About Our Au Pair Program

An au pair is a young international person who comes to the U.S. to provide childcare services to a host family as part of a cultural exchange program. 

Au pairs perform a wide range of childcare duties, including cooking for and feeding children, driving children to and from appointments, taking care of the children while they’re at home, caring for infants, and much more. 

Au Pair in America^® matches host families with fully screened and trained au pairs who are ready to join your family and provide their amazing childcare services. We provide local Community Counselors who are dedicated to supporting your family and offer additional support via helpful staff at our national office. 

Au pairs come from all over the world. Au Pair in America^® has one of the largest global recruitment networks, allowing host families to choose au pairs from a wide range of countries. 

Au pairs come to the U.S. from another country on a J-1 visa and are required to take at least six credits at an American academic institution. To become an au pair, they must meet the following requirements: 

• Between the ages of 18 and 26 
• Have at least 200 hours of recent, non-family, practical childcare experience 
• Au pairs who care for children under the age of two have a minimum of 200 hours of documented experience with children under the age of two 
• Possess a driver’s license 
• Are a secondary school graduate or equivalent 
• Demonstrate English proficiency 
• Have passed a background check, which verifies their schooling, references, psychometric test, and a criminal record check (in countries where such measures are lawful) 
• Have no spouse or dependents 
• Have submitted a medical report that verifies their physical health 

All of our au pairs are vetted with a thorough multi-tiered screening process that includes a personal interview, reference checks, a criminal and background check, medical history report, and a psychometric test. 

Au pairs join the program to learn about U.S. culture and gain valuable childcare experience. 

Au pairs offer reliable, flexible, and personalized live-in childcare along with the opportunity to engage in meaningful cultural exchange. 

Au pairs come to the U.S. on a J-1 visa issued by the Department of State. International au pair agencies like Au Pair in America^® can act as a visa sponsor to help them receive their J-1. The J-1 visa allows au pairs to legally reside in the U.S. for 12 months while providing childcare to an approved host family. Au pairs in good standing may apply for a 6, 9, or 12-month extension after the completion of their initial program.