Au Pair USA: Frequently Asked Questions

What are my responsibilities and duties as an au pair?
What do I gain from being an au pair in the USA?
Do I need to have a driving licence in order to become an au pair?
How long is the AuPairCare Programme for?
Can I apply to become an au pair?
What does the AuPairCare application consist of?
Where do the AuPairCare representatives live?
How long does the application process take?
How long after I apply does it take to match with a family?
Do I have to live with a family as an au pair?
What types of families join AuPairCare to find an au pair and how do they qualify for the programme?
Can I be placed with my friend in the same family?
Can I be placed in a certain state / area in the United States?
Is it possible to work as an au pair for a shorter period of time?
Can I leave the AuPairCare programme early?
Will AuPairCare help me with my visa for the US?
What if I have a problem during my stay in the USA?
What if I become homesick?
Can I go to college or university during my time as an au pair?
What is an accredited institution?
What is meant by post-secondary?
What is meant by an "academic credit"?
How can I locate a post-secondary accredited institution in the area that I live in?
Who is AuPairCare?
Can I become an au pair in the USA for the second time?
Where can I find information on taxes in the U.S.?

1. What are my responsibilities and duties as an au pair?

As an au pair in the US you have the fantastic opportunity to first hand experience the real American Way of life by living with an American family. In exchange you will provide personalised live-in childcare for your family's children for up to 45 hours per week, up to 10 hours per day. As an au pair you will be responsible for:

• Supervising and playing with your family's children
• Getting the children bathed and dressed
• Feeding and changing diapers of infants
• Making the children's breakfast and lunch
• Keeping the children's rooms neat and tidy and doing their laundry
• Driving the children to school, appointments, lessons, etc.
• Helping the children with their school homework
• Teaching them about your own culture and traditions
• Accompanying your host family on trips and outings

2. What do I gain from being an au pair in the USA?

You will gain so much from it! The majority of au pairs state that they have gained more independence, maturity and self-confidence from their year in the US. They have had the chance to get to know another culture, make friends with au pairs from all over the world and discover hidden talents within themselves.
Staying in the US for a year is also a great way to enhance future careers options. Not only do au pairs often gain their first real work experience in the US, they have also learned to adapt and adjust to a new lifestyle, to be flexible and to further develop intercultural competencies. Taking colleges classes also enables au pair to gain some insight into the American education system and to maybe even add a new qualification to their CV later on.

3. Do I need to have a driving licence in order to become an au pair?

Yes. The majority of host families depend on their au pair's ability to drive as public infrastructure (i.e bus service) in the USA is not as well developed as it is in the UK. You can apply if you have already had lessons but have not yet sat your test, but you will not be able to progress to the next stage of the application or start your time as an au pair until you have gained your driving license.

Driving in the United States can be an intimidating experience for au pairs, which is why we have created a new driver’s safety training video for au pairs called, Driving in the U.S.A.!

The video tutorial introduces you to the rules of driving in the United States and provides instructions on how to keep your host family’s children safe while behind the wheel of a car. Once completed, you will feel more confident about operating a vehicle while in the U.S.   You may take the tutorial multiple times, if you like.

4. How long is the AuPairCare Programme for?

The minimum duration for au pairing in the US is twelve months due to US visa regulations.
Once you have successfully completed your au pair programme, you may stay in the US for another month in order to travel and see some other states of America before returning home. Alternatively, you also have the option to extend your au pair programme for another six, nine or twelve months.

5. Can I apply to become an au pair?

Please see here the requirements you must meet fulfil in order to successfully apply for one of our au pair positions.

6. What does the AuPairCare application consist of?

The first step is to fill out our pre-application form. It allows us to assess how well you already fulfil the AuPairCare programme requirements.
Once your pre-application has been reviewed you may then start your comprehensive AuPairCare application.

The AuPairCare application consists of:

• an online part, AuPairRoom, which consists of a CV, photos and a video
• a paper part which comprises all the supporting documents, i.e. childcare references, police check, medical record, etc.
• a personal interview with one of our representatives

Once all these three parts have been completed and your application has been fully processed it will then be sent to the US to our AuPairCare Head Office in order for them to make your application accessible to our registered host families.

7. Where do the AuPairCare representatives live?

AuPairCare has a network of qualified and fully trained representatives across the United Kingdom and Ireland. You will meet up with one of our friendly and competent staff for a personal interview once the first and second part of the application has been completed.

The interview will be conducted in one of the following cities:

• London
• Bristol
• Birmingham
• Liverpool
• Newcastle
• Glasgow
• Dublin

The interview will be an opportunity to chat about your childcare skills and your desire to become an au pair in the USA.
The interview is also the final stage of the application before your application will be sent to our Head Office in the US in order to be reviewed there.

8. How long does the application process take?

It always depends on each applicant, and how well the au pair fulfils the AuPairCare requirements.
The next step is to fill out our pre-application form. Once your pre-application has been approved you can start your comprehensive AuPairCare application.

Creating your online CV in AuPairRoom usually doesn’t take more than 3-7 days. The second part can take a little longer depending on how quickly you can sort out the supporting documents, i.e. the AuPairCare childcare reference forms, medical record form, the police check, etc. After you have completed the application we will then invite to an personal interview before we can send off your application to our Head Office in the US in order for them to get you in touch with our registered host families.

9. How long after I apply does it take to match with a family?

Depending upon your au pair qualifications, it can take anywhere from three to eight weeks for you to match with a family. Once you are matched, you and your host family will agree on a U.S. arrival date. You will have at least four weeks after matching to prepare for your arrival.

10. Do I have to live with a family as an au pair?

Yes. Au pairing means providing live-in childcare for a host family in a foreign country. It also gives the au pair the fantastic opportunity to really get to know the American way of life.

11. What types of families join AuPairCare to find an au pair and how do they qualify for the programme?

AuPairCare families are usually hard-working, friendly, busy, and want the best for their children. They participate in the AuPairCare programme because they want dependable care for their children, and look forward to sharing their home with an international au pair.
AuPairCare carefully screens all families who apply to the au pair programme as all families must meet the U.S. Department of State's hosting requirements. After the families submit their application for an au pair, AuPairCare staff interview them in person and check their references. Host families must agree not to schedule the au pair to work more than 45-hours per week and not more than 10 hours per day. Families must also be American citizens (or permanent residents), and have a sincere desire to share their home with an au pair. To read more about our host families please click here

12. Can I be placed with my friend in the same family?

Unfortunately it is not possible to place you and your friend together in the same family. Our AuPairCare host families only need one au pair in their family. However, this way you get the chance to really get to know your host family, to truly immerse yourself in another culture and to experience the American Way of Life.

13. Can I be placed in a certain state / area in the United States?

AuPairCare places au pairs nationwide and always in an area where there are other au pairs too. Our main objective is to help an au pair find a compatible host family. As an au pair you will be spending the next twelve months with them, therefore we encourage all our au pairs to accept a match based on the individual family rather than on their location. From experience we know that the success of a placement is not determined by the area where the au pair is living but how well the au pair gets on with the family.
While some places in America are probably more familiar to au pairs from movies and television, all parts of the country are interesting, and each has its own advantages. The United States is truly a diverse and fascinating country, and as an au pair you may be surprised to discover cities or regions that you didn't know about before. You will have a chance to visit other parts of the country during your 10-day paid vacation and travel month (after successful completion of the minimum twelve months)

14. Is it possible to work as an au pair for a shorter period of time?

Unfortunately it is not possible to work as an au pair for a shorter period of time in the US due to US J1 visa regulations. The minimum stay as an au pair is twelve months with the option to extend.

15. Can I leave the AuPairCare programme early?

AuPairCare families rely on the au pair to be committed and to stay with them for the entire au pair programme. In the event that you terminate the programme early (not due to a medical emergency), you will be responsible for paying your own return flight home, which would otherwise have been paid for by the host family.
Furthermore you forfeit the chance of staying in the US for another month to travel as your visa will expire immediately after termination of the programme.

16. Will AuPairCare help me with my visa for the US?

AuPairCare is an official au pair agency designated by the U.S. Department of State to sponsor your J1 visa. After you have matched with one of our registered AuPairCare families our staff will send you all the documents you need in order to apply for a visa in person at the US Embassy in London or Dublin. But don’t worry - our staff will assist you during the visa application to ensure you complete all the visa forms correctly. For up-to-date information on costs for a US J1 visa please see the US Embassy website for London and Dublin.

17. What if I have a problem during my stay in the USA?

Moving to a new country, having a new family, and being responsible for children can be overwhelming at times! With the help of your local AuPairCare coordinator, host family and other au pairs in the area, you will quickly become comfortable and adapt to your new American community.
If you have a problem during your year with your host family it is very important to first try to sort it out directly with them. As always, communication is the key! However, if the problem persists or you do not know how to address it with your host family you can always turn to your local AuPairCare coordinator for support and advice. Your local coordinator will act also as a mediator between you and your host family. If the problem between the au pair and family cannot be resolved and was not due to the au pair neglecting her duties there is always the possibility of re-matching with a new host family. Nevertheless this should always be seen as the last resort after every other efforts to resolve the issue have been made.

18. What if I become homesick?

Homesickness can be quite tough to deal with at first and some au pairs may find the first few months of their programme challenging. Our AuPairCare field staff understands this very well, and will be there to support and advise you as you adjust.
It also often helps to get out of the house during your free time and meet up with other au pairs in your area. Talking with them and hearing how they have managed to overcome homesickness, and how much they are enjoying their stay now in the US, can also help you remember why it is that you wanted to come to the US in the first place.
Remember, ups and downs are normal when living in a foreign culture. It takes time to adjust to another lifestyle but in the end it’s always worth sticking to it. Imagine the sense of achievement you will feel!

19. Can I go to college or university during my time as an au pair?

As an au pair you have the fantastic chance to get some insight into the American education system and to gain a new qualification which might aid your career afterwards.
Taking a post-secondary course is a great opportunity for you to pursue a new interest, experience campus life, and meet new people. The U.S. Department of State requires that all au pairs complete not less than six semester hours (or the equivalent) of academic credit in formal educational settings at accredited U.S. post-secondary institutions. And what’s even better your host family will contribute up to $500 per year towards your educational experience.

20. What is an accredited institution?

An accredited institution is one that has been granted accreditation by a regional or national accrediting commission of schools and colleges. Being 'accredited' means the school has achieved a standard level of educational quality.

21. What is meant by post-secondary?

Post-secondary means an institution that offers at least a one-year programme of college-level studies. Post secondary literally means "after secondary". In America, secondary school ends after grade 12, usually when a person is 18 years old (grades 9-12 are often referred to as high school). Most Au Pairs will attend a two-year community, technical, or junior college or a four year college or university.

22. What is meant by an "academic credit"?

An academic credit is generally equal to 10 hours of class time, i.e. a class which meets for 3 hours a week for approximately 10 weeks would be the equivalent of a 3 credit course.

23. How can I locate a post-secondary accredited institution in the area that I live in?

Once you have arrived in the US your host family and your local AuPairCare coordinator can provide you with information on the local institutions near your place that meet the Department of State's standards.

24. Who is AuPairCare?

Since 1989, AuPairCare has successfully placed over 40,000 au pairs with families in the U.S. and is designated by the U.S. Department of State as an official au pair program sponsor.
Our expertise has helped us become the fastest growing au pair agency in the United States. AuPairCare has one of the largest host family networks, and our award-winning online matching system provides the most efficient au pair placement and best matching available.
Most importantly, AuPairCare is dedicated to matching great au pairs with great families, and providing you with constant support throughout your year. With AuPairCare, you know you will be in good hands.

• Host families - Our host families are carefully selected, and our award-winning online matching system helps you and your ideal host family find each other.
• Experience - AuPairCare has 20 years of experience as a U.S. Department of State designated au pair agency.
• Training - Upon your arrival in the U.S., AuPairCare provides a 4-day orientation and training to prepare you for a successful year as an au pair in America.
• Support – Our professional and friendly staff will guide and support you throughout your au pair application process. Once you have arrived in the US you will then have the support of a local AuPairCare coordinator who greets you shortly after your arrival and provides support throughout your year, from answering any questions you may have, to arranging monthly outings with other au pairs in your area.

25. Can I become an au pair in the USA for the second time?

Yes, due to new US visa regulations it is now possible for you to become an au pair for a second time in the US as long as you:

• Have successfully completed an au pair programme previously, including the education component
• are able to demonstrate that you have lived outside the U.S. for at least 2 years after your first au pair programme
• are between 18 and 26 years of age
• complete the full AuPairCare application again
• fulfil all other au pair requirements

26. Where can I find information on taxes in the U.S.?

Please read this tax FAQ (Tax information for au pairs), or consult a tax advisor.