Au Pair in America
You'll spend a full calendar year in the United States, living with an American family, looking after the children, and having an unforgettable cultural exchange experience.
As an au pair in America, you're responsible for looking after the children in your American host family. It's a mutually beneficial relationship - an au pair can be a huge help to the host parents when it comes to mastering their daily challenges.
Working abroad as an Au pair is one of the best cultural exchange experiences that you'll ever have. Childcare is the main responsibility of an Au Pair, but it's much more than just that. 'Au Pair' means 'on par' (or 'on equal terms') in French. This means that, while you'll have responsibilities, you'll always be treated as an equal member of the family.
As an Au Pair, you'll share in fun times and new cultural experiences that will lead to you having a lasting relationship with your host family. You'll get to live life as a local, and have opportunities that many will never have a chance to experience.
You'll be able to explore America, and have a home away from home. No matter where in the country your host family's home is located, you'll be able to see some of the incredible sights that makes America a unique destination. It's also worth taking advantage of the broad range of educational and cultural opportunities that America has to offer.
You'll be greeted by your host family upon arrival, and they'll help you get oriented in your new home. Since every family is different and has different daily routines, you'll need a bit of time to settle in - so your host family will make sure you're set up for success in their home.
Your host family will introduce you to the children when you get there, and they'll likely stay around for the first several days, until you're comfortable looking after the children on your own.
Au Pair tasks are the same in America as anywhere else in the world. Check the Au Pair Jobs Abroad page to find out more about the responsibilities.
Note: As an Au Pair, you will not have to do any heavy household chores. However, simple tasks such as vacuuming or washing the children's clothes are part of the daily routine.
When you register online, you'll create your applicant profile, with all your basic information.
There are no fixed departure dates, so you can sign up for our Au Pair program all year round. However, we recommend starting your registration at the latest 4 months before your planned departure.
After registering, you'll receive a welcome call via Skype (in-person conversations may also be had, depending on your location). We'll find out more about you, and why you'd be a great candidate for an Au Pair arrangement.
After your interview, you'll be able to progress your application, and complete your paperwork.
The search for a suitable host family begins. Our team in the USA meet with all potential host families in their home, so they'll know where you'll be a good fit.
Once a suitable family is found, you'll have a Skype call with them, to get to know each other and see if you'll be a good fit with their family. You'll receive a family profile, which contains information and photos of the family. If all goes well, it's a match, and you've found your new host family.
After the right match has been made, you'll be able to apply for your U.S. Au Pair visa. We'll help you with each step of the process, help you book your flight, and set you up with an online orientation before you leave.
With Au Pair America, you can save 100 € if you fulfill one of the following conditions:
Your required childcare experience includes at least 200 hours with infants from 0-2 years old.
You've trained or have a qualification in a social field, e.g teacher, educator, social worker.
You'll work a maximum of 45 hours per week (max 10 hrs a day, 5 1/2 days a week). A completely free weekend (Saturday & Sunday) per month is guaranteed. The other days off can also be during the week. This will depend on the times which your host family needs you for childcare.
You are also entitled to 2 weeks paid holidays. Your working hours are well-regulated, and will ensure that you have enough time during your au pair stay in the US to meet friends, pursue your hobbies, or attend the prescribed courses at a community college.
Yes, this is because many families live in rural or suburban areas and it won't be as easy to get around via public transport. You'll also be driving the kids to and from school or other activities so it's important that you're a confident driver with at least 6 months driving experience on highways, country roads at night and in all weather conditions.
The Host Family will pay you on the same day of the week throughout the year. We encourage all Au Pairs to open a bank account because of the flexibility it permits for making purchases. Your Host Family will discuss banking options with you during your first few days with them.
Yes, this program is only for Au Pairs who already found a family in the USA that will host them for 12 months. To make sure that your family meets all requirements to become a host family for Au Pairs they need to sign up with our partner agency, Cultural Homestay International, in the USA. You'll receive more details after your registration.
Since there are no fixed start dates for this Au Pair program, you and your host family can come to an agreement on when you should arrive in the U.S. to begin your placement. Depending on what you decide together, you can start your adventure as soon as your visa paperwork is approved.
