We provide au pairs with a minimum of eight hours of child safety instruction (at least four of which cover infant safety)
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Department of State Regulations
Cultural Care Au Pair is a U.S. Department of State regulated program
Host families must comply with government regulations
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Provide room, board & stipend
Provide an au pair with a suitable private bedroom, 3 meals a day, and a minimum weekly stipend of $195.75 (calculated based on federal minimum wage; subject to change)*
Contribute towards education requirement
Contribute up to $500 toward the cost of an au pair’s completion of their educational requirement
Comply with on-duty restrictions
Limit an au pair’s working hours to 45 hours per week (no more than 10 hours in one day) and grant an au pair consecutive 1.5 days off per week, at least 1 full weekend off each month and 2 weeks of paid vacation
Limit responsibilities
Limit an au pair’s household responsibilities to those related to care of the children (including meal preparation, laundry and children’s room clean-up)
*Host families and au pairs are free to discuss and agree to compensation higher than the required weekly stipend minimum of $195.75; however, this cannot be in exchange for the au pair exceeding the regulatory limits on working hours (10 hours per day; 45 hours per week) or performing duties beyond childcare-related tasks.
As a host family, you agree to:
Arrange for a parent or responsible adult to remain at home with your au pair for the first three days after they arrive
Ensure that another adult is home with your au pair at all times if you have an infant under the age of 3 months
Facilitate transportation for your au pair to attend classes and any scheduled meetings with your local representative
We provide preparation and training for au pairs
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Child development instruction
We provide au pairs with a minimum of 24 hours of child development instruction before being placed in a host family's home (at least four of which are devoted to children under the age of two)
Learn more
Cultural Care Au Pair commits to fulfill additional government regulations
Ensure that each host family be assigned to a local representative who lives within a one-hour drive from their house
Require local representatives to conduct an orientation with each host family and au pair within 14 days of an au pair’s arrival
Require local representatives to maintain monthly personal contact with host families and their au pairs
Hosting an au pair FAQs
Au pairs join our program for many reasons, but first and foremost because of their desire to join an American family and learn more about American culture. Au pairs also want to improve their English, make new friends, explore the USA and gain international work experience
Cultural Care au pairs come from 30+ different countries around the world in Central and South America, Europe, South Africa and Asia.
Many people understand the terms “au pair” and “nanny” to mean the same thing, but they are actually quite different. In the U.S., an au pair refers to a young person from overseas who lives with an American family to care for their children and participate in a cultural exchange. They travel on a legal, one-year visa through a designated au pair agency, and their working hours and conditions are regulated by the U.S. Department of State. Au pairs initially commit to a one-year stay but have the opportunity to extend their time in the U.S. for 6, 9 or 12 months. They are excited to immerse themselves in new culture, improve their English and explore the U.S. The term “nanny”, on the other hand, is a more general term that can be used to describe both professionally trained caregivers and those with less formal experience.
The Cultural Care app makes matching with au pairs easy! After signing up and creating your profile, you’ll be able to search for au pairs in the app and use our filters to narrow down your search. You can favorite the candidates you like best and start a chat or video call right through the app as well, so it’s easy to get in touch and stay connected until you make a decision. Our team of Matching Specialists is also available throughout your search if you have questions or need help.