Host Family Responsibilities

Deciding to become a host family can enrich your family's life by becoming familiar with other cultures while sharing your own. Single parents are also welcome to participate in the program. To qualify, host families must:

Be U.S. citizens or permanent residents
Speak primarily English in the home
Agree to comply with U.S. Department of State regulations concerning the Au Pair Program
Treat the au pair as a family member and include in family meals and outings
Agree to honor the Host Family Agreement
Pay $157.95 to the au pair each week
Provide a private bedroom for the au pair
Agree to facilitate an open line of communication with the local community counselor
Ensure the enrollment and attendance of au pair at a U.S. post-secondary educational institution for six semester hours of academic coursework or its equivalent
Agree to give the au pair 1½ days off per week, at least one full weekend off each month and two weeks paid vacation per year at a mutually agreeable time
Agree that the au pair does not work more than 45 hours per week/ 10 hours per day

The host family must interview the au pair by telephone at least once prior to placing with the au pair and prior to the au pair leaving his/her home country.

The host family must attend at least one family day conference sponsored by Agent Au Pair during the placement year. Host family attendance is a condition of the program and failure to attend will be grounds for possible termination of future program participation.

On-Going Support

For every participant in Agent Au Pair there is a local community counselor who lives in the community and provides ongoing support to assist you with your new placement, answer questions and give program advise during the initial settlement period and throughout the year. You can also count on support from the regional staff and a 24-hour emergency number.

Host families are comfortable knowing that the local community counselor will conduct an orientation for all newly-arrived au pairs in the region, which includes location of recreational areas, community centers and educational institutions where the au pair might satisfy the post-secondary education component of the program. The local community counselor will host monthly events for the au pairs – such as visiting a museum, attending a parade, or a local cultural event – in which the au pairs can form a support group and meet friends.

Local community counselors are experienced representatives who are trained to mediate and support the relationship between the family and au pair and provide expert guidance and advice to make your year a success. Your family can be assured that if necessary, a replacement au pair is an option.