Au pair with two children in a field.

About Our Au Pair Program

What an au pair represents may vary from one host to another, but our host families often share that having an au pair makes childcare less stressful — and that their au pair soon feels like family.

Au pair holding two infants.

Au pairs can perform a wide range of childcare duties. Their responsibilities depend on the needs of the host family, providing personalized childcare to support every family.

Here are some examples of what an au pair can do: 

  • Preparing meals for the children
  • Cleaning up the kitchen after the children eat
  • Waking the children
  • Dressing infants and toddlers
  • Driving the children to and from school or appointments
  • Staying at home with the children when they are sick or out of school 

Au pairs come to the U.S. from all over the world, and Au Pair in America has one of the largest global recruitment networks of any au pair agency! Our trusted international partners help us recruit au pairs from over 60 countries across 5 continents, allowing your family to choose an au pair from a country or region of the world you’re most interested in.

Au pairs may come from the following countries:

Argentina

Australia

Austria

Bolivia

Bosnia

Brazil

Canada

Chile

China

Colombia

Costa Rica
Croatia

Czech Republic

Denmark

Dominican Republic

Ecuador

El Salvador

Estonia

Eswatini

Finland

France

Germany
Guatemala

Hungary

Ireland

Israel

Italy

Latvia

Liechtenstein

Jamaica

Japan

Kenya

Malawi
Mexico

Mozambique

Netherlands

New Zealand

Norway

Panama

Peru

Poland

Portugal

Russia

Slovakia
South Africa

South Korea

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

Thailand

Turkey

Uganda

Ukraine

United Kingdom

Uruguay
  • Enjoy dependable childcare right at home that’s customized to your family’s schedule. No more last-minute cancellations — hosting an au pair means live-in childcare you can count on! 

  • With an au pair, your children will benefit from early exposure to another culture, helping them develop a broader worldview and a deeper understanding of life beyond their own backyard. 

  • Hosting an au pair is a great way to help your children learn a second language. Plus, language learning can boost intellectual development for all ages! 

  • Au pairs can help your children with their homework and ensure they stay on task, providing valuable guidance and encouragement that supports an environment of learning. 

  • You’ll have peace of mind knowing you can rely on our national office’s expert staff, a dedicated and helpful Community Counselor in your local area, and 24/7 emergency support. 

  • We thoroughly screen every au pair candidate and verify their prior childcare experience and training. 

  • Au Pair in America provides all our au pairs with training on child safety and development through expert partners like AAA® and the American Red Cross®

  • We can help match you with an au pair who has experience assisting children with special needs, offering care that truly goes above and beyond. 

Au Pair in America uses a rigorous multi-tiered application and screening process to ensure each of our au pairs meets our high standards.

Personal Interview

A trained interviewer assesses the candidate’s suitability and English proficiency. 

Reference Checks

All applicants submit at least three references, one of which must be a childcare reference. We verify three references on the phone. 

Criminal History & Background Check 

Our team investigates each au pair’s background to ensure they have no criminal record and display good conduct. 

Medical History Report 

Applicants must submit a medical report that verifies their wellness and ability to perform daily childcare duties.

Psychometric Test 

The interviewer administers the Sixteen Personality Factors (16PF) test to better understand the candidate and ensure they are of sound mind and fit for childcare duties. The 16PF test is a globally recognized, highly dependable, and comprehensive measure of 16 personality traits that allow us to describe and predict a person’s behavior in a variety of contexts. 

au pair, host family and dog portrait.

Occasionally families find an au pair through personal connections. If you have found an au pair on your own, you’ll still need to go through a Department of State-designated agency like Au Pair in America. We’re happy to assist with this process!

Once you’ve both applied and been accepted into our program, we’ll confirm the match and arrange their arrival. From pre-match to arrival and beyond, we’re here to help at every step!

Have questions? 

Explore our FAQs for helpful answers.

View All FAQs

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.