Au pair organizations in the United States

Au pair Organizations in the U.S.

An au pair organization is an agency that works to enforce Title 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations Section 62.31 which deals with Foreign Relations and more specifically - au pairs. This program allows foreign nationals between the ages of 18 and 26 to live with a host American family for one year or for a second extended year.

In order to be compliant with the following regulations, most au pair organizations will hire a local coordinator on a full or part time basis. The regulations are as follows:

Au pair organizations must follow strict guidelines as set forth by the U.S. Department of State which includes:
1) Limiting the participation of foreign nationals in the program to one year (unless legally extended).
2) Require that all officers, employees, agents, and volunteers be adequately trained and supervised.
3) Require that the au pair is placed with a host family within one hour's drive of the local organizational representative authorized to act on the sponsor's behalf.
4) Require that each local organizational representative maintain a record of all personal monthly contacts with each au pair and host family for which he or she is responsible.
5) Require that all local representatives contact au pair participants and host families twice monthly for the first two months following a placement.
6) Require that local representatives not be responsible for more than fifteen families if not their full time job.
7) Require that each local representative provide adequate support services.
8) Provide the au pair with child development and child safety instruction.

For full organizational requirements, see the references below.

Host Family Requirements

To qualify as a host family, there are also certain requirements mandated by the State Department which must be met:
1) A parent or other responsible adult must remain home for the first three days of the au pair's arrival.
2) Child must be at least three months of age unless a parent or other responsible adult is present.
3) There must be a written agreement between the au pair and the host family which limits the hours worked to a maximum of 10 hours per day and not more than 30 hours (if in the EduCare program) or 45 hours (otherwise) per week.
4) Au pair must be provided with a suitable private bedroom.
5) The host family must interview the au pair by telephone prior to the au pair's departure from his or her country.
6) The host family must be U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents.
7) The host parents must be fluent in English.

For full host family requirements, see the references below.

Au pair Agencies

These are the 14 agencies designated by the State Department to administer the au pair program^[1]:

• A.P.EX. American Professional Exchange dba ProAuPair [1]
• Agent Au Pair [2]
• American Cultural Exchange dba Go Au Pair [3]
• American Institute for Foreign Study (Au Pair in America) [4]
• Au Pair Foundation, Inc. [5]
• Au Pair International, Inc. [6]
• AuPairCare, Inc. [7]
• EF Education (Cultural Care, Inc.) [8]
• Cultural Homestay International [9]
• Euraupair Intercultural Child Care Programs [10]
• Expert Group International Inc. [11]
• InterExchange Au Pair USA [12]
• The International Au Pair Exchange [13]
• USAuPair, Inc. [14]

References

• State Department Regulations, October 2008
• CFR 22 62.31, April 2008