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Timeline of Becoming an Au Pair in the U.S.A

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Requirements

To apply be an au pair in the United States, one must meet certain requirements, including:

  • Age: Be between 18 and 26 years old

  • English: Be proficient in spoken English

  • Education: Be a secondary school graduate or equivalent

  • Childcare: Have a minimum of 200 hours of recent, non-family childcare experience

  • Health: Be in good health. (Capable of fully participating in the program as evidenced by the satisfactory completion of a physical.)

  • Criminal record: Have a clean driving record and never been convicted of a criminal offense

  • Marriage: Be unmarried with no spouse or dependents

  • Agency: Apply to a US Government designated Au Pair agency

  • Interview: Be personally interviewed, in English, by an organizational representative who shall prepare a report of the interview which shall be provided to the host family

  • Background Check: Successful in passing a background investigation that includes verification of school, three, non-family related personal and employment references, a criminal background check or its recognized equivalent and a personality profile. Such personality profile will be based upon a psychometric test designed to measure differences in characteristics among applicants against those characteristics considered most important to successfully participate in the au pair program.

1 Year - 6 Months Before Arrival

Learn and Decide: A person aged 18-26 in another country learns about the au pair program and its requirements, and responsibilities. They decide the program is right for them and choose the United States as their destination.

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6 - 3 Months Before Arrival

Choose an Agency: They select an au pair agency approved by the U.S. Department of State and begin the application process. This includes: 

  • Filling out forms, providing personal information, and submitting any required documents (e.g., medical history, background check).

  • Interview: Participating in an interview with the agency, either in person or online.


Choose a Host Family: The agency helps them match with a host family based on preferences and compatibility. The au pair reviews potential host families and conducts interviews with them. Once they agree on a match with a host family, they and their agency finalize arrangements.

6 - 10 Weeks Before Arrival

Application Approval Process: Once matched with a host family, the au pair completes the application process, obtains approval, and applies for a J-1 visa. They must complete a scheduled visa interview at the U.S. embassy or consulate in their home country and wait for visa approval and issuance.

1 Month Before Arrival

Prepare for Travel: Pack and book flights. (The agency may assist with travel arrangements.) Complete any required pre-departure orientations or training sessions online, as mandated by the Department of State (DOS). These sessions are essential for meeting DOS requirements and must be completed before departure to the US.

Arrival in the U.S.

Travel to the U.S.: The au pair flies to the United States, most commonly arriving in August/September or January/February. They will either fly to an agency orientation or to directly to their host family. 

Orientation Program: Upon arrival, the au pair might spend around 3 days in New York City or New Jersey for an arrival program (if their agency requires it). This will cover topics like cultural adaptation, childcare, and safety. Note: Pre-departure orientations are currently more common with APC and APIA.

Travel to Host Family: After the orientation, the au pair travels to their host family's home.

Year in U.S. as an Au Pair

Duration: Typically, the au pair program lasts for 12 months. There is an option to rematch with a new Host Family if it is not a good fit, or to extend after the first year. 

Childcare Responsibilities: The au pair provides up to 45 hours of childcare per week and shares their culture with the host family. In return, they receive a weekly stipend and live with the family.

Unpaid Time Off: The au pair gets at least 1.5 days off per week, with at least one full weekend off per month.

Paid Time Off: After the first month, the au pair earns one day of paid vacation each month, totaling two weeks of paid vacation per year.

Education Requirement: The au pair is required to complete an equivalent of  6-credit college credits (or 60-72 hours based on the agency’s requirements).

End of the Initial Year

Program Completion: After working with their host family for one year, the au pair has the option to extend their stay for an additional 6, 9, or 12 months, either with the same family or a different one.

Alumni Status: If the au pair has taken a course with us, they achieve alumni status at this point.

30-day Grace Period: Upon completing the program, the au pair can remain in the U.S. for 30 days. Many use this time to travel the country. They cannot legally provide childcare during this time.

Options to Stay in the U.S. After the Program

  • Tourist Visa: Allows staying for up to 6 months, extendable for another 6 months. The au pair cannot work on this visa but can travel.

  • Green Card Lottery: The cheapest way is through the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, though it is a lottery and requires luck. 

  • Student Visa: This is expensive and does not permit working, except for limited on-campus jobs. It requires financial sponsorship from the au pair’s family and there can be high tuition and living costs.

  • Marriage Visa: This is another option but carries risks of potential dependency on one’s spouse.

  • EB-3 Visa: Typically does not apply to childcare unless the au pair has special needs training and is employed by a family with special needs children. It is expensive, ranging from $12,000 to $20,000.

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