About the Au Pair Program
What is an Au Pair?
“Au pair” means “on par” or equal. An Au Pair is a cultural exchange visitor who travels to the United States on a J-1 Visitor Exchange visa for 12 months to live with an American family and care for their children. In return for full board, lodging and pocket money, Au Pairs agree to help with the children and perform light household duties. They provide a maximum of 45 hours per week (maximum of 10 hours per day) of childcare.
Visa
Our team will be assisting and support you with your visa application and interview. After securing a placement for you, you will receive all the necessary documents from us and we will help you get prepared for your J1 visa interview at the U.S. Embassy.
Insurance
Our team will secure health and accident insurance that meets the Department of State rules and regulations for J-1 visitors prior to your travel to the United States. The insurance fee is included in your program fee.
How to apply
Application requirements
If you love children, have childcare experience, speak conversational English and would like to study in an American institution, you can spend a memorable and rewarding experience in the United States as an Au Pair.
You are an ideal Au Pair candidate if you
• enjoy caring for children
• are between the ages of 18-26
• are a non smoker (most families in the U.S. will not accept a smoker)
• have professional or practical childcare experience for at least six months or
200 hours
• speak conversational English
• have completed secondary school
• possess a driver’s license (or are
prepared to get one)
• have no criminal record
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the program requirements, please feel free to contact us for further information!
Step by step
1. Do you have any questions? Have you already decided that you wish to participate in a memorable program in the United States? Contact us for more details!
2. We will schedule an appointment in our office, where we can provide you with more details of the Au Pair program, give you the application forms and answer all your questions.
Required documentation and paperwork:
• Completed Au Pair application forms (childcare references, character reference and Physician’s Report – must be completed by your ‘family physician’ or a physician at a clinic of which you have been affiliated with for at least 5 years)
• “Dear Host Family” Letter (write one page about yourself, your family, your education, work experience & child care experiences to your potential family)
• Page of photos of you with your friends, family and children with comments explaining each picture
• A copy of your driver’s license (a driver’s license from your home country is required. You do NOT need an international driver’s license)
• Criminal record check. You must supply a criminal record check from your home country to comply with U.S. government regulations
• A copy of your passport showing your name, date of birth and passport number. (Make sure that your passport must be valid for at least another 18 months)
• Copies of diploma, school certificates and other applicable certificates. If you do not have copies, please provide a letter of attendance and/or completion
• 4 passport-size photos
3. Once you completed all the application forms and required documentation, we will schedule a personal interview, where we can evaluate your level of English and answer all you questions.
4. Your complete application will be sent to our partner agency for approval. Once approved, the Host Families will be contacting directly your. Screened and approved host families gain access to Au Pair applications and home phone numbers to interview applicants by telephone.
5. If you accept a match, you will be asked to pay the placement fee. Then you are mailed a complete host family application, DS-2019 form, insurance information, training itinerary and Au Pair manual.
6. You must schedule a visa interview with the nearest US Embassy for a J-1 non-immigrant visa. The US Embassy decides whether your J-1 visa is issued or not. We will provide you full assistance in your visa application and interview.
7. Once you receive your J1 visa, your flight ticket will be booked and sent to you.
8. Upon arriving to the U.S. to spend a year with your new host family, you will first attend an intensive 32 hour training about infant/child safety for four days. During this program, you will meet other Au Pairs and will have free time to visit San Francisco.
While in the United States as an Au Pair
Au Pair Orientation & Training in San Francisco
Upon arriving to the U.S. to spend a year with your new host family, you will first attend an Orientation and Training Program for four days.
During this program, you will meet other Au Pairs in the region and learn safety, first aid and child development. Acquiring these new skills will give you confidence when settling-in with your new family.
You will also receive an Au Pair Handbook which details the lessons so you can refer to it during your year in America. You will have 32 hours of instruction and free time to visit the region.
The Host Family
Our experienced and dedicated team will work hard to make your year in the United States happy and rewarding. They carefully review each family application and a community counselor visits each family to make sure their home is suitable for an Au Pair. We select host families who treat their Au Pair as a member of the family, so from the first day of arrival, you will feel right at home.
Host Family Responsibilities
• be U.S. citizens or permanent residents
• speak primarily English in the home
• agree to comply with U.S. Department of State regulations concerning the Au Pair Program
• treat the Au Pair as a family member and include in family meals and outings
• agree to honor the Host Family Agreement
• provide a private bedroom for the Au Pair
• agree to facilitate an open line of communication with the local community counselor
• ensure the enrollment and attendance of Au Pair at a U.S. post-secondary educational institution for six semester hours of academic coursework or its equivalent
• agree to give the Au Pair 1½ days off per week, at least one full weekend off each month and two weeks paid vacation per year at a mutually agreeable time
• agree that the Au Pair does not work more than 45 hours per week/ 10 hours per day
Au Pair duties
An Au Pair is considered a member of the family such as a big sister or brother and is not permitted to do heavy housework, gardening or the parent’s laundry. Au pair duties are related to childcare. This means that the Au Pair can walk or drive the children to school, straighten their rooms, do their laundry, prepare meals, undertake development activities such as playing games, drawing or helping with homework.
An Au Pair’s childcare responsibilities may include
• awakening the children, dressing them, bathing, playing and feeding them
• preparing light meals or helping to prepare meals, making children’s beds, doing their laundry, ironing their clothes
• taking/collecting children to and from school, appointments or outings requested by the host family
• shopping, hoovering, dusting and some other light housework
• being home if necessary while children are absent from school due to illness or holidays
• baby-sitting in the evenings on request
Studying during your program
There is an educational requirement to the program stating that Au Pair participants must be enrolled in an accredited post-secondary institution for not less than six hours of academic credit or its equivalent during your yearlong stay in America. Your host family and community counselor will assist you in choosing a course and registering at your local college. You can study English, Dance, History or any subject that captivates your interest. Your host family will provide up to US$ 500 toward completion of this requirement.
Local Community Support – Au Pair meetings and the community counselor
Once you have arrived, your local community counselor will call you for an introduction and meet with you soon to answer your questions, explain the program guidelines and introduce you to the surrounding area. During the year, your community counselor will keep close contact with you to counsel you during your transition or smooth over any misunderstandings between you and your host family. And you will attend monthly meetings and fun outings with other Au Pairs in your area so you can make friends right away.
A 24 hour number to call in case of an emergency
In case of emergency, you will have access to a toll free telephone number. The telephone is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can get an immediate help and advice from local community counselors.
FAQ
At what level of English do I need to speak to apply for the program?
You should be able to easily communicate in English. The Host families will contact you directly to conduct a skype or phone interview.
How many hours of childcare experience do I have to have?
You will need to have at least 200 hours or 6 months childcare experience to apply for the Au Pair program. Most of our Host Families have toddlers. To babysit toddler, you will have to have at least 200 hours childcare experience with toddlers (non family members).
Can I choose the area/state/city where I will be placed?
We will certainly consider your request, and will try to place you in the desired city/state, however the most important is to find the most suitable family for you.
What happens if I don’t get along with the Host Family?
Your community counselor will keep close contact with you to counsel you during your transition or smooth over any misunderstandings between you and your Host Family. We would like to ensure that you enjoy your program and stay in the United States and we will do everything we can to find the best solution in case of conflict or problem.
When can I apply?
We are looking for Au Pair candidates throughout the year, therefore you are more than welcome to submit your application any time of the year. The placement and visa application process normally takes approximately 2-3 months.
Can I apply with my friend?
Yes, you may apply with your friend. We will try to place you as close as possible to each other. The most important is to find the most suitable Host Family for you; therefore, we cannot guarantee that you will be placed near each other.
Can I apply if I have not received my drivers license yet?
Yes, you can apply, however you have to obtain your license before traveling to the United States. You should feel comfortable driving as usually one of the Au Pair’s duties is to drop off and pick up the children from daycare or school.
Can I apply if I smoke?
Our Host Families are looking for non smoker Au Pairs. You may apply if you are willing to give up smoking during your program in the United States.