Anyone have experience with sponsoring (?) former au pair?

[Anonymous]

Former au pair would like to return to our community and go to school. She would like to live here long term, but step one is getting a degree in her area of interest. Anyone have experience with how we might sponsor her to do this? She’s no longer eligible for the AP program as she has aged out, but we would happily “host” her again for this purpose. She is amazing and very much a “family member” for us and we would love to be able to help her in this capacity. She will need to work while she’s here and we’d be willing to pay her for child care or language instruction if that was of interest to her, but I don’t know what the rules or requirements are. Anyone have insights to share?

[Anonymous]

there are many threads on this site regarding sponsorship, just do a quick search. It’s a complex sponsorship, lots of legal issues and $$$, plus it’s illegal for your former AP to work for you. “Paying her for childcare” isn’t going to happen legally.

[Anonymous]

It’s not actually possible. We hired a lawyer and went down every path to try to get our beloved AP back.

[Anonymous]

Ok, thanks.

[Anonymous]

Lots of families do this. It is very expensive (the visa requires a large amount of money in her bank account - I think $15,000) and it NOT legal. Doesn’t seem to stop a whole lot of people.

[Anonymous]

So many people have done it. I didn't, but I found a different "sponsor". Nobody cared where I was and if I worked or not or even went to school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So many people have done it. I didn't, but I found a different "sponsor". Nobody cared where I was and if I worked or not or even went to school.

Things are different now. I know a former AP from Western Europe who was denied a student visa this year.

[Anonymous]

Can anyone elaborate on why this is illegal? Can’t the nanny family try to get an H1/H1b visa for the former au pair?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone elaborate on why this is illegal? Can’t the nanny family try to get an H1/H1b visa for the former au pair?[/

H1-B visa is for those in “specialty” occupations, not a foreign student who wants to be a student here and work illegally off-campus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone elaborate on why this is illegal? Can’t the nanny family try to get an H1/H1b visa for the former au pair?

only COMPANIES can hire a H1B visa "specialty skilled worker", like an IT worker. not a nanny.

Au Pairs can be sponsored and come back to America on a student F1 visa, but they CANNOT WORK for anyone, other than minimal hours at their college.
You can sponsor a former Au Pair, and she can live with you, but she can't work for you at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s not actually possible. We hired a lawyer and went down every path to try to get our beloved AP back.

I know plenty of APs who have overstayed their visas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s not actually possible. We hired a lawyer and went down every path to try to get our beloved AP back.

I know plenty of APs who have overstayed their visas.

She meant to say it's not actually LEGALLY possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s not actually possible. We hired a lawyer and went down every path to try to get our beloved AP back.

I know plenty of APs who have overstayed their visas.

Yeah and how many of them aren't looking over their shoulder or afraid to get a ticket or can't leave the country to visit home again?

That's no way to live.