4 Of The Best Au Pair Agencies In America

If you’re on the hunt for your very own Au Pair then you’ve come to the right place. Childcare can not only be expensive but you never truly know who is looking after your children if you put them in daycare. One option for childcare is hiring an Au Pair. They provide in-home childcare so you know exactly what and who you are letting into your home. 

Au Pairs live with an American Host Family and help take care of their children, in exchange for room and board, a weekly stipend (paid by the family), an educational contribution from the family, and more

We have done the research so you don’t have to, below is a list of 4 Au Pair agencies who can provide you with reliable childcare. 

Go Au Pair 

Go Au Pair is first on our list, with over thirty years experience in the childcare field. This one is a designated program sponsor. Becoming an Au Pair in the United States through Go Au Pair and its international representatives from the Au Pair’s home country is an amazing, transformative, educational and cultural journey. The Au Pair gets to experience America first hand, and see how it’s a much nicer, calmer, and larger country than they might think!

Pros

Total Flexibility – Au Pairs finding work through Go Au Pair can cover up to 45 hours of childcare each week. This will be whenever you need it, it could be in the evenings or even at weekends. 

A Stable Bond – Rather than sending your children to daycare, Au pairs provide in-home childcare. This creates consistency meaning your children develop a sense of safety and security. 

Affordable – If you compare the prices to full time nannies, Au Pairs are much cheaper. Rather than paying per child, you pay a fixed amount each week. 

Cons

Lack Of Privacy – Having an employee in your home 24/7 means you may need to rethink whenever you need or want privacy. 

Extra Space – Au Pairs need their own room so you will need to have a separate bedroom for them to use.

Au Pair In America (APIA)

Here we have another designated program by the U.S Department of State. Au Pairs will come over on a J-1 Cultural Exchange Visitor Visa, this is sponsored by APIA. Au Pairs working with Au Pair In America will get their own room, three meals a day, and a weekly allowance of at least $195.75. They will also receive two weeks of paid vacation time, to take anytime they want. 

Pros 

Customizable Schedules – Whatever days and hours you need, your Au Pair can work. The only stipulation is that they get at least one weekend off a month. 

Live-in Care – There is no risk of lateness or not showing up as your childcare will already be at home.

English Skills – A wonderful pro for the Au Pairs is for them to improve their English language skills. 

Cons

Homesickness – For Au Pairs, homesickness can settle in pretty quickly. Being far from home can be pretty brutal. 

Friction – you may clash with your Au Pair due to cultural differences. 

AuPairCare

This is a wonderful, leading Au Pair Agency, they match host families with Au Pairs from all over the world. Au Pairs can stay with their families for around 12 months. However, if everyone gets along and it works then care can be extended. You will pay your Au Pair a weekly fee, however, this tends to be lower than other forms of childcare which is great for your budget. 

Pros 

Valuable Work Experience – Au Pairs get the chance to develop childcare expertise and gain high levels of experience and life skills. These will look fantastic on their resume.

Cost Effective – With childcare being much cheaper than daycare or nannies, many parents opt for Au Pairs. 

Support – AuPairCare offers amazing levels of support to both the Au Pairs and the host families. 

Learning Funds – Au Pairs receive an allowance to study college-level courses. This gives them the chance to gain additional skills and qualifications. 

Cons

Demanding Hours – Au Pairs tend to work long, tiring hours.

Limited Income – Weekly pay isn’t as much as usual wages, this is likely due to living-in. 

Extra Space Needed – You must have an extra room available in your home to offer the Au Pair. 

Au Pair 4 Me

Au Pair 4 Me matches host families with Au Pairs. They trawl through applications finding suitable people who will do well as Au Pairs. Both the family and the childcare are thoroughly vetted, either in person or on video call. This awesome company covers administrative tasks like, the J-1 paperwork, travel arrangements, and training for the Au Pairs. 

Pros 

Issues Covered – 24/7 care and support offered by Au Pair 4 Me. This is great should any issues crop up. 

In Depth Vetting – Background checks and thorough interviews carried out by Au Pair 4 Me, meaning you know exactly who is coming into your home. 

Rematch – If it doesn’t work with your Au Pair then you can go back to them for a rematch. This helps you find a brand new Au Pair, let’s face it, sometimes it just doesn’t work. 

Paperwork Handled – If you aren’t too confident with filling in forms and various pieces of paperwork then this agency handles it all for you. 

Cons

High Cost – There is a higher than average cost due to the agency fees. However, these cover a lot, like the legalities and support.

Lack Of Experience – The Au Pairs that come over won’t necessarily have high levels of childcare experience. Meaning they may have just done babysitting of siblings here and there. 

Privacy – You need to be prepared for someone wandering around your home, you may not have as much privacy as you did before. 

We do hope you found this information and article useful. Finding the right childcare can take time, it is something you don’t want to rush. Don’t be afraid to ask questions as this will always put your mind at ease.