Summary of new proposed AP rules from State Dep't

[Anonymous]

We are early into our 2nd AP's first year. So far she's been wonderful, we have a great relationship, and I was cautiously optimistic that we would agree to extend. Now, I don't know what to hope or plan for. If the changes go into effect in late 2024, that would be shortly after her second year starts so I don't know if they would apply to her or not. If they do, we can't afford to stay in the program. If they don't because she's grandfathered in or something, she might want to leave to find a new family to be able to get more benefits/pay under the new regs. But then again, there will be far fewer families participating so she might feel stuck and that's not good for anyone. Ugh.

[Anonymous]

My guess is that this won't go into effect until 2026 or later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My guess is that this won't go into effect until 2026 or later.

How do you figure that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So under the new rules, I just also keep paying for gas, phone, car insurance, gym and all the other extra costs I pay for, or can these things be deducted from the cushier wage?

Your childcare provider having a phone is for your benefit too--unless you're ok with having no way to reach her while she is taking care of your kids? Same with gas and being on your insurance, assuming you might ever want her to drive your kids anywhere.

We can all make that argument to our employers, but we won't get that far. For the vast majority of us, our employer will not pay our cell phone 100%, our car 100%, and our insurance 100%. We'll get the standard mileage and maybe a partial phone reimbursement.

OK. Try taking those things away and see what kind of AP you get (or don’t get). LOL

LOL. I did away with those things and got a nanny, and the difference in terms of child care is night and day. And I'm saving money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My guess is that this won't go into effect until 2026 or later.

How do you figure that?

Yeah everything I’ve seen is estimating an early 2025 implementation. I’d love it if you’re right by why are you figuring 2026?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So under the new rules, I just also keep paying for gas, phone, car insurance, gym and all the other extra costs I pay for, or can these things be deducted from the cushier wage?

Your childcare provider having a phone is for your benefit too--unless you're ok with having no way to reach her while she is taking care of your kids? Same with gas and being on your insurance, assuming you might ever want her to drive your kids anywhere.

We can all make that argument to our employers, but we won't get that far. For the vast majority of us, our employer will not pay our cell phone 100%, our car 100%, and our insurance 100%. We'll get the standard mileage and maybe a partial phone reimbursement.

OK. Try taking those things away and see what kind of AP you get (or don’t get). LOL

LOL. I did away with those things and got a nanny, and the difference in terms of child care is night and day. And I'm saving money.

Cool story, sis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My guess is that this won't go into effect until 2026 or later.

How do you figure that?

Yeah everything I’ve seen is estimating an early 2025 implementation. I’d love it if you’re right by why are you figuring 2026?

I agree it will likely be 2025.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If this goes through, does that mean the new stipend can go as high as $765 per week?

If so, that effectively all but kills the program in DC entirely.

Why? I thought this was about the cultural exchange, not cheap childcare?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If this goes through, does that mean the new stipend can go as high as $765 per week?

If so, that effectively all but kills the program in DC entirely.

Why? I thought this was about the cultural exchange, not cheap childcare?

If you are posting this, you are a troll. If you are a host parent, you know that the majority of the costs of hosting an au pair are not transactional items. If you sit down and quantify the costs of housing, car insurance, vacations, food, extras, bonuses, random crisis situations of a person living with you in their 20s, it is not cheap childcare and it also would be far more expensive than other forms of childcare with a $765 stipend as well.

For many host families, it's an opportunity to broaden our often close-minded american minds by hosting someone from a different culture and to leverage the one thing of value that we have that can help off-set childcare costs: an extra bedroom.

There are other ways for a young person from Brazil or Germany to see the US. You could stay at hostels and travel around the US and hike. You could come here as a student or in a work/visa program. Why become an au pair? Because you are leveraging the things that make a visa within your reach. Your age and your limited childcare experience. If you had the money to simply fly here on a tourist visa and travel around, you wouldn't be an au pair.

[Anonymous]

Looks like they extended the comment period until Jan 28th, 2024. I got an email from the State Department saying that because I’m on the email list for updates after submitting a comment.

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/11/30/2023-26292/exchange-visitor-program-au-pairs-extension-of-comment-period?utm_campaign=subscription+mailing+list&utm_medium=email&utm_source=federalregister.gov

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If this goes through, does that mean the new stipend can go as high as $765 per week?

If so, that effectively all but kills the program in DC entirely.

Why? I thought this was about the cultural exchange, not cheap childcare?

If you are posting this, you are a troll. If you are a host parent, you know that the majority of the costs of hosting an au pair are not transactional items. If you sit down and quantify the costs of housing, car insurance, vacations, food, extras, bonuses, random crisis situations of a person living with you in their 20s, it is not cheap childcare and it also would be far more expensive than other forms of childcare with a $765 stipend as well.

For many host families, it's an opportunity to broaden our often close-minded american minds by hosting someone from a different culture and to leverage the one thing of value that we have that can help off-set childcare costs: an extra bedroom.

There are other ways for a young person from Brazil or Germany to see the US. You could stay at hostels and travel around the US and hike. You could come here as a student or in a work/visa program. Why become an au pair? Because you are leveraging the things that make a visa within your reach. Your age and your limited childcare experience. If you had the money to simply fly here on a tourist visa and travel around, you wouldn't be an au pair.

Oh come on, someone posting asking if the reason people do this for cheap childcare is not a troll. I personally think that it is about cheap childcare, no matter how much you protest about the extra perks you pay for. If the room was worth as much as you claim, you could rent it out separately and hire a nanny, but you don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If this goes through, does that mean the new stipend can go as high as $765 per week?

If so, that effectively all but kills the program in DC entirely.

Why? I thought this was about the cultural exchange, not cheap childcare?

If you are posting this, you are a troll. If you are a host parent, you know that the majority of the costs of hosting an au pair are not transactional items. If you sit down and quantify the costs of housing, car insurance, vacations, food, extras, bonuses, random crisis situations of a person living with you in their 20s, it is not cheap childcare and it also would be far more expensive than other forms of childcare with a $765 stipend as well.

For many host families, it's an opportunity to broaden our often close-minded american minds by hosting someone from a different culture and to leverage the one thing of value that we have that can help off-set childcare costs: an extra bedroom.

There are other ways for a young person from Brazil or Germany to see the US. You could stay at hostels and travel around the US and hike. You could come here as a student or in a work/visa program. Why become an au pair? Because you are leveraging the things that make a visa within your reach. Your age and your limited childcare experience. If you had the money to simply fly here on a tourist visa and travel around, you wouldn't be an au pair.

Oh come on, someone posting asking if the reason people do this for cheap childcare is not a troll. I personally think that it is about cheap childcare, no matter how much you protest about the extra perks you pay for. If the room was worth as much as you claim, you could rent it out separately and hire a nanny, but you don't.

'it's cheap childcare no matter how expensive it actually costs'

You are 100% a troll.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If this goes through, does that mean the new stipend can go as high as $765 per week?

If so, that effectively all but kills the program in DC entirely.

Why? I thought this was about the cultural exchange, not cheap childcare?

If you are posting this, you are a troll. If you are a host parent, you know that the majority of the costs of hosting an au pair are not transactional items. If you sit down and quantify the costs of housing, car insurance, vacations, food, extras, bonuses, random crisis situations of a person living with you in their 20s, it is not cheap childcare and it also would be far more expensive than other forms of childcare with a $765 stipend as well.

For many host families, it's an opportunity to broaden our often close-minded american minds by hosting someone from a different culture and to leverage the one thing of value that we have that can help off-set childcare costs: an extra bedroom.

There are other ways for a young person from Brazil or Germany to see the US. You could stay at hostels and travel around the US and hike. You could come here as a student or in a work/visa program. Why become an au pair? Because you are leveraging the things that make a visa within your reach. Your age and your limited childcare experience. If you had the money to simply fly here on a tourist visa and travel around, you wouldn't be an au pair.

Oh come on, someone posting asking if the reason people do this for cheap childcare is not a troll. I personally think that it is about cheap childcare, no matter how much you protest about the extra perks you pay for. If the room was worth as much as you claim, you could rent it out separately and hire a nanny, but you don't.

'it's cheap childcare no matter how expensive it actually costs'

You are 100% a troll.

Lol. Whatever helps you feel better about paying sub minimum wage. “Oh I pay $100/month for her cell phone and a few $100/month for her food, I am not exploiting young foreigners dying to come to the US.” “Anyone disagreeing with me is a troll, and not just someone with a different opinion”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If this goes through, does that mean the new stipend can go as high as $765 per week?

If so, that effectively all but kills the program in DC entirely.

Why? I thought this was about the cultural exchange, not cheap childcare?

If you are posting this, you are a troll. If you are a host parent, you know that the majority of the costs of hosting an au pair are not transactional items. If you sit down and quantify the costs of housing, car insurance, vacations, food, extras, bonuses, random crisis situations of a person living with you in their 20s, it is not cheap childcare and it also would be far more expensive than other forms of childcare with a $765 stipend as well.

For many host families, it's an opportunity to broaden our often close-minded american minds by hosting someone from a different culture and to leverage the one thing of value that we have that can help off-set childcare costs: an extra bedroom.

There are other ways for a young person from Brazil or Germany to see the US. You could stay at hostels and travel around the US and hike. You could come here as a student or in a work/visa program. Why become an au pair? Because you are leveraging the things that make a visa within your reach. Your age and your limited childcare experience. If you had the money to simply fly here on a tourist visa and travel around, you wouldn't be an au pair.

Oh come on, someone posting asking if the reason people do this for cheap childcare is not a troll. I personally think that it is about cheap childcare, no matter how much you protest about the extra perks you pay for. If the room was worth as much as you claim, you could rent it out separately and hire a nanny, but you don't.

'it's cheap childcare no matter how expensive it actually costs'

You are 100% a troll.

Lol. Whatever helps you feel better about paying sub minimum wage. “Oh I pay $100/month for her cell phone and a few $100/month for her food, I am not exploiting young foreigners dying to come to the US.” “Anyone disagreeing with me is a troll, and not just someone with a different opinion”

It’s a market economy. If your services were so valuable then you could work elsewhere and get paid more. Clearly they’re not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If this goes through, does that mean the new stipend can go as high as $765 per week?

If so, that effectively all but kills the program in DC entirely.

Why? I thought this was about the cultural exchange, not cheap childcare?

If you are posting this, you are a troll. If you are a host parent, you know that the majority of the costs of hosting an au pair are not transactional items. If you sit down and quantify the costs of housing, car insurance, vacations, food, extras, bonuses, random crisis situations of a person living with you in their 20s, it is not cheap childcare and it also would be far more expensive than other forms of childcare with a $765 stipend as well.

For many host families, it's an opportunity to broaden our often close-minded american minds by hosting someone from a different culture and to leverage the one thing of value that we have that can help off-set childcare costs: an extra bedroom.

There are other ways for a young person from Brazil or Germany to see the US. You could stay at hostels and travel around the US and hike. You could come here as a student or in a work/visa program. Why become an au pair? Because you are leveraging the things that make a visa within your reach. Your age and your limited childcare experience. If you had the money to simply fly here on a tourist visa and travel around, you wouldn't be an au pair.

Oh come on, someone posting asking if the reason people do this for cheap childcare is not a troll. I personally think that it is about cheap childcare, no matter how much you protest about the extra perks you pay for. If the room was worth as much as you claim, you could rent it out separately and hire a nanny, but you don't.

'it's cheap childcare no matter how expensive it actually costs'

You are 100% a troll.

Lol. Whatever helps you feel better about paying sub minimum wage. “Oh I pay $100/month for her cell phone and a few $100/month for her food, I am not exploiting young foreigners dying to come to the US.” “Anyone disagreeing with me is a troll, and not just someone with a different opinion”

The market is either there, or it isn't.
For generations, au pairs in the UK and Europe have been paid a small weekly stipend and provide childcare for the chance to live in a family's home and learn their language.
This isn't rocket science or a new concept. It's a stipend and not an hourly wage.

If the DoS wants to make this a work/travel program with an hourly wage, so be it. The market will speak if families want to sponsor a visa for a work/travel transactional program. You can't have a hybrid program where the family has to provide all the requirements of a cultural exchange and host family while also being a work/travel sponsor to a visa.

Pick a lane. One or the other. But to all the trolls who equate the stipend to an hourly wage, it shows your ignorance. Au pairs in europe have been under this system for decades. It's just ridiculous to call families "host families" when they are really visa sponsors to someone in a work/travel program.

And the market may not bear a childcare work/travel program because it's a lot to take on hosting someone in your home and handling the overhead of a work/travel participant.