Cultural exchange
Au Pair in the United States
An exchange programme that runs entirely through an authorised sponsor: without a sponsor, a host family, eligibility, documentation, an interview and the corresponding visa, there is no participation.
How the programme works
The sponsor is the whole structure
The United States operates its Au Pair programme through designated sponsor organisations. The sponsor screens the candidate, matches them with a host family, monitors the placement and issues the documentation the visa application rests on.
Nothing about the programme happens outside that structure. A candidate cannot arrange a private placement with a family and call it an Au Pair stay, and no intermediary can substitute for the sponsor.
The programme also carries an educational component and a defined weekly limit on childcare hours, both set by the programme rules rather than by the family.
General requirements
What the programme normally requires
Requirements are set by the sponsor and by the programme rules in force, and they are verified individually. None of the points below is a guarantee of acceptance.
- An age range set by the programme rules
- A conversational level of English
- Documented experience in childcare
- A secondary education certificate
- A driving licence, required by many host families
- A clean criminal record certificate
- Medical fitness and the required health documentation
- Availability for the full duration of the programme
- Acceptance by an authorised sponsor
- A successful match with a host family
Boundaries
What nobody can promise you
Participation in the United States is subject to an authorised sponsor, a host family, eligibility, documentation, an interview and the corresponding visa. Each of those is a separate decision made by someone other than us.
We prepare the candidate and the dossier, explain the requirements clearly and coordinate the steps. We do not guarantee a sponsor place, a family, a visa or a departure date, and we would treat any provider that does with considerable suspicion.
An Au Pair placement is a cultural exchange programme, not ordinary employment. We cannot guarantee a host family, a visa, a placement or a travel date: each programme depends on eligibility, documentation, the host family and the decision of the competent authorities. Participation in the United States is subject to an authorised sponsor, a host family, eligibility, documentation, an interview and the corresponding visa.
A country appearing on this website does not mean that a job offer, a study place or an open intake exists. Every opportunity is subject to availability, requirements, selection, admission, contract and immigration authorization.
Questions
Au Pair in the United States — questions
Can I go as an Au Pair without a sponsor?
No. The programme exists only through designated sponsor organisations, and the documentation the visa application depends on is issued by the sponsor. A private arrangement with a family is not this programme.
Is this a work visa?
No. It is an exchange programme with its own category, its own conditions and its own limits on hours, and it includes an educational component. It is not ordinary employment and cannot be used as a work route.
How long does the process take?
It depends on the sponsor's screening, on how long a match with a host family takes, on the documentation and on consular appointment availability. Nobody can state a date in advance, and we do not offer one.
Next step
Interested in the US Au Pair programme?
Send your age, your English level, your childcare experience, your driving licence status and your availability. We assess whether the profile meets the programme requirements before anything else begins.
Transparency
Immigration Disclaimer
Arlen Global Mobility provides immigration consultancy and mobility coordination services. It is not a law firm. Legal representation and specialized legal assistance are provided by qualified immigration and foreign-nationality lawyers with whom we coordinate when required.
Arlen Global Mobility provides immigration consultancy and mobility coordination services. Immigration applications and legal matters may be handled in coordination with qualified immigration and foreign-nationality lawyers when specialized legal assistance or representation is required.
Visa decisions, residence permits and work authorizations are issued exclusively by the competent authorities. Requirements and eligibility vary according to nationality, destination, profession and individual circumstances.
Arlen Global Mobility does not guarantee visa approval, immigration authorization or employment.