Amid Pandemic, Au Pairs Suspended from Entering the United States

A recent proclamation from the White House suspends most aliens and immigrants – including au pairs – from entering the country through December 31, 2020, unless they already have a valid visa.

Update August 13, 2020: New State Department guidance may allow entry to the U.S. for au pairs caring for a child with special needs or medical issues and au pairs caring for a child of parents who care for COVID-19 patients or conduct research to combat the pandemic.

On June 22, 2020, the White House issued a proclamation that suspended “entry of aliens who present a risk to the U.S. labor market following the coronavirus outbreak” until December 31, 2020.

Au Pairs who wish to work in the U.S. will not be able to obtain a new J visa during the suspension, which took effect on Wednesday, June 24.

This will impact au pairs who:

• are outside the United States on the effective date of the proclamation; and
• do not have a nonimmigrant visa that is valid on the effective date of the proclamation; and
• do not have an official travel document other than a visa (such as a transportation letter, an appropriate boarding foil, or an advance parole document) that is valid on the effective date of this proclamation or issued on any date afterward that permits them to travel to the U.S. and seek entry or admission

Even if an au pair has been matched with a U.S. family, they may not be able to enter the country if they have not received or applied for their visa.

In response to the proclamation, U.S. embassies worldwide suspended routine visas services.

No valid visas will be revoked under the proclamation so au pairs who had a visa approved before the proclamation’s effective date should be able to work in the U.S. even if they are still in their home country.

Au pairs currently working in the U.S. should not be impacted by the proclamation.

At various intervals, while the proclamation is in place (within 30 days of the effective date and then every 60 days thereafter), the Secretary of Homeland Security along with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Labor can recommend modifications to the suspension.

No longer hiring an au pair?

If your plans for hiring an au pair have now fallen through, you could consider employing a nanny for private, in-home childcare. To help you in the hiring process, download Your Guide to Hiring a Nanny. In this guide, we lay out the steps on how to hire a nanny the right way and maintain a strong relationship with your employee.