Last updated November 5th, 2023.
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With so many of us wanting to have work abroad experience, becoming an au pair is a great way to work and travel. Getting the opportunity to live in a host family’s house for free and have meals included is perfect for helping you save up the money you earn to take those well deserved weekend trips with friends!
There are so many different au pair companies that you can go through as an au pair, here’s the break down on some of the most popular companies you’ll probably come across when choosing which company to go with.
A Guide To The Best Au Pair Companies – Which One Is Right For You?
Choosing which au pair company is right for you is the first step in your au pair journey!
There are loads of different au pair companies to choose from, but not all offer the same levels of service. There are some companies that you can sign up to just to have access to their list of host families, which you then go through on your own; whereas other companies will guide you every step of the way.
There is no right or wrong company to choose, but you need to be realistic in deciding what level of service you’re looking for and how much help you will need. Personally I knew that I wanted to pay more for a company that would help me with everything.
Au Pair Companies
Au Pair World. This is my favorite of all the au pair companies. Au Pair World has the largest selection of au pairs and host families online, meaning you will be spoiled for choice when looking for a host family. I know quite a few au pairs who found their host families through this site, and had wonderful experiences! It’s free for au pairs to sign up, whereas host families do pay a small fee to browse the au pairs.
I really love how they break everything down for both you and the host family. There won’t be any surprises here!
The only “downside” could be that you do everything yourself. You search families yourself, you negotiate contracts yourself, you figure out travel insurance and flights yourself, etc, instead of having an agent help you out. But honestly, if I were to become an au pair again, I would use Au Pair World.
Au Pair in America. This agency was the very first au pair agency to ever open up in America, in 1986, meaning if you are American, these guys are your experts.
They even have a whole section of their site dedicated to resources for current au pairs, which is really cool!
They are the best when it comes to matching families with au pairs, and the selection process is seamless. This company is there to help you every step of the way, which surely would take a lot off your plate before you start this adventure!
Expert Au Pair. This is a company located in America, helping American families find au pairs.
The program is a bit cheaper than others with an agency fee of $500, and there is an airfare supplement depending on which country you are flying back to, which is an awesome deal! Even though you pay an agency fee, host families will contact you directly to schedule interviews.
Au Pair International. With an application fee of only $95, you can become an au pair in America if you live elsewhere in the world, OR if you are American you can choose Australia, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, or Spain. Not quite as many options as other companies, but still some great choices. I really love how if you choose to au pair in America, there are several group trips you can join through out the year to get to travel a bit and meet some other au pairs!
So far for 2023 they have au pair group trips to Boston, New York, The Grand Canyon, and Chicago.
Au Pair 4 Me. To become an au pair through Au Pair 4 Me, there are two options.
One is to be a standard au pair, working up to 45 hours per week, and attending 6 credit hours of classes throughout the stay, or option two is to become an Educare au pair, which means that you work up to 30 hours per week, and attending 12 credit hours of classes.
Au Pair 4 Me also pays for your round trip airfare, health insurance, sponsors your visa, and only costs you a $50 fee!
Go Au Pair. Operating for au pairs both in America and in certain countries abroad (Australia, China, Austria, France, Germany and South Africa), this company gives the host family lots of metrics to search for their perfect au pair. Au pairs give this company loads of information and they go through a very thorough screening, meaning the host families that reach out have a very good idea of who you are! A host family may be looking for an au pair who has say, 300 documented hours of childcare. The au pairs have this proof in their profiles, making it really easy for the host family to reach out when they find what they’re looking for.
Cultural Care Au Pair. Cultural Care Au Pair pride themselves on being one of the largest au pair databases in America. With 24/7 support, round trip flights included, and extensive training, it’s little surprise that so many au pairs choose this company.
As an au pair, you don’t pay a fee until after you match with your family, and you can email the company to check what that years fee is in your countries currency, which is really helpful!
Voted the Best Customer Service in America for 2022, this company provides thorough screening, resources by State, and local staff to support you. Agent Au Pair offers different program options to fit your needs. There are Standard Au Pair, Au Pair Pro, or Tutorcare. This means you can choose your comfort and experience levels. Like Cultural Care Au Pair, the agency fees cost different depending on your program and home country.
EurAuPair. You really get a lot when you go with this company. After going through the interview process and matching with your host family, you will first arrive in New York City to take an An Pair Workshop, which helps you adjust to moving to America and know what to expect in your new role. EurAuPair gives au pairs lots of resources, full insurance, cultural group activities twice a year, and a community counsellor to help with anything!
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I hope this guide to au pair companies helps you with your decision when it comes to choosing which company is right for you!
3 Responses
I will love to work in America
Amazing post thank you so much!!
Thank you Molly!!