If you’re a prospective host family and looking into where to find the best au pair, take a look at our list of the 10 best countries to get an au pair from.
While you’re at it, also check out our list of the highest paying countries for au pairs.
In our research, we sought help from several au pair-related websites, such as Au Pair Mom, Au Pair Clearing House and Go Au Pair Philadelphia. This was a difficult list to order, as the ideal country to get an au pair from depends heavily upon your personal preferences. For example, if you want your children to practice specific language skills, this will effect which countries you should be looking into. On the other hand, if religion is high on your list of priorities, and you’d like for your household to keep kosher, for instance, then an au pair from Israel may be a great fit. Therefore, we will list the 10 countries we think yield the best au pairs in no particular order.
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Continue reading to learn more details about the best countries to get an au pair from.
10. Spain
As you can imagine, Spanish au pairs are extremely popular with American families, as Spanish is the second most widely spoken language in the United States. Many American schools require students to learn Spanish, and the prospect of having a home tutor is a huge added bonus. Spanish au pairs are said to possess a calm and confident demeanor and cheerful personality, and are generally not afraid to try new things for. They are usually highly educated, sensible, and family-oriented.
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9. Japan
Japanese people are known for their courteous nature and humility. Japan is also one of the closest allies of the United States, so naturally, Japanese au pairs are highly regarded by American host families. If you would like to have your children learn about Japanese traditions and family dynamics in the east, a Japanese au pair is a solid option.
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8. France
Up next in our list of best countries to get an au pair from is France that is the largest country in EU (European Union). The French are well known for their hospitable nature, keen sense of fashion, and creativity. They value their culture and traditions extremely, and will likely teach your children French very willingly. French au pairs are generally educated and extremely well-mannered, and often come from wealthy families.
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7. Germany
Germany ranks 7th on our list of best countries to get an au pair from. It has been a long time member of the cultural transfer program. Many German au pairs have visited the United States, and many more are on the way. The au pair concept is quite popular in Germany, and it is not at all difficult to find a German au pair as a US host family. A year spent with a German au pair can greatly improve a host family’s German language skills, as well as allowing the au pair to improve their English.
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6. Russia
Russian au pairs are highly regarded by host families as hard working and friendly caregivers. Russian culture has actually become quite similar to the culture in the United States, so Russian au pairs receive minimal culture shock when they arrive to work in a host family’s home. This is one reason why Russia is one of the best counties to get an au pair from.
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5. Brazil
We are continuing our list of best countries to get an au pair from with Brazil, that is the largest of the South American countries and an economic powerhouse of the region. Most Brazilian au pairs are highly motivated to get through their cultural exchange year, as this will help them to beef up their resume and land a better job when they return home. Brazilians are often very keen to polish their English speaking skills, and they take full advantage of that when with the host family.
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4. Mexico
If you are worried about your children’s Spanish lessons, you just cannot go wrong with a Mexican au pair, as Spanish is the primary language throughout almost all of Mexico. Mexicans are also quite interested in improving their English. Most host families characterize their Mexican au pairs as loving, warm, and energetic in nature. If that sounds like the right au pair for you, then Mexico may be your perfect country to find an au pair from.
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3. China
Since the 1970s, China, the number three in our list of best countries to get an au pair from has opened its borders to foreign countries, and its economy has grown to become one of the largest in the world. It is highly likely that a Chinese au pair will be an only child, as the “one child” policy is still in effect in China. When put into a host home with one or more other children, this provides a very interesting and new family dynamic for the au pair.
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2. Ireland
Irish au pairs used to be extremely rare, as the economy was secure and youth there did not face much difficulty finding work. However, given the current conditions of the global economy, au pairs from Ireland are becoming more popular. If your family comes from Ireland, then getting an Irish au pair will enable you to learn a lot about your heritage and origins.
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1. Colombia
We have reached the end of our list of best countries to get an au pair from. We would like to mention Colombia, though it is relatively very new to the au pair market. It appears that most people applying for au pair positions from Colombia tend to come from middle and upper middle class families, and are educated in private schools. Most Colombian families tend to have several children, therefore Colombian au pairs are right at home in larger US families.
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Thanks for checking out our list of the 10 best countries to get an au pair from. Remember that the countries mentioned in our list are in no particular order, and the ideal country to get an au pair from varies greatly from family to family, depending on preferences.
