[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 236 (Monday, December 10, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69725-69726]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-23883]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 6011]


Exchange Visitor Program--Au Pair Requirements

ACTION: Notice with request for comments.

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DATES: The Department will accept comments from the public up to 60 
days from date of publication in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Persons with access to the Internet may view this notice 
and provide comments by going to the regulations.gov Web site at: 
http://www.regulations.gov/index.cfm.
     Mail (paper, disk, or CD-ROM submissions): U.S. Department 
of State, Office of Exchange Coordination and Designation, SA-44, 301 
4th Street, SW., Room 734, Washington, DC 20547
     E-mail: [email protected]. You must include the Public 
Notice number in the subject line of your message.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stanley S. Colvin, Director, Office of 
Exchange Coordination and Designation, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 
301 4th Street, SW., Room 734, Washington, DC 20547; 202-203-5096 or e-
mail at [email protected].
SUMMARY: As a component of its Public Diplomacy and people to people 
exchanges, the Department of State oversees the Au pair Program whereby 
foreign nationals are afforded the opportunity to live with an American 
host family and participate directly in the home life of the host 
family. All au pair participants provide child care services to the 
host family and attend a U.S. post-secondary educational institution. 
Au pair participants provide up to forty-five hours of child care 
services per week and pursue not less than six semester hours of 
academic credit or its equivalent during their year of program 
participation. Some au pairs participate in the EduCare program. These 
au pairs provide up to thirty hours of child care services per week and 
pursue not less than twelve semester hours of academic credit or its 
equivalent during their year of program participation. Approximately 
15,000

[[Page 69726]]

foreign nationals begin participation in this program each year.
    In February 2004, the Department announced a pilot program whereby 
Department designated au pair sponsors could request the extension of 
program participation beyond the original 12-month maximum period 
afforded au pair participants. In June of 2006, following a review of 
the two-year pilot program, the Department amended program regulations 
to permit designated sponsors to submit requests to the Department for 
consideration of program extensions for six, nine or 12 month durations 
for first-year au pair participants beyond the maximum duration of 
participation allowed under the existing regulations.
    As the au pair program enters its twentieth year of operation, the 
Department has been asked to consider amending the age eligibility 
requirement for au pair participants by increasing the age limitation 
from 26 to 30. Further, the Department has been asked to consider 
permitting foreign nationals who previously participated in the au pair 
program to repeat program participation.
    The Department hereby solicits comments from the general public and 
other interested parties regarding these two issues. This certification 
will be published in the Federal Register.

    Dated: November 26, 2007.
Stanley S. Colvin,
Director, Office of Exchange Coordination and Designation, Bureau of 
Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of State.
 [FR Doc. E7-23883 Filed 12-7-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P