Live with an American family while you care for their children, improve your English, and have the experience of a lifetime. This is possible wit the J-1 Visa program.
1. Website
2. Country
The host families are all located in the USA.
3. Organization
AuPairCare is an award winning au pair agency dedicated to matching host families in the U.S. with international au pairs. Since the foundation in 1989 (one of the first U.S. au pair agencies) they have matched over 60,000 au pairs from all over the world with host families in America.
4. Compensation
With AuPairCare, you’ll enjoy many benefits during your year abroad:
- Earn a stipend during your year of about $10,000 USD.
- Free flight to and from the United States, including all connecting flights to your host family.
- Travel and accident insurance package for 12 months.
- A private bedroom in your family’s home.
- J-1 Visa Sponsorship
- 30 days to travel the country at the end of your program.
- 1 1/2 free days per week, plus 10 days of paid vacation during your program year.
- Up to $500 USD in tuition money to attend college classes (you must complete 6 credits or equivalent).
- 24 hour emergency line and continuous support from your local AuPairCare Area Director.
- Opportunity to extend your program for another 6, 9 or 12 months.
5. Type of Work
The main responsibility is to take care of the host family’s children. Besides this, au pairs also help out with everyday household activities, like setting the table, putting away the dishes from the dishwasher or looking after the family’s pet.
6. Duration
It could last from one year to a maximum of 2 years.
7. Fee
The cost of joining the au pair program varies by country. But you can expect to pay a fee between $225 – $2,550 USD. This fee covers application processing, English testing and interviews, DiSC personality assessment and J-1 Visa Preparation.
You will also need to plan on a few additional costs that are not included in the program, such as Visa charges ($160 USD at the time of writing), transportation to/from your personal interview and Embassy appointment, any fees incurred for acquiring a basic police check, medical records, international driving license or a passport.
8. Eligibility
You have to be between 18 and 26 years old.
9. Application steps
- Register and fill out a short application form: to confirm that you meet initial program eligibility requirements.
- Create a profile: which includes information about your past childcare experience and references.
- Talk with a local representative: you will be put in touch with a local representative who can answer your questions and will meet with you in person for an interview.
- Show your profile: once your application is complete your profile will be available to view by prospective host families.
- Find a host family: how long it takes for an au pair to match is dependent on many factors including your hours of childcare experience, date of availability, experience driving and more.
10. Deadline
Application open all over the year.
Good luck!
Experience
For more information, you can read the experience from our friend Marcelle from Latin America who worked as an Au Pair in Chicago in this post: My experience as an Au Pair in Chicago
Are you interested in finding opportunities to go abroad? In the Scholarship Finder, you can discover a wide list of scholarships, work opportunities, volunteer projects, contests, entrepreneurial support, and virtual courses!
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