All Cultural Care au pairs must undergo a multi-step screening process and training program before joining their host families. During our screening, au pairs undergo a personal interview, reference check, and criminal background check. They also submit a detailed profile including their childcare experience, family background, and certificate of health. Before traveling to the U.S., au pairs are required to complete a 32-hour online training and orientation program to review child safety and development. Part of this training includes an online CPR and First Aid course provided by the American Heart Association.

In order to become a host family with Cultural Care, families must: 1. Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident; 2. Pass a criminal background check; 3. Provide a private bedroom for their au pair.

In addition, families must be willing to embrace the spirit of the au pair program—meaning they are ready and excited to participate in a cultural exchange and invest time into building a relationship with their au pair.

The time it takes to get an au pair varies from family to family. Most au pairs looking for a host family are still living in their home countries and will need at least six to eight weeks to get their visa, complete Cultural Care’s training program, and prepare to leave. But there are a smaller number of au pairs already in the U.S. who are looking for a new host family, and they can arrive to your home much faster. To make things easy, you can use the filters on the app and website to find au pairs who have the same arrival timeframe in mind.

All au pairs commit to staying with their host families in the U.S. for at least one year, and they arrive with a legal J-1 visa allowing them to do so. Towards the end of their first year, au pairs can choose to extend their time with their current family or with a new one for an additional 12, 9 or 6 months. Au pairs must complete their Education Requirement and be in good standing with the program in order to extend.