An au pair lives with your family and helps care for your children. They provide childcare on a schedule you decide (up to 10 hours per day, no more than 45 hours per week) and can help with tasks related to childcare, such as laundry, meal preparation, light housekeeping, and transportation to and from school and activities. Au pairs become like extended family members, and it is common for host families to stay in touch with their au pairs long after their time on the program has ended.

Yes. Having an au pair who can drive your children to school and activities is a big benefit of the au pair program, and au pairs are generally licensed to drive in their home country and travel to the U.S. with an International Driver’s Permit. If you plan to have your au pair drive during their year, you’ll need to provide the appropriate coverage under your auto insurance and be prepared to help them adjust to driving in the U.S.

Many people understand the terms “au pair” and “nanny” to mean the same thing, but they are actually quite different. In the U.S., an au pair refers to a young person from overseas who lives with an American family to care for their children and participate in a cultural exchange. They travel on a legal, one-year visa through a designated au pair agency, and their working hours and conditions are regulated by the U.S. Department of State. Au pairs initially commit to a one-year stay but have the opportunity to extend their time in the U.S. for 6, 9 or 12 months. They are excited to immerse themselves in new culture, improve their English and explore the U.S. The term “nanny”, on the other hand, is a more general term that can be used to describe both professionally trained caregivers and those with less formal experience.

The Cultural Care app makes matching with au pairs easy! After signing up and creating your profile, you’ll be able to search for au pairs in the app and use our filters to narrow down your search. You can favorite the candidates you like best and start a chat or video call right through the app as well. Once you find a great match, you'll extend an offer to join your family. (Au pairs can initiate a match too). If you have questions or need help along the way, our team of Matching Specialists is available throughout your search.

The estimated annual cost of the au pair program starts at $21,424, or about $1,785 per month. The total cost of hosting an au pair is calculated by adding the program fee paid to Cultural Care Au Pair ($11,245) and the minimum weekly stipend paid directly to the au pair ($195.75 per week, totaling $10,179 per year). (If you are a host family in Massachusetts, you must comply with MA state law regarding Domestic Workers. Please see the Massachusetts pricing page for more details.) As a host family, you should also factor in additional costs related to room and board, insurance (if applicable), contributions toward your au pair’s Education Requirement, and any other “extras” that will help make your au pair’s time in the U.S. more enjoyable. Host families typically find the cost of hosting an au pair to be comparable or even less expensive than daycare or nannies, especially in metro areas.