Temporary routes

How do temporary routes such as au pair or orientation year work?

An explanation of temporary or specific routes to the Netherlands, such as au pair, orientation year and other goals that do not fall under standard family or work.

Full guide by section

How do temporary routes such as au pair or orientation year work?

Not everyone comes via a wide main route. Some people come with a temporary or more specific purpose of stay, such as an au pair or orientation year. Then the conditions are often much more precise.

01

Four things that are more important for temporary routes than for broad routes

  • The exact duration of stay.
  • What you can and cannot do during that stay.
  • Which conditions continue to apply during the route.
  • Whether and how a follow-up step is possible afterwards.

02

Temporary does not automatically mean stepping down

Temporary route

Has a clearly defined goal and limited room for maneuver.

Longer stay route

Often needs to be reviewed later and under different conditions.

Common mistake

People sometimes think that temporary stay will automatically turn into something permanent.

03

Important for planning

With temporary routes, it is not only important to enter, but especially to understand what limits the scheme along the way. This is precisely where the most surprises arise later.

Sources and references

Sources and references

An explanation of temporary or specific routes to the Netherlands, such as au pair, orientation year and other goals that do not fall under standard family or work.

IND

For specific temporary residence purposes and conditions.

ind.nl/

Netherlands Worldwide

For practical steps if the application is outside the Netherlands.

www.nederlandwereldwijd.nl/

National government

For broader context around temporary arrangements and policies.

www.rijksoverheid.nl/

Frequently asked questions

Important questions that come up often

Use these short answers as your first orientation, then open the matching guide for more detail.

Is an orientation year the same as regular labor migration?

No. The purpose and conditions are different and should be read as your own route.

Can you always extend a temporary route?

No. That depends entirely on the arrangement and the conditions associated with it.

Where do you start for route details?

At the IND, because that is where the precise conditions for each temporary route are stated.

KNM is our active practice offer today, while the information pages already cover the wider integration landscape.

Our current offer

Practice with our KNM questions now and use this information hub for the rest of your path

Right now we mainly offer KNM practice. The information hub still helps with routes, official information, and broader integration questions.

Related pages

Related guides and next steps

These links move you to the next logical question in your integration journey.

Work or study route

Compare temporary routes with broader work and study situations.

Read guide

All routes to get to the Netherlands

Go back to the broader overview of all main routes.

Read guide

How does coming to the Netherlands work for family or partner?

A practical explanation about family migration, partner route, conditions, documents and the role of MVV, IND and basic foreign exam.

Read guide