Aupair Visa Usa - Au Pair Program in USA

The US visa program requires families to sponsor their aupair through the J-1 aupair visa program. Aupairs who are already living in the US, will still require sponsorship, however, there will be no delay in waiting for visa processing or travel time.

The United States authorizes fourteen agencies to administer the au pair program and procure the au pair J-1 visa. These agencies have program fees that range from $6,750 to $8,675, which typically include the au pair's health insurance, a background check and the au pair's roundtrip airfare to and from their home country to the US training location.

If you are hiring a US citizen or someone from a US territory to work in the United States there are no visa requirements or agency fees. When hiring US citizens, you negotiate everything (job duties, hours, salary, benefits) directly with the candidates on the site.

J-1 Host Family Requirements:

The US visa program was set up by the US Department of State and requires families to sponsor their aupair through a J-1 agency. International Aupairs who are already living in the US, will still require sponsorship, to keep their visa valid. Host families must meet the following requirements:

• Family may only require the Au Pair to care for children aged 3 months to 18 years. There must be an adult in the home at all times for infants under 3 months old.
• Au Pair cannot work more than 45 hours per week and not more than 10 hours per day.
• Family must be US citizens or legal permanent residents (holding a green card), and fluent in spoken English.
• Must provide a minimum weekly stipend to your au pair of $195.75 per week for 52 weeks. Minimum weekly stipend is subject to the FLSA, and may be higher based on your state and local minimum wage requirements.
• Host families must provide up to $500 towards the education requirement of 6 credit hours at a college or university.
• Families must provide 2 weeks paid vacation to the au pair.
• Au pairs must be provided with their own bedroom, and three meals a day.
• Must make a 12-month commitment.

Please review the full list of requirements and costs for families hosting an aupair.

J-1 Aupair Requirements:

Aupairs are required to meet the following criteria in order to be accepted into the US Au Pair Program:

• Must be between the ages of 18 and 26.
• Must be proficient in spoken English
• Must be a non-smoker
• Must pass a criminal background check in her country of origin
• If caring for children under age 2, must be able to provide documentation showing a minimum of 200 hours of previous experience, caring for infants.
• Au Pair must agree to go to the monthly au pair meetings and attend school. (Three credit hours per semester).
• Au pair must sign a 12-month commitment.

Please review FAQs for detailed information on aupair requirements and costs.

Click here to compare US Agencies authorized to administer the J-1 Au Pair Program.

For more information on Au Pair programs in the USA, Click here.

EduCare

EduCare is a US department of State sponsored visa program for families who need childcare before and after school. The EduCare Au Pair must carry 12 hours each semester and can work a maximum of 30 hours a week, and no more than 10 hours per day.

Families contribute up to $1,000 toward the Au Pairs tuition, provide a weekly stipend of $146.81 and pay around $6,000 in agency fees.

Student Visa

Families who are interested in a cultural exchange experience, may be interested in sponsoring a student for the F-1 student visa program.

There are no age or nationality restrictions on this visa; however, the focus is on the student, this is not a work visa. The student is required to carry a minimum of 12 credit hours at a local college or university that offers the I-20 form.

The family typically covers the costs of travel, tuition, student health insurance, in addition to giving the student weekly pocket money. The student will assist the family as a member of the household in a limited capacity.

Additional information on the F-1 student visa program can be found from USICE site for Student and Exchange Visitors.

Work Visas

Families who own their own business and want to hire a professional for their business, can obtain an H-1B work visa through an independent immigration attorney.

Applications are accepted the first work day in April and if the quota is filled for the year, then applications need to be re-submitted the following year. Applications are only accepted one time a year with a work start date no sooner than October 1st. This visa takes a minimum of 6 months from application submission to employee arrival. The USCIS reviews applications on a first come, first served basis, and the visa allotment is typically filled for the year by the end of May.

The H-1B visa is restricted to those jobs that require the applicant to have attained a bachelor's degree (or higher) and cannot be issued for a childcare, senior care or housekeeping position. The H-1B visa also stipulates that the "employee" must be paid the prevailing wage for the specified job.

The H-1B visa option should be carefully weighed based on your unique company requirements. The cost for an H-1B visa, using an immigration attorney will cost approximately $2,000 to $3,000 depending on the complexity of the case.