Eligibility

• You must be between 18 and 26 years of age
• Have previous documented childcare experience - at least 100 hours of previous childcare experience
• Be a secondary school graduate and preferably some formal training in childcare or child development
• Have no criminal record
• Have a valid driver's license if not under-two qualified*
• Be able to complete the entire 12-month au pair program
• Be unmarried and not have children of your own
• Have no pre-existing medical condition(s) or in need of on-going medical treatment that may question your ability to live abroad.
• Have no history of depression/mental illness, anxiety, or eating disorders
• Be a non-smoker

*Under-Two Qualified Au Pairs

Au pairs must have at least 200 hours of documented childcare experience caring for children under the age of two to be placed with host families with children aged under 2 years.

Do you have the following characteristics?

Au pairs with these characteristics are the most sought after by host families and tend to place the fastest and be the most successful

• Experience with babies (at least 6 months documented experience)
• Applicant is 21 years old or older
• Strong English speaking skills
• Strong driving skills and have a driver's license for more than 1 year
• Skills such as cooking, swimming and first aid
• Open-mindedness about religion, race, same-sex, and single parent families
• Willingness to care for at least three children
• Formal training in childcare or child development
• Previous live-in or full-time childcare experience
• Experience living away from home
• Strong childcare references from each experience and be able to list these in your application

Life as an Au Pair

Your duties as an au pair can be varied and will include tasks related to the host family's children such as:

• Playing with the children and keeping them safe
• Preparing meals and snacks for the children
• Helping to keep the children's room tidy
• Bathing and dressing the children
• Helping school age kids by packing lunches, taking them to school and helping with their homework
• Entertaining the children and teach them about your culture
• Taking the children on outings to parks, playgroups and other activities
• Travelling with your host family on vacations and providing care for the children

Your responsibilities as an au pair are limited to child care and related duties as set forth by the U. S. Department of State. You will not be expected to perform tasks that are not related to children or include heavy manual labour such as housecleaning, yard work or other types of work. However, as a family member, you may be asked to help participate in duties that a typical family member would help with. Many American families hire additional help such as cleaning services to assist with maintaining their home. What families want most is for you to provide quality childcare.

Typical Au Pair Schedule

What is it really like to be an au pair? While your schedule will vary depending on the age of the children you are taking care of and the host family's needs, below is what a typical day and week look like for an au pair named Monika, who takes care of two children, 6-year old, Sam, and 1-year old, Ann. Both of Monika's host parents, Margo and Eric, work outside of the home.

Typical Au Pair Weekly Schedule

What does the Au Pair programme include?

• Round trip international flight and domestic transfer to your host family.
• A weekly wage of $195.75, or $10,000+ a year!
• Educational allowance of $500 to take classes in college and university, which is great way to meet new people and learn something new!
• Two weeks pay where you can take a vacation - travel in the U.S.
• Free private room & full board provided by your host family (this means that the household expenses of having another person in the home, i.e. electricity, water, etc. are paid by the host family)
• Medical and accident travel insurance during your stay
• You will have the opportunity to spend an additional month in the United States after your au pair program has ended. Many au pairs take advantage of this time to travel around the country. A vacation is the ideal way to finish off your year in the United States!
• Full support from Go4less and our US sponsor Au Pair Care during your stay
• Monthly social and cultural opportunities with other au pairs
• Opportunity to extend for another 6,9 or 12 months

Training at Au Pair Academy upon arrival to the U.S.

All Au Pair Care au pairs attend the Au Pair Academy prior to arrival to the host family's home. This special program is designed to provide au pairs with an introduction to their year as an au pair and to provide practical training and information about childcare and safety topics. The program also focuses on introducing au pairs to American culture and what they can expect living with an American host family.

During the 3-day program, the Au Pair Academy instructors conduct discussions, activities and lead hands-on training at our state-of-the-art New Jersey campus, a short distance from New York City.

How to Apply for your visa

To apply please contact our office on 01 4350000 or email [email protected]

Make an appointment to come and talk to us

Email [email protected] to arrange an appointment time to talk about our Au Pair programme