During Your Au Pair Child Care Experience

Yes, with proper advance notice you can change your Au Pair’s work schedule whenever you need. Typically, Host Families record and discuss work schedules a week in advance and most Au Pairs are flexible to accommodate snow days, sick days and unexpected emergencies.

Your Au Pair’s work schedule must adhere to program regulations and consider your Au Pair’s personal time for attending classes and organized cultural events. Remember, your Au Pair is here to experience life in the United States in addition to caring for your children.

No, an Au Pair cannot be shared between multiple families. Department of State regulations restrict Au Pair placement to one family at a time and the Au Pair’s Form DS-2019 and visa reflect this restriction.

No, Au Pairs cannot have pet care responsibilities. Au Pairs can only provide child care related services and cannot be required to care for a pet.

Au Pairs can however, assist with pet care when it pertains to child care. For example, your Au Pair can assist your children who have pet care responsibilities. Some Au Pairs become so embedded into your family’s life that they voluntarily care for your pet(s) in addition to your children. Au Pairs can willingly assist with pet care, but it cannot be a formal responsibility or duty.

Au Pair applications contain information about pet restrictions the candidate may (or may not) have. 

No, your Au Pair cannot be the sole responsible adult for other children outside your own including (but not limited to) supervision or transportation. Another responsible adult must be present when an Au Pair cares for other children.

Yes, your Au Pair may drive in the U.S. for a variety of reasons including (but not limited to) as part of child care responsibilities, to attend school, to attend events hosted by your Local Area Representative and/or for personal/social reasons. Host Families are responsible for reviewing and screening an Au Pair’s driving experience during the matching process and for helping the Au Pair adjust to driving in the U.S. after arrival.

Au Pairs do not have cars. If driving is part of the Au Pair’s child care responsibilities then a car must be provided. All other car access is coordinated between the Au Pair and Host Family. Any Au Pair driving in the U.S. must have auto insurance coverage and a driver’s license (either international license or state license depending on state law).

No, your Au Pair cannot work in any capacity outside of the duties specified in the Au Pair program regulations while residing in the U.S. on the J-1 visitor exchange visa under Go Au Pair sponsorship.

No, your Au Pair cannot provide any non-child care related services nor can your Au Pair work additional hours regardless of compensation provided. Au Pairs can only provide services detailed in the Au Pair program regulations.

Yes, your Au Pair can supervise your children overnight as long as the Au Pair’s work hours remain within the regulations.  Remember, Au Pairs are working whenever they are the primary responsible adult for your children, even if the Au Pair and/or children are sleeping. Contact our office to further discuss your overnight child care needs.

Au Pair wages are not usually subject to social security and Medicare taxes because of the Au Pair’s status as a J-1 non-immigrant nonresident alien. Because most Au Pairs are nonresident aliens Host Families are exempt from paying federal unemployment taxes on the Au Pair’s wages. Because Au Pair wages are paid for domestic service in a private home, they are not subject to mandatory U.S. income tax withholding.

Au Pairs are required to file U.S. individual income tax returns.

For the most recent and only official information about Au Pairs and taxes, please see the IRS website and consult your tax advisor.

Your Local Area Representative (LAR) supports you and your Au Pair during the entire Au Pair child care experience.  Local Area Representatives are your personal connection to Go Au Pair, your local area experts for Au Pair related items, and part of your dedicated support team.

Your Local Area Representative supports you primarily in the following ways:

• Conducts the Host Family interview with you and your family before your Au Pair arrives
• Contacts you and your Au Pair within 48 hours of your Au Pair arriving to your home
• Conducts the Host Family and Au Pair Orientation with you and your Au Pair shortly after your Au Pair arrives
• Contacts you and your Au Pair monthly
• Holds a Family Day Event for you, your family, your Au Pair and all other families and Au Pairs in the local area
• Holds cultural/social events for your Au Pair and all the other Au Pairs in the local area
• Assists you and your Au Pair if issues arise

Driving experiences vary widely between individual Au Pair applicants. Driving experience is detailed on the Au Pair’s application and is typically specific to driving in the Au Pair’s home country and not specific to driving in the United States.

Some factors which may affect your Au Pair's adjustment to driving in the U.S. include:

• Transmission type - Manual transmissions are common outside the U.S. while most cars in the U.S. have automatic transmissions.
• Car size - Vehicles are typically much larger in the U.S. than in other countries. Au Pairs driving SUVs who only have experience in smaller vehicles may need more time adjusting.
• Bi-directional traffic rules - Although most Au Pairs live in right-hand traffic countries, there are still some Au Pairs who have experience only driving on the left-hand side of the road. Au Pairs from left-hand traffic countries may need more time adjusting.
• Driving rules and laws - Driving rules and laws can widely differ between an Au Pair’s home country and the U.S. Au Pairs who have experience driving in countries with few rules and regulations may need more time adjusting to the laws of the U.S.

Our International Agencies do everything possible to best prepare Au Pairs for driving in the U.S. from reviewing basic signs and rules to providing state DMV manuals to actual behind-the-wheel courses. Driving basics are also reviewed as part of our New York Introductory Workshop. Regardless of your Au Pair’s experience and preparation you can expect some sort of adjustment period while your Au Pair learns to drive in your local area.

All Au Pairs receive a basic traveler’s health insurance. All Au Pairs receive the most basic plan with the option to upgrade the policy for an additional fee. Traveler’s insurance is not a comprehensive health insurance and is designed to cover emergencies only.

Au Pairs and Host Families working with Go Au Pair are provided extensive details about the health insurance plans, coverage, doctor options and other specifics.

The Au Pair and Host Family Orientation is an in person meeting with you, your Au Pair and your Local Area Representative which occurs shortly after your Au Pair arrives to your home. The main objective of the Au Pair and Host Family Orientation is to lay the foundation for a successful experience. 

Some of the topics in the Host Family and Au Pair Orientation include the Au Pair's responsibilities, schedules, stipend and education as well as the Host Family’s specific child care requirements and house rules. Insurance, local area information and problem resolution are also covered.

The Au Pair stipend is the term for the wages paid to an Au Pair by the Host Family. The stipend provided to an Au Pair must conform with minimum wage law and adjustments. The Department of Labor has sole jurisdiction regarding matters of minimum wage and the credit for room and board which is applied against the weekly stipend. 

The calculation for the Au Pair stipend is as follows:
(Federal Minimum Wage) x (Number Hours worked per week) – (40% credit for room and board) = (Au Pair stipend)

($7.25) x (45 hours) – (40% credit) = $195.75 per week

Visit our fees page for more information on Au Pair stipends.

To facilitate cultural exchange, all Au Pair participants are required to complete semester hours (or their equivalent) of academic credit in formal educational settings at accredited U.S. post-secondary institutions during their participation in the Au Pair program. EduCare Au Pairs must complete at least 12 semester hours and all other Au Pair types must complete at least 6 semester hours. Host Families assist in satisfying this requirement through the educational contribution.

The educational contribution is primarily the maximum amount of money Host Families are required to pay towards the educational component of Au Pair child care. The educational contribution is set by U.S. Department of State regulations and may be paid directly to the Au Pair or to the institution. If the full maximum amount is not required for the Au Pair to complete the educational component the remaining money is not owed to the Au Pair. See our fees page for the dollar amounts by Au Pair type.

In addition to the financial contribution, Host Families must agree to facilitate the enrollment and attendance of Au Pairs in institutions to satisfy the educational component of Au Pair child care. This often includes altering work schedules and providing transportation for the Au Pair.

Department of State regulations require a Local Area Representative live within one hour’s driving time of the Host Family. Distances covered by one hour’s driving time vary across locations in the U.S. Contact our office to determine if your local area is serviced by Go Au Pair.