What’s Next For the U.S. Au Pair Program?
- Au Pair Weekend
- Feb 16, 2021
- 2 min read
For 32 years, the American au pair program has provided a unique opportunity for participants to care for children in exchange for immersive and life changing experiences in the United States. This cultural exchange program was created to build strong ties between U.S. citizens and people around the world.
However, in April 2020, the program was paused by a Presidential Executive Order (P.P. 10052) due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately, the Executive Order is expected to expire on March 31, 2021. We here at APW are counting down the days! While we (and the rest of the world) wait in anticipation of a positive outcome, it's important to know that au pairs can still apply for the J-1 visa under a few special circumstances.
In October 2020, a California court issued an injunction to the P.P. 10052. This has allowed regular visa appointments in countries where there are no pending travel restrictions in place. There were several au pair agencies associated with the court order, and they are still permitted to resume the program. We encourage you to check with your au pair agency directly to see if they are one of them!
The U.S. Department of State also continues to allow National Interest Exceptions (NIE) for qualified applicants interested in entering the country. In order to apply for the NIE waiver, host families and au pairs must meet any one of the categories listed below:
CATEGORY 1: Travel to provide care for a minor U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or nonimmigrant in lawful status by an au pair possessing special skills required for a child with particular needs (e.g., medical, special education, or sign language) or childcare services provided for a child with medical issues diagnosed by a qualified medical professional by an individual who possesses skills to care for such child will be considered to be in the national interest.
CATEGORY 2: Travel by an au pair that prevents a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or other nonimmigrant in lawful status from becoming a public health charge or ward of the state of a medical or other public funded institution.
CATEGORY 3: Childcare services provided for a child whose parents are involved with the provision of medical care to individuals who have contracted COVID-19 or medical research at United States facilities to help the United States combat COVID-19.
As of February 16th 2021, countries eligible for the NIE Visa Appointment are: U.K., Brazil, China, Argentina, and Colombia, as well as the 26 Nation Schengen Area of Europe (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden & Switzerland)
We hope you’re able to join us soon! Learn more about Au Pair Weekend’s online and virtual course offerings for au pairs here.
**For additional information, please refer to the U.S. Department of State country specific visa wait times and travel updates.**
This was such an insightful read about the future of the au pair program, and I particularly appreciated how you navigated the complexities with such clarity. Your points about the program's evolution were spot on; it feels like a really pivotal moment. I've personally seen how rewarding the experience can be, and it’s encouraging to hear it might become even more accessible. It truly does get easier as you become more familiar with the dynamics involved https://ndh.org.au/ I also found myself nodding along with your bold yet accurate assessments of the challenges and opportunities ahead. It makes me wonder how best to articulate the inherent value of this cultural exchange to those who might be a bit hesitant or skeptical…
You've put the potential future of the au pair program into words so much better than most people could articulate. It's a really complex topic, and you’ve managed to break it down effectively. I particularly appreciated your insights on the team dynamics that can develop within host families and with the au pairs themselves; that's something often overlooked but so crucial for a successful experience https://www.justice.qld.gov.au/initiatives/liquor-gaming Honestly, this post helped me immensely as I'm currently navigating some of those very challenges, so hats off to you for that. It’s comforting to know I'm not alone in these considerations. I suspect many others would agree with your take on the program's current standing. It makes me wonder how the program has…
Das ist ein wirklich aufschlussreicher Artikel, vielen Dank dafür! Ich musste beim Lesen echt oft zustimmend nicken. Du hast absolut Recht damit, dass die Frage "What next" für das Au-pair-Programm vielschichtiger ist, als man auf den ersten Blick vermuten würde. Es ist erfrischend, diese Nuancen so klar herausgearbeitet zu sehen. Ich habe durch deine Ausführungen definitiv etwas Neues gelernt, besonders was die potenziellen zukünftigen Entwicklungen angeht. Wenn ich darüber nachdenke, wie sich das Programm in den letzten Jahren verändert hat, sehe ich auch, dass die bewährten Mechanismen durchaus Bestand haben können, aber eben mit Anpassungen. Deine Perspektive auf die Herausforderungen und Chancen ist wirklich wertvoll. Es ist gut zu wissen, dass es eine so durchdachte Analyse gibt. Ich bin gespannt,…
Ich stimme dem Gesagten hier vollkommen zu. Es ist wirklich eine wichtige Diskussion, die hier angestoßen wird, besonders was die Zukunft des Au-pair-Programms angeht. Ich teile diese Gedanken auch mit meinen Kollegen, und wir sind uns einig, dass die Richtung, in die es geht, spannend bleibt. Mich würde brennend interessieren, ob schon jemand Erfahrungen mit den "What's Next"-Programmen im Langzeitvergleich gemacht hat. Wie haben sich diese Entwicklungen auf die Familien und die Au-pairs selbst ausgewirkt? Ich bin wirklich gespannt darauf, wie sich diese Programme weiterentwickeln und welche neuen Möglichkeiten sie eröffnen könnten. Es ist faszinierend zu sehen, wie sich solche Programme anpassen und verändern, um den Bedürfnissen aller Beteiligten gerecht zu werden. Ich verfolge das sehr aufmerksam.