Reviews

Review Details

• Review fromVijay M

  Date: 05/29/2024

  1 star

  Vijay M

  Date: 05/29/2024

  We have now been through two very unsuccessful au pairs through this agency. The first was a complete train wreck. Even though she was said to be proficient in English, she did not understand about 80% of what was communicated to her, which was extremely concerning given that the "training" that was delivered to her, including safety training, by the program was delivered in English. My wife and I had major safety concerns with the au pair, as she was constantly on her phone, despite there being a strict policy on au pairs not using their phones while with the children. We even witnessed the au pair pushing our child in the middle of the road with one hand while looking at her phone with the other. We also came home to the au pair carrying our 18 month old up the stairs by one arm.
  We were then placed with another au pair who had requested an increase in weekly payment plus a car, which we kindly obliged. For her first week, we took the new au pair with us on a family vacation, where my wife outlined the schedule for her. During the entire week trip, the au pair did not so much as offer to help out during family meals and expected to be waited on hand and foot during the trip. When we traveled, she made sure to only carry her suitcase and backpack and did not offer to help with anything else. Upon arrival to the home, she made herself a sandwich and went straight to her room. For what is described as an immersive exchange program, she did not seem like she wanted to be a part of the experience or our family at all. One concerning thing she communicated during her first day is that the local agency she worked with to get placed with Agent Au Pair sold her on a much different experience and situation than what was expected of her during the au pair program in the U.S. When we realized this wasn't going to work after about a week, Agent Au Pair demanded that she stay with us for two weeks, or we pay her $2,041 to leave in two days, which was extremely uncomfortable.

  Agent Au Pair, Inc.

  Date: 06/03/2024

  Thank you for taking the time to provide detailed feedback about your recent experiences with your au pair placements. We deeply regret to hear about the difficulties you faced with both of your au pairs.
  We understand that your first placement was not ideal. We are glad that we were able to promptly address your concerns regarding safety and facilitate her departure from the program.
  I’m so sorry that your second au pair didn’t meet your expectations. Your second au pair was an extension au pair and very familiar with the program rules, expectations, and regulations. She was highly recommended by her previous host family. The au pair program is indeed meant to be a cultural exchange experience, and we strive to match families with au pairs who are eager to participate fully in family life.
  We understand that the financial and emotional strain of these experiences is significant. Our policy requiring two-weeks notice and housing during this period is designed to provide stability for both the host family and the au pair. As a J-1 visa sponsor we are also required to uphold the Department of State regulations ensuring that au pairs receive their weekly stipend, vacation time, and educational component. Au Pairs are also required to reside at their site of activity or in rare circumstances in sponsor approved short term alternative housing during their program. We acknowledge that there may be times families face extenuating circumstances and are unable to house their au pair for the two weeks notice period, which is why we have our alternative housing policy. We did offer to provide alternative housing for your au pair, but we did need a few days to arrange this alternative housing. We understand that you decided against alternative housing and wanted to continue to schedule your au pair during the transition period. We know that this can be a challenging time for all parties and that being in transition can be uncomfortable.
  Your feedback is invaluable, and we are committed to taking corrective actions to improve our services. We know that our support team worked hard to ensure your concerns were addressed. As always we are more than happy to discuss your concerns further, please don’t hesitate to contact us via phone at +1 (415) 376-0202 or by email at [email protected].

• Review fromJacqueline O

  Date: 11/09/2022

  1 star
  The infant qualified candidate I received should never have been infant qualified. She never changed my 18th month old's diaper unless I asked her to, nor was she able to acknowledge my baby's cries for food!! I arranged to bring a specialist in to train her so my child could receive quality care. There was no support for the host family in dealing with issues that arose.
  My au pair was here not even 3 weeks and wanted to re-match to another family. I stupidly paid almost $8,500 which I cannot get back and I am afraid I will be forced to re-traumatize my child and myself with another unqualified, immature, unreliable au pair. Agent Au pair did not take my experience seriously nor did they provide additional training for this au pair before re-matching her with another family. As the host family, I definitely did not feel supported by this agency and it was clear they just wanted our money and had no intention of providing a good experience for us.