If you use one of the many "non-legal"* au pair agencies online (and there are quite a few out there), you can find a good, reliable au pair, and yes, you can avoid the agency fees (ranging from $6,000 - $8,000 depending on the particular agency)!

So, why would any parent choose to pay extra to host an au pair through one of the American au pair agencies that report to the U.S. Dept. Of State?

TOP 5 Reasons You Should Host an Au Pair Through one of the 12 U.S. Sanctioned Au Pair Agencies:

1.  Local Support:  with a legal agency, you are assigned to a local representative, also known as the LCC; Counselor or Local Area Director.  What do these people do for you and the au pair?  Here is a brief list, outlining the top areas:

•  Face-to-face information about the cultural exchange program; interviewing tips; matching with and hosting an au pair.  She (or he) will answer all your questions about au pairs and the au pair year!  You have access to the counselor and can call on her anytime of the day and night (usually they do post office hours).
• Social Event Planner:  the counselor schedules and supervises monthly "cluster" meetings for the au pairs in her group (cluster).  She makes sure all the au pairs attend - and at this time, she checks in with  your au pair to make sure all is well.
• Contacts you within 48 hours of your au pair’s arrival to your home.
• Schedules a 2 week follow-up meeting with you and your au pair to ensure a smooth start and solid match.  
• Maintains monthly phone contact with you and your au pair.
• Provides your au pair with local information about educational and social opportunities and hands out phone numbers of other au pairs to connect.  She also is there to give advice and guidance all year long.
• Will mediate any problems during the year, if she cannot  "fix it" she will find you another au pair and make sure the problem au pair goes away.

2. Health Insurance:  with a legal agency, your au pair is provided with 24/7 medical care and health insurance.  All agency insurance policies differ, but basically they must provide for routine doctor visits and emergency medical care.  If you au pair is in a major car accident and is hospitalized, the agency takes care of everything, including a flight back home, often in a smaller plane complete with one-on-one nursing care! 

If you host an au pair through an online service that is not under the auspices of the State Department, you will be responsible for any health related problem - and for getting her back home!

3. Legal Assistance and Support: U.S. Dept. of State sanctioned au pair agencies provide legal advice and assistance for your au pair, if she needs it!  You may not think this will happen, but it does occur frequently and au pairs may need the advice of a lawyer!  Most au pair agencies (sanctioned under U.S. Dept of State) provides unlimited legal services, free of charge, to any au pair who needs it! 

4. Support Anti-Au Pair Scam Programs:  When you host an au pair through a "legal" au pair agency, you are aiding the international fight against Au Pair Scams and the exploitation of young women.  Who are these people?   Many are sociopaths (those who break the law without any regard for their victims) and other disturbed individuals who "scam" unsuspecting young au pairs and their parents by posing as a "host family."  They tell the au pair and her family he wants to hire the unsuspecting  young woman "for childcare" services.  They often offer high salaries to attract them.  Then, when the au pair arrives, she finds there are no children in the house and she has to "work" for the man who hired her. These unfortunate au pairs often report circumstances where they are treated like "work" slaves as well as "sex" slaves. 

Online au pair programs that are not sanctioned by the U.S. Dept. of State do not interview or screen their host families and they know very little about them! 

To read more about au pairs scams visit New York Author of Cookbooks Scams Au Pairs

5. Its LEGAL!  Using au pair agencies that operate off the Dept. of State map is actually illegal.  Why?  Using a Dept. of State au pair agency provides host parents with the only process of getting an au pair with J-1 Visa (which allows the au pair to work legally as a childcare worker in the United States).

Don't break the law by hiring an au pair who comes into the country with only a student visa or a tourist visa - neither visa would permit the young woman to work as your au pair!  Don't encourage young people to break the law either by asking them to get another type of visa to come to your home and watch your children - it is not LEGAL!

*"non-legal" agencies: what we mean by this only is that any au pair agency that is not under the supervision of the U.S. government Department of State.