Hiring an au pair without an agency?

[Anonymous]

Is this possible? Does anyone have experience with this?

[Anonymous]

Pretty sure they can only come through a few select agencies that are approved through the state dept.

[Anonymous]

What the PP said. It’s a state sponsored program.

[Anonymous]

Not possible - if someone is proposing this it’s possibly an attempt to work without a visa which is a risk you may be willing to take but many of us aren’t due to tax and security clearance issues

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone. No, no one was proposing this it’s just that the agency fees seem high. I wondered if there was away too go directly through the state department but it sounds like no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks everyone. No, no one was proposing this it’s just that the agency fees seem high. I wondered if there was away too go directly through the state department but it sounds like no.

You can go with an exchange student (no work, still get the culture exchange), live-in nanny, or go through an AP agency.

[Anonymous]

my friend tried to do it (not sure of the specifics) and she had her come and she worked for a few months and then decided didn't want to do it anymore and started going to school or something and left. and my friend was stuck with no childcare and no protections from an agency.

[Anonymous]

We once found our own AP, had her go through a legal agency to sign up. They gave us a very small discount on their agency fee.