Hiring a Long-Term Au Pair
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An au pair can be an excellent long-term childcare solution. However, there are specific limitations that you should be aware of when trying to hire a long-term au pair.
In the united states, the Au Pair program is designed to last from three months to one year. There are several au pair organizations that serve to connect host families with potential au pairs. Most of these organizations will assist the host family with the proper paperwork to obtain the necessary visa. Host families and au pairs sign a specific agreement that specifies the duration of the time they will be there, as well as details about their duties while they are in the United States. The specific visa is referred to as a J-1 au pair visa. There are eleven agencies that the U.S. government has authorized to make au pair arrangements. These agencies typically charge between $5,500 and $7,000 for their services. The J-1 visa can, sometimes, be renewed. In some cases, this can be a relatively smooth process; however, there is always the risk that the visa will not be renewed. In addition, some au pair organizations will charge an additional fee if you wish to keep your au pair for another year.
Another option is the If you H1-B visa. If you would like to select an au pair independently, you can work through an independent immigration attorney to obtain an H1-B visa. This type of visa is a regular work visa, and does not have the educational requirements that the J-1 visa has. The H-1B visa typically requires the applicant to possess a bachelor’s degree or higher, and cannot be issued for an actual “au pair” position; rather, for this type of visa, the position would have be listed as a home-school teacher, educator, or other type of service that is not solely childcare related. H1-B visas also require renewals, but the period of renewal is often longer than the J-1 visa.
In addition, when hiring any sort of au pair, you need to determine what qualifications, personality, and experience that you need. In terms of personality, you want to find an au pair that comes across as loving and patient with your children. You should try to find someone that is cheerful, and has a generally positive attitude and outlook. You want an au pair that is oriented toward children and families. Finally, you want to make sure that she seems to have good old fashioned common sense. In addition, There are certain skills you should make sure that your au pair possesses. If you have infants in the home, you should be certain that she has had some experience in caring for infants. Checking an au pair’s references is one of the best ways to determine what kinds of skills she may possess. If possible, you should choose an au pair who has had some paid work experience, whether in child care or in another area. This will help you determine the potential au pair’s work ethic, and whether she enjoys working or not. In addition, your au pair should have at least basic first aid knowledge, and you should help her to receive child and infant CPR training if she does not have it.
You may wish to look for other requirements in an au pair. These can include things such as no smoking, no alcohol or drug use, and good health and grooming habits. You might look for a high school graduate, and/or some college or nanny type coursework. Also, it is often best to choose an au pair who has lived away from home for a while, so as not to worry about losing her to homesickness.
Hiring a long-term au pair can be an arduous process. However, if you will need child care in the long term, the process may very well be worth the effort.
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