An au pair is a young adult (18–26) who lives with an American family and provides up to 45 hours of childcare per week as part of a cultural exchange. Regulated by the U.S. Department of State, au pairs come from 30+ countries on a legal visa, and share their language and culture while experiencing life in the U.S.
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Compare the advantages of hosting an au pair vs hiring a nanny or enrolling in daycare.
Au pair
Nanny
Daycare
Flexible live-in care
Affordable cost
Personalized care
Cultural exchange
varies
varies
No waitlist
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Annual program fee1
$11,245
Paid to Cultural Care. Based on a 52 week program.
Minimum weekly au pair stipend2
$195.75
Paid directly to your au pair.
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Download our app and create a family profile that highlights your childcare needs, schedule, and preferences.
Connect with potential candidates. Ask questions about their experience and interests to ensure compatibility.
Finalize your match in the app and get ready for your au pair to arrive with the help of our Host Family Preparation team.
Extend a warm welcome to your new au pair! Enjoy flexible, personalized childcare and an enriching cultural exchange experience.
Host mom Pooja explains.
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Before traveling to join their host families, au pairs secure a J-1 cultural exchange visa through the U.S. embassy in their home country, allowing them to legally remain in the U.S. for one year. Au pairs can extend their time as an au pair for 6, 9 or 12 months if they meet all requirements and are in good program standing at the end of their first year.
The au pair program offers families a wealth of cultural exchange benefits. It provides the opportunity to experience new languages and global traditions— from holidays and recipes to everyday routines—broadening children’s perspective and sparking curiosity about the world around them. When polled about their experience on our program, 96% of former host children agreed that having an au pair helped them understand other cultures better, and 58% said that having an au pair helped them learn another language.
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Infant qualified
Studying to become a teacher
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Infant qualified
Is one of 7 siblings
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Works as a folk dance instructor for kids
Studying to become a midwife
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Infant qualified
Loves dance and Thai boxing
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2,000+ hrs childcare experience
Advanced English level
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Advanced English level
Loves singing, dancing and theater
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Worked as a summer nanny
Studies architecture
¹Au pairs pay a smaller program fee to the foreign company that screens them, but no portion of that fee is used to pay for the costs of their international airfare or domestic U.S. transportation. Au pairs may be charged additional fees in the event of special travel requests.
²The U.S. Department of State has determined that au pairs are required to receive from their host families at least $195.75 per week. Host families and au pairs are free to discuss and agree to compensation higher than the required stipend minimum; 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. The State Department formula is based on the federal minimum wage and applicable room and board credits. Any change in the federal minimum wage or the applicable credits will result in an increase in this minimum stipend amount. Please note, should a family extend beyond the first year, they would be responsible for the stipend for each week of the extension term.
