• Interest in an au pair program began in 1986 when the American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS) and the Experiment in International Living (EIL) applied to USIA to conduct an au pair program under the Fulbright-Hays authority.

• December 1987: an interagency panel recommended that the program be discontinued.

• October 1988: Congress instructs USIA to continue the program and mandates a General Accounting Office (GAO) study of this and other exchanges.

• 1989: USIA designates six additional organizations to participate in the program, bringing the total to eight. See attached list. Congress ordered the General Accounting Office (GAO) to conduct a study of the program.

• February 1990: GAO report "Inappropriate Uses of Educational and Cultural Exchange Visas," states that au pair programs "are not compatible with the original intent of the 1961 (Fulbright-Hays) Act."

• October 1990: Congress extends the au pair program under USIA and instructs USIA to continue the program under the then-existing guidelines until such time as it decides otherwise.

• On October 7, 1994, pursuant to HR 5034 (State/USIA Technical Corrections Bill), Congress authorized USIA to promulgate specific regulations governing the au pair program.

• February 1995: au pair program went from operating under guidelines to regulations published in the Federal Register. First comprehensive regulations addressing au pair and host families selection, screening, and placement.

• June 1997: additional regulations were published in the Federal Register providing further clarification regarding au pair screening and training and further limiting to ten the number of hours per day an au pair may provide child care. These additional regulations were adopted as final in September 1997.

USIA's au pair program began with two designated organizations and approximately 200 au pairs. On an annual average, there are approximately 12,000 au pairs in the U.S. working with eight designated exchange organizations that carry out the day-to-day operation of the program. These organizations are responsible for the recruiting, training, screening, and placement of the au pairs. Some 60,000 young people have participated in the program since its inception in 1986.

Annual cost to an average American host family is about $12,000. This includes fees to the designated organization, weekly stipend, educational allowance, and room/board.