OFFICIAL SPONSOR

Au Pair in America — the first program sponsor designated by the U.S. Department of State

It was February 1986 when the Department of State granted us a “test program” and we sent 200 au pairs from around Western Europe to work in America that summer. The au pair program was a great success and in 1994 President Clinton decided to make the program permanent. Au Pair in America was the first and original program sponsor and now, almost 30 years later, we have sent an estimated 90,000 young people as au pairs to America.

The only legal way to be an au pair in the USA is through a designated sponsor like Au Pair in America. As a legal sponsor our cultural exchange program is U.S Department of State regulated and subject to strict guidelines, which are there to ensure everyone has a safe and quality experience.

Our responsibility as an organization is to adhere to these strict guidelines and rules regarding au pair and host family screening and support and enforce them for your benefit and protection.

Our cultural exchange program has guidelines that all program participants and au pair agencies are required to follow, which are designed to protect the interests of both au pairs and host families. It is Au Pair in America’s responsibility to enforce these rules to ensure a quality experience for you and your host family. We also submit reports and documentation to the U.S. State Department to support our program’s high quality standards on a regular basis.

“There isn’t a single day that I regret being an au pair. What a great way to experience a completely different culture!” Zhanna, 21 – Ukraine

We’re Regulated

Relax – you’re in safe hands with Au Pair in America

Au Pair in America agrees to follow these government regulations

  • We screen and select both host families and au pairs according to the selection criteria stated in the regulations.
  • We provide au pairs with training in child development and child safety (for a minimum of eight hours, four of which are related to infants).
  • We provide au pairs with 24 hours (minimum) of child development instruction before they go to live with their American families.
  • We make sure that each au pair and host family are assigned a Community Counselor who lives within 1 hour’s drive of their home.
  • The Community Counselor will be there to welcome and conduct an orientation with each family and au pair within 14 days of the au pair’s arrival.
  • We make sure that the Community Counselor maintains monthly personal contact with families and au pairs, hosting monthly meetings for the au pairs in their cluster.
  • We monitor au pair participation throughout the program, including the physical location, progress and welfare of our au pairs.

Au Pair in America Host Families must follow these guidelines

  • Provide room and board and a minimum of US$195.75 weekly pocket money (US$300 for Au Pair Extraordinaire (from September 2023) and US$146.81 for eduCare companions*) *eduCare companiors are expected to provide up to 30 hours of childcare per week.
  • Au pairs will not provide more than 45 hours of childcare per week and no more than 10 hours in a day.
  • An au pair’s household duties will be centered on the children (includes preparing meals, laundry and room tidying).
  • Au pairs will have 1.5 days off per week and at least 1 weekend off each month as well as 2 weeks paid vacation.
  • For the first three days after arrival a parent or responsible adult will remain at home with the au pair.
  • If the au pair is caring for a baby under 3 months another adult must be home at all times with the au pair.
  • Contribute up to US$500 towards the completion of the educational component.
  • Make sure the au pair has transport in order to attend classes and the monthly meetings as organized by the Community Counselor.