Au Pair in USA: FAQ

To participate in the program, the level of English should not be lower than Intermediate. The language level is checked by the IEC representative during a special interview.

No! The interview is quite long, lasting up to 1 hour, but the questions are simple — about the motivation for participating in the Au Pair USA program, experience working with children, hobbies, parents, studies, and more. Participants are also asked to discuss specific situations that may occur while working in the USA to learn how the Au Pair would handle these situations. The main thing is to try to answer questions openly.

The main requirement for enrollment in the program is a completed secondary education (school). Higher education is certainly a plus, but it is not the main criterion.

After signing the contract, the IEC will charge an enrollment fee of $150 within 7 calendar days. The second part of the program cost is paid within 14 calendar days after the Au Pair and the family confirm their desire to work together, or as we in the IEC call it — “matched.”

Yes!

Work as a teacher, nanny, camp counselor, event participation, and other positions where potential participants work directly with children.

By filling out all necessary forms and providing required documents, participants of the Au Pair USA program get on the sponsor’s Au Pair lists. Families see these profiles and choose the Au Pair they like best and fits their skills. An interview is scheduled between the family and the Au Pair, during which they discuss job details, family, and the Au Pair — in general, the family and Au Pair get to know each other.

Yes, participants in the program can do this, but a limited number of times. Before this, the Au Pair must inform their IEC office about the situation and consult with them whether to refuse the family.

Au Pairs cannot choose the family or the state, but they can specify some criteria for the family in the online questionnaire in the sponsor’s system.

Participants of the Au Pair program are allowed to work no more than 45 hours per week and no more than 10 hours per day. Days off are 1.5 days off per week and at least 1 full weekend (Saturday and Sunday) each month, as well as 2 weeks of paid vacation for traveling in the USA.

It depends individually on each family, but generally, program participants play with children, take walks with them. They can help with homework, can take children to school and pick them up from there. They can cook for the kids and help the family with household chores. The schedule and responsibilities of Au Pair participants are discussed and agreed upon with the family.

The age of the charges usually corresponds to the experience of the Au Pair.

If for some reason the Au Pair program participant from the USA cannot get along with the family, they must first contact the program sponsor for advice. They will help resolve the situation, and if necessary, will try to find a new family. What should not be done is to suddenly leave the family without informing anyone about the situation!

Each family goes through a check with the program sponsor. They provide various documents confirming safety and financial stability, and their living conditions are checked.

You can! But the family must undergo a check with the program sponsor, and the Au Pair must complete the entire registration process through the IEC, including a language proficiency interview. More details about this procedure can be clarified with the IEC representative.