Au pair in America
Official Au Pair in America Program Information
There is an official program to be an au pair in America (also
known as The United States of America, US or USA), which allows
young people to work for a minimum of 12 months. There are
eligibility requirements and certain conditions you must meet in
order to work as an au pair in America. Above all, it is necessary
to obtain a J-1 visa, which is done so through one of the
government designated au pair in America agencies. Only citizens of
countries with an au pair partner organisation are eligible to
apply for the J-1 visa as an au pair in America.
We recommend finding a host family on TheBestAupair website,
then together with the host family, decide on an agency to proceed
through. Choosing a local agency to the host family is advisable.
Remember to ask the agency for a discount for them not having to
find a family / au pair match for you. Once you have chosen your
agency, we recommend you request a formal au pair in America
contract for both the host family and au pair to agree on and
sign.
EduCare is an au pair in America program for those families who
have school aged children and require before and after school care.
This program requires the au pair in America to work no more than
30 hours per week and no more than 10 hours per day for a weekly
wage of $146.81. The host family is required to pay $1000 towards
educational expenses and the au pair is required to complete 12
hours of academic credit.
Au pair in America Mandatory Criteria
- An au pair in America must be between 18 and 26 years old
- Have completed your secondary school education
- Be proficient in spoken English
- Have childcare experience. If looking after a child under 2,
have recent childcare experience of at least 200 hours.
- Agree to commit to a full year's stay in the USA and be
prepared to provide up to 45 hours of childcare a week
- Have no criminal record and provide a certificate of good
conduct
- Provide a certificate of good health
- Hold a valid driver's licence
- Be neither married nor have children
- Have sufficient funds to pay for agency fee
Host Family in America Mandatory Criteria
- Be U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents and be fluent in
spoken English
- Childcare may only be provided to children aged 3 months to 18
years. An adult must be at home at all times for infants under 3
months of age
- Adhere to working hours and pay regulations for an au pair in
America
- May not be family or a relative of the au pair, irrespective of
the distance in relations e.g. third cousin, great aunt etc
- Provide an appropriate bedroom and 3 meals per day
- Pay up to $500 toward the cost of the au pair's required
academic course work
- Give the au pair one complete weekend off each month (Friday
evening to Monday morning)
- Facilitate the care provider's requirement to enrol in and
attend an accredited post-secondary institution to fulfil the J-1 visa educational
component requirement
- Provide a minimum of two weeks paid vacation for each 12 month
exchange term (prorated for extension periods of six or nine
months), in addition to regular weekly / monthly time off
- Include the au pair whenever possible in family meals, outings,
holidays and other events
- Host families and au pairs must sign an Agreement detailing the
au pair's obligation to provide child care prior to the au pair's
placement in the host family's home
Au Pair in America General Information
Pocket Money
- An au pair in America earns US$195.75 per week
Working hours, free time and holidays
- An au pair in America must work up to 45 hours per week and no
more than 10 hours per day
- 1½ days off per week plus a full weekend off each month (Friday
evening to Monday morning)
- Two weeks (10 days) paid vacation during a 12 month stay
Accommodation and Meals
- An au pair in America must be provided with their own private
bedroom and 3 meals per day. This also applies during holidays and
illness
Travel Costs
- Return airfare is paid for by the host family via the chosen
agency
- Please refer to our Travel Partners for discounts on flights
and travel insurance
Language skills and courses
- To be an au pair in America, you must be able to speak and
understand English well
- An au pair in America must take classes at an approved and
accredited university, for which the host family must contribute
$500
- Prior to arriving at your host family, an au pair in America is
required by the department of state to have an orientation and
complete 32 hours of childcare training
Length of stay
- An au pair in America placement is for 12 months
- Designated au pair sponsors may request that an au pair in
America participant be granted an extension of program
participation beyond the original twelve months. Au pair in America
program sponsors may request an au pair participant be granted an
additional 6, 9, or 12-month extension of program
participation
- Repeat participation: A foreign national who successfully
completed an au pair in America program is eligible to
participate again as an au pair in America participant. Effective
July 21, 2008, a foreign national who successfully completed an au
pair in America program is eligible to participate again a
participant provided that he or she has resided outside America for
at least two years following completion of his or her initial au
pair in America program. The repeat participant must qualify as an
au pair in America under the same rules as an initial
participant
- An au pair in America may also apply for an extra month's stay
to travel around America
Insurances
- Basic medical insurance and in some instances, personal
liability insurance are paid for by the host family via an agency /
sponsor organisation. Au pairs are normally required to pay a fee
to the agency as well. Fees and inclusions vary from agency to
agency so please check with each agency for specifics. Please
ensure you are fully covered
- TheBestAupair also recommends having comprehensive travel
insurance
Job Duties
- Childcare is the primary duty of an au pair in America. Some
housework will also be required. Please clarify housework duties
with your host family and have this put in writing in your
contract
Driving
- In order to drive in America you will need a valid driver's
licence. Check with the agency if your licence needs to be without
infringement and if you will require an International Driving
Permit
- Should you be required by your host family to drive, you will
need to make sure you have appropriate insurance and liability
cover. The agency will be able to assist you further with this
matter
- Access to information for Transportation and Public Works by
state can be found here
Visa Information
The J-1 visa is issued by the U.S Department of
State. The US Department of State website contains extensive
information for host families and the au pair. The J-1 visa must be applied for through one of the
government designated au pair agencies / sponsor organisations. The
agencies are responsible for assisting with visa applications and
for ensuring application requirements have been met by the au pair
and host family. For further information, please contact one of the
designated sponsor organisations which can be found here.
Additional Information
You can find additional information about being an au pair in
America in the websites listed in the Relevant links section on the
right panel of this page.
If you have any comments regarding this page,
please Email us - we value your feedback!