Families who are hoping to host au pairs must go through an application procedure. We check each of the following:

• Host parents must be US Citizens or Legal Permanent Residents. Demonstrating that you were born in the US is one way to show you qualify.
• Financial check. We need you to demonstrate that you earn at least $60,000 per year, OR that you have at least $50,000 in liquid assets.
• You must show us the private bedroom in your home, which you intend to be the au pair's room. She must have access to bathroom facilities (which may be shared)
• All adult family members must be fluent in spoken English and able to demonstrate this ability at interview.

We also check references, and ask you to sign our standard contract, in which you commit to obey Federal laws and our program rules. Our application procedure is designed to ensure that you qualify for the program under Federal law (22 CFR 62.31), and that you will be a suitable host for an au pair, who will formulate his/her opinions of the US based largely on his/her interaction with you.

Once we are sure that you qualify, you choose your au pair from a group of au pairs that we have specifically chosen for you. You will telephone the most appropriate candidates, and make your final decision. We're happy to talk to you about your choice, but the final decision is yours. You then offer a job to your au pair, and the au pair will almost always accept your job -- but we do give au pair candidates the chance to accept or decline jobs simply because we don't want anyone to be unhappy in our program. Once your au pair accepts the position offered, we ensure that you both sign an employment contract, and then he/she applies for a visa.

If, for some reason, you're not happy with any of the candidates we give you, you can either decide to withdraw, or ask for more au pairs. We recruit excellent candidates, so it is unlikely that you will decide to withdraw.