Au Pair in USA: answers to questions

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

No! The interview is fairly long, it can take up to 1 hour, but the questions are simple — about your motivation for participating in the Au Pair USA program, about experience working with children, hobbies, parents, studies and other things. Participants are also asked to talk about specific situations that may occur while working in the USA, in order to find out how the Au Pair will handle those situations. The main thing is to try to answer the questions openly.

The main requirement for enrollment in the program — a completed secondary education (school).
Higher education, of course, will be a plus, but it is not the primary criterion.

After signing the contract at the Center, the registration fee of $150 must be paid within 7 calendar days. The second part of the program cost must be paid within 14 calendar days after the Au Pair and the family have confirmed their willingness to work together, or as we at IEC call it — «matched».

Yes!

Work as a teacher, as a nanny, work at a camp, participation in events and others — any position where the potential participant directly worked with children.

Upon completing all the required forms and providing the necessary documents, participants in the Au Pair USA program are placed on the program sponsor’s list of Au Pairs. Families view these profiles and choose the Au Pair they prefer and who best matches their skills. An interview is arranged between the family and the Au Pair, during which they discuss the details of the job, the family, and the Au Pair — in short, the family and the Au Pair get acquainted.

Yes, program participants can do this, but a limited number of times. Before doing so, an Au Pair must tell their IEC office about the situation and consult with them on whether they should leave the family

Au Pair participants cannot choose a host family or a state, but they can specify certain criteria for the family in the program sponsor’s online application.

Participants in 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 — 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 travel in the USA.

It depends on each family individually, but in general — participants in the program play with the children and take them for walks. They can help with homework, can drive the 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 an Au Pair are discussed and agreed upon together with the family.

The age of the children usually corresponds to the Au Pair’s work experience.

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

Each family is screened by the program sponsor. They provide various documents confirming safety and financial stability, and they are visited for an inspection of the living conditions.

It is possible! But the family must undergo a mandatory screening by the program sponsor, and the Au Pair must complete the full registration process through IEC, including — a language proficiency interview. More details about this procedure can be obtained from an IEC representative.