may not exceed thirty hours per week.
- Nationality or qualifying status
Only a national outside the EEA and EFTA needs this au pair residence permit.
- Permitted Tasks
The au pair terms limit activity to childcare and light household tasks.
- Private Lockable Room And Food Required
The host must provide food and a private lockable room with a window without charge.
- Remuneration Rule
The au pair permit does not authorise other paid or unpaid work.
Paperwork you prepare — it does not rule you out.
- Health-insurance requirement
The host family must purchase health insurance for the au pair for the first six months.
4 exclusions quoted from the official source.
- Care Of Chronically Ill Person Prohibited
An au pair may not be responsible for a chronically ill child or similarly situated person.
- Familial Connection To Host Prohibited
The applicant may not be related to the host family.
- Intent To Settle Prohibited
The applicant must not intend to settle in Iceland.
- Night Work Prohibited
Au pair activity must be during daytime and may not include night childcare.
- Allowance Min
The au pair must receive at least ISK 15,000 per week.
- Days Off Per Week Min
The au pair is entitled to at least one day off per week.
- Dependent-family rights
The permit does not confer family-reunification rights.
- Eligibility summary
An au pair permit is for an individual aged 18 to 25
- Long-term residence or conversion path
The au pair permit is not a basis for permanent residence.
- Official source basis
An au pair permit is for an individual aged 18 to 25
- Outside Iceland Before Employment Route Years
After the au pair permit expires, two continuous years abroad are required before applying for an employment-based Icelandic permit.
- Report summary
An au pair permit is for an individual aged 18 to 25
- Weekends Off Per Month Min
The au pair is entitled to at least one full weekend off each month.
Who you can bring
- Dependent-family rights
The permit does not confer family-reunification rights.
What the source prices
- Government fee
The current application fee is ISK 120,000.
checked 2026-07-26
- Initial duration or stay ceiling
The initial permit is limited to the agreement and no more than one year.
- Renewal or extension
The au pair permit may be renewed once.
From here to a yes
Straight answers
01Who qualifies for this route to Iceland?
For a non-EEA or non-EFTA national aged 18 to 25 entering a regulated cultural-exchange placement with an unrelated eligible host family in Iceland.
02Can I bring my family?
03What does this route lead to?
The au pair permit is not a basis for permanent residence.
04Do I need health insurance?
The host family must purchase health insurance for the au pair for the first six months.
Every answer is quoted from the official island.is page for this route, last read 2026-07-26.
We checked 30 points against the official source; 30 are quoted on this page. The other 0 are either not addressed by the source or not yet backed by a quote — we would rather show you the edge of the record than fill it with a plausible guess.
See the 0 open points
Processing time is not published in the official source for this route. We publish a number only when the official text states that number.
Where every quote comes from
Official government source island.isLast read 2026-07-26 Every quote on this page is from this Iceland government page.Other cultural, religious & volunteer routes to Iceland
2 other cultural, religious & volunteer routes to Iceland.
Cultural, religious & volunteer routes in other countries
128 other countries publish at least one cultural, religious & volunteer route. Nearest first.
Norway5 cultural, religious & volunteer routes
Ireland4 cultural, religious & volunteer routes
United Kingdom4 cultural, religious & volunteer routes
Denmark3 cultural, religious & volunteer routes
Faroe Islands3 cultural, religious & volunteer routes
Isle of Man3 cultural, religious & volunteer routesDoes this route fit your numbers?
That depends on your income, savings and family — the parts of the story only you know. The free 3-minute check scores your profile against every Iceland route at once, this one included. Then the full Iceland report takes you the rest of the way.
• Free • 3 minutes • No signup