Mar 24 (edited) • General discussion
How to Come Work in America and Become an Au Pair
The Au Pair program is one of the cheapest, most structured ways for young Africans to live legally in America for 1-2 years. You live with an American family, help with their kids, and in return you get free flights, free housing, free meals, a weekly stipend, health insurance, and money toward college classes.
This guide covers everything from start to finish.
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First: Check if your country is eligible
A December 2025 travel ban blocked nationals from 28 African countries from getting J-1 visas. Before you do anything else, check this list.
Fully blocked (all visas suspended): Burkina Faso, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Mali, Niger, Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan
J-1 visas specifically suspended: Angola, Benin, Burundi, Cote d'Ivoire, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Still fully eligible (examples): South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda, Ethiopia, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, Mozambique, eSwatini, Rwanda, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar
If you hold dual nationality with a non-banned country, you may still be eligible. Talk to an immigration attorney.
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What you need to qualify:
- Age 18-26
- Completed secondary school (matric or equivalent)
- Conversational English
- At least 200 hours of childcare experience outside your own family
- For infant care (kids under 2): 200 additional hours with infants
- Valid driver's license (not technically required, but almost impossible to match without one)
- No criminal record
- Medically fit
- Single with no dependents
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What you get:
- Round-trip flights (home country to USA and back)
- Private bedroom in host family's home
- Three meals a day
- Weekly stipend of $195.75 minimum (some agencies pay $215+)
- Up to $500 toward college classes
- Health insurance for 12 months
- 1.5 days off per week + one full weekend off per month
- 2 weeks paid vacation per year
- 30-day travel period after program ends
- Option to extend for 6, 9, or 12 more months
- Car access for childcare duties
Maximum work: 10 hours/day, 45 hours/week.
Total estimated cost: $800-$2,500 depending on your country and agency. Everything else (flights, insurance, orientation) is covered by the host family.
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Step-by-step process:
- Step 1: Choose an agency (Week 1) - You must go through a U.S. government-designated sponsor agency. You cannot apply for the J-1 au pair visa on your own. Search all designated sponsors here: https://j1visa.state.gov/participants/how-to-apply/sponsor-search/. Pick one from the agency list further down in this guide.
- Step 2: Complete the online application (Weeks 1-4) - Create a profile, fill in your details, education, and childcare experience. Most agencies require a personality assessment and English evaluation. Here are the direct application links:
- Cultural Care (South Africa): https://www.culturalcare.co.za/become-ap-qualifications/
- Au Pair in America (South Africa): https://www.aupairinamerica.co.za
- Au Pair in America (all countries): https://www.aupairinamerica.com/select-country
- AuPairCare: https://www.aupaircare.com/au-pairs/apply
- Go Au Pair: https://www.goaupair.com/au-pairs/become-an-au-pair/
- InterExchange: https://www.interexchange.org/au-pair/
- EurAuPair: https://www.euraupair.com/aupairs/
- Agent Au Pair: https://agentaupair.com/au-pair-how-to-apply.html
- GreatAuPair USA: https://www.greataupairusa.com/j-1-au-pair-application-process
- OVC (South Africa/Namibia): https://www.ovc.co.za/pages/aupair.asp
- Genesis AuPairs (Durban): https://genesisaupairs.co.za/au-pair-in-america
- Step 3: Gather your documents (Weeks 2-6) - Passport, police clearance, medical certificate, childcare references, school certificates, driver's license.
- Step 4: In-person interview (Weeks 4-6) - A local agency rep interviews you for 1-2 hours in English. They assess your personality, motivation, and childcare skills. Southern African applicants usually do this at a local partner office. East/West African applicants may interview via video.
- Step 5: Build your profile (Weeks 5-7) - Write a "Dear Host Family" letter. Record an introduction video. Upload photos of you with children, doing hobbies, and with your family. Be specific about your childcare experience.
- Step 6: Match with a host family (Weeks 6-24) - Families review your profile and request video calls. Expect 1-3 calls per interested family. Strong profiles match in 2-4 weeks. Average is 1-3 months.
- Step 7: Receive your DS-2019 (1-3 weeks after match) - Your agency registers you in SEVIS and sends your Form DS-2019. This is the document you need for your visa interview. https://j1visa.state.gov/participants/how-to-apply/eligibility-and-fees/
- Step 8: Pay the SEVIS fee ($220) - Pay at https://www.fmjfee.com. Print the receipt. Citizens of Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and The Gambia cannot pay by credit card and must use money order or Western Union.
- Step 9: Complete the DS-160 visa application - Fill out the form at https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/. Takes about 90 minutes. You need your passport, DS-2019, host family details, a digital photo, and all social media handles from the past 5 years. Pay the $185 visa fee.
- Step 10: Embassy interview - Book at https://ais.usvisa-info.com. The actual interview is 2-5 minutes. Dress business casual. Speak naturally. Know your host family's details. Have proof you plan to return home after the program.
- Step 11: Pre-departure training (2-4 weeks) - Complete 32+ hours of childcare training online, including CPR and first aid.
- Step 12: Fly to America - Your agency books your flight. Most programs fly you to New York for a 2-5 day orientation, then arrange travel to your host family.
- Step 13: Start your placement - Meet your host family, sign your agreement, meet your local Community Counselor, and begin.
Total timeline: 4-8 months from application to arrival. Plan for 6-9 months to be safe.
Best time to start is September through February, for an August/September arrival. Begin at least 6-9 months before your desired start date.
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The au pair program is not a scholarship. It's not a student visa. It's a cultural exchange program that happens to be one of the most affordable, structured ways to get to America legally, earn income, gain U.S. experience, and take college classes while you're there. If you qualify, use it.
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How to Come Work in America and Become an Au Pair
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