Au Pair Program
The Au Pair Program, a category within the U.S. Department of State’s BridgeUSA (also known as the Exchange Visitor Program (EVP)), has been promoting daily cultural exchange in American homes for more than 30 years. Through the Au Pair Program, participants and host families take part in a mutually rewarding, intercultural opportunity. Each year, au pairs care for over 50,000 children across 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Recently, there have been a number of efforts to strengthen the Au Pair program, such as a bill that would include Au Pair as a reimbursable expense for active duty families. There are also some challenges, including efforts to reclassify this Federal cultural exchange program into a domestic worker program, as well as a recent moratorium on program growth.
Please see below for key resources relating to these efforts, including actions taken by the Alliance to support and strengthen the Au Pair program.
ECA Resources
Au Pair Report
- EurekaFacts multi-perspective assessment of the Au Pair program.
- EurekaFacts Executive Summary of Findings and downloadable PDF.
- Alliance Fact Sheet
Alliance Letters
- Letter to Assistant Secretary Marie Royce – RE: Moratorium on growth in the Au Pair program (10/20/2020)
- Letter to Chairmen Smith and Inhofe, and Ranking Members Thornberry and Reed – RE: Au Pair program inclusion in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (8/30/2020)
Congressional Letters
- GOP letter to the White House re: Au Pair program exclusion from future proclamations (6/10/2020)
- GOP letter to Assistant Secretary Marie Royce on ECA preemption regulation (3/6/2020)
Media Coverage
- Alliance for International Exchange, Medium Op Ed: Au Pairs are Essential During Pandemic and Beyond
- Today: With Au Pair Visas Frozen, Working Parents Are Scrambling For Child Care
- The Wall Street Journal: Au Pairs Ensnared By Work Visa Ban