A federal programme with a fixed stipend

Working as an au pair in the United States

The United States has the most structured au pair programme of the twelve — and the most surprising rule about the money.

This is a guide, not legal or immigration advice.

Rules change, vary by region and depend on your exact arrangement and nationality. Everything here was researched from official sources and dated, but figures go out of date — check the official links on this page before you rely on any of it, and get proper advice on your own visa position.

Where you stand

You come on a J-1 exchange visitor visa through a sponsor designated by the State Department. The programme sets your maximum hours, your time off, your vacation and an educational requirement the host family has to help pay for.

What makes the United States different: The famous weekly stipend figure is not actually written in the regulation. The rule only says au pairs are paid in conformance with the Fair Labor Standards Act. The number everyone quotes is that federal minimum wage multiplied by 45 hours, less a 40% credit for your room and board — which is why it has not changed since 2009.

Worth knowing before you agree to anything

Because the rule points at federal law rather than replacing state law, whether your state's higher minimum wage applies instead is genuinely unsettled. A federal court has held that Massachusetts wage law was not displaced. The difference can be several hundred dollars a week, so check the state you are going to.

The numbers

Weekly stipend

$195.75

up to 45 hours — $146.81 for EduCare

Hours

45 a week

and no more than 10 a day

Time off

1.5 days a week

plus a full weekend each month and 2 weeks paid vacation

Education

up to $500

paid by the family — $1 000 for EduCare

Can you go?

You must be aged 18 to 26, a secondary school graduate, and proficient in spoken English.

You will be interviewed in English, need a medical, and go through a background investigation that includes school verification, three non-family references, a criminal record check and a psychometric personality profile. Only a State Department-designated sponsor can place you.

Three things worth doing

The education money is an obligation

Your host family must help you enrol and must pay towards your coursework, up to a set amount — and the amount is double for EduCare participants, who also have to complete twice the credit hours.

Your hours are capped daily as well as weekly

No more than ten hours of child care in a day, and no more than forty-five in a week — thirty for EduCare. The daily cap is the one families forget.

Check the state, not just the programme

Two au pairs on identical programmes in different states may have very different legal entitlements. It is the single most valuable thing to look into before you accept.

Check it yourself

Every figure on this page came from these. Rules change — if something matters to you, read it at the source.

eCFR — 22 CFR 62.31 Au pairs → Federal Register — 2023 proposed au pair rule →

Keep your own record

Whatever the rules say where you are, they only help you if you can show what you actually worked. NannyTank counts your hours as you work them, works out overtime at the legal rate where there is one, and turns the month into a claim your employer approves in one tap.

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Other countries

South Africa United Kingdom Ireland Germany France Netherlands Spain Switzerland Canada Australia New Zealand

Researched from official sources and last reviewed 2 September 2026. Employing an au pair instead? See the rules for host families in the United States.