The au pair process

Families interested in hosting can expect the au pair process—from the time they register to when their au pair arrives—to take an average of 4-6 weeks minimum. However, the timeline may be shorter or longer depending on a few factors.

A family’s particular needs will impact how long it will take to match with an au pair. For example, families whose children require an au pair with special needs experience are likely to find it takes longer, as there are fewer au pairs available who meet this criteria.

Au pair processing time will also depend on whether you decide to welcome an au pair from abroad or one who is already in the U.S. Most au pairs we work with currently live in their home countries and are planning to travel to the U.S. to join a host family for the first time, which typically takes at least 4–6 weeks since they still need to finalize the screening and application process. However, a smaller number of in-country au pairs are available and can generally arrive more quickly. Some of these in-country au pairs are looking to extend their program by an additional 6, 9, or 12 months with a new family. A smaller number of au pairs who are in the U.S. and looking for a new host family are those going through rematch.

Regardless of when you’d like your au pair to arrive, it's best to start the Cultural Care Au Pair matching process early. If you need an au pair urgently, you can use the filters to find candidates who can join your family quickly, or you can reach out to your Matching Specialist for help.

Yes! For many host families, a key part of the au pair matching process is using the filters in our Cultural Care app to find candidates who speak a specific language or share certain traits and interests. This can be especially helpful for families looking to support their children’s second language development.

Even with our thoughtful au pair matching process, there may be times when you feel that you and your au pair aren’t the right fit. If this is the case, you should be in touch with your Local Childcare Consultant (LCC) or a Cultural Care staff member so we can help.

The majority of conflicts between host families and au pairs happen as a result of personality differences or misunderstandings, and these can usually be resolved through better communication.

If your issues cannot be worked out, you may decide to continue on program with a new au pair, in which case we will work with you to find a better match as soon as possible. If you decide not to continue with on program, we will issue a refund if applicable (our refund policy is outlined in your Host Family Agreement). Either way, expect your au pair to stay with your family until they can find another host family or they can travel home.

Au pairs receive 2 weeks (14 calendar days) of vacation per year and are paid their agreed-upon weekly stipend amount during this time. We recommend that host families and au pairs discuss vacation plans early, as more notice provides more scheduling flexibility. We also suggest that au pairs try to take one week off during their first 6 months and another week off during the second half of the year. Regardless, au pair vacations should be mutually agreed upon to ensure both parties' needs are met.