Are you thinking about extending your au pair experience?

Extension Year Tips

Choosing to extend is a great choice! It does require some planning and thought before you decide. These facts will be helpful in your decision making process. Call or email your counselor, if you need help making the right choice.

  • You must have at least 72 hours of education completed at the time of your request to extend. If you are currently enrolled in a class that will finish, you’ll need two letters sent to your CC from the institution in which you are enrolled.  One letter must confirm that you are enrolled and the hours you will get. The second letter is written when you finish the course and should state how many hours you earned.
  • If you extend for 12 months, APIA will pay for your flight back home, including any surcharge that you may have. This makes your flight back home FREE!
  • You have a choice to extend for 6, 9 or 12 months.
  • You cannot extend your second year, once it begins. If you choose six months, you cannot stay longer.
  • You may change your mind during your second term and still receive your flight back home, if you give your host family and CC at least one month’s notice.
  • If you are not able to give at least one months notice that you need to leave, you will be required to purchase your own flight home to your country.
  • If you leave early in the second term, you will lose your travel month. You will be expected to return home at the end of your one month notice.
  • There is no guarantee that you will get matched for your second year. Many au pairs do not make a match and return home.
  • Once you are matched with a second term family, you cannot change your mind and choose another family that calls later. You must honor your commitment.
  • Deciding to stay with your current family can work well. Sometimes, there are some things that you will want to change about your second year experience. Talk with your host family to see if they are willing to make the changes you need to stay a second term!
  • Many au pairs underestimate the difficulty getting re-adjusted in a new city. You will not have friends. You will not know your way around. Your host family will be new to you. Your host children will be new. All the comfort of your current situation will be gone. You will be starting over!
  • A second term in a new city can be exciting. You will have an opportunity to make new friends, see a new city and learn another way of life here in the USA!
  • The education requirement still applies in the second year. Standard au pairs will have 250.00 education allowance towards a six month extension. You will need to achieve 40 hours of educating.   500.00 education allowance is given towards a nine and twelve month extension. You will need to achieve at least 72 hours of education.
  • Your transfer to your new second term family is on the last day of your contract. You may not join them earlier or later than this date.

Written by AMCMAINS 2011.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *