..visa vs. no visa..or what type of visa..

Hi!

No matter how hard I look, the American site just doesn't seem to give me the answers I'm looking for. And the only way they'd even attempt to help me is if I call them at my own cost, $1.89 a minute! So I came across this site, so hopefully someone here can help me.

So the main thing is I'm a 20yr old Canadian Citizen. I got a job in the states, not a job-job per say, but a job as an AuPair/Nanny. I'd be there for at least a year, maybe even two. I've been to the states before, but never longer then a week. My main question is, is there anyway of getting around not getting a Visa. I know that there's the whole you can stay there for 6 months at a time, but that would just get expensive. I also heard you can't do this if you're working in the States. The next thing was someone told my mum it's nearly impossible to get a Visa for my situation, not unless the women I'm working for can prove there's no American that can do the job as good as I can. And if I were able to get Visa, which type should I be looking into getting. Since the the working Visa seems to be only for those who have desk jobs. Also on top of that, I don't know how long it would roughly take. I'd be leaving hopefully May/June after my graduation from school.

If anyone could help me in the slightest, or point me in the right direction it would be greatly appreciated!

So the main thing is I'm a 20yr old Canadian Citizen. I got a job in the states, not a job-job per say, but a job as an AuPair/Nanny. I'd be there for at least a year, maybe even two. I've been to the states before, but never longer then a week. My main question is, is there anyway of getting around not getting a Visa. I know that there's the whole you can stay there for 6 months at a time, but that would just get expensive. I also heard you can't do this if you're working in the States. The next thing was someone told my mum it's nearly impossible to get a Visa for my situation, not unless the women I'm working for can prove there's no American that can do the job as good as I can. And if I were able to get Visa, which type should I be looking into getting. Since the the working Visa seems to be only for those who have desk jobs. Also on top of that, I don't know how long it would roughly take. I'd be leaving hopefully May/June after my graduation from school.

If anyone could help me in the slightest, or point me in the right direction it would be greatly appreciated!

According to this site you can do it via a J-1 visa:

http://www.workpermit.com/us/exchange_au_pair.htm

However, you need to go to school part time in the USA while doing so and the host family needs to pay part of your educational expenses.

There isn't really a visa for this, you can do it as a B-2 visitor as well as a J-1 student, but to do it as B-2 you have to prove you worked for the same people outside the US for six months (or a year if they're not US citizens) and they're only temporarily in the US. (Which is also restricted by the fact that you can't start working for them after you enter until the employment authorization is approved, which takes 90 days).

So basically no, except in unusual situations.

I suppose in theory they can file an I-140 for you, but for a nanny you'd have grey hair by the time it was approved and it would be next to impossible to get the labour certification.

I actually just got back to Canada after doing this for 2 years. You'll go on a J-1 visa. Contact the agency Au Pair In America for details, they are the only agency that will deal with Canadians going to the US as an au pair. There will be a minimal cost to you (most of which is refundable after you complete a successful year) and there is also a substantial cost to the family (somewhere in the $7000-$8000) ballpark.
I would not recommend attempting this without a visa, as it's illegal to work without one and if you start making a lot of trips across the border, questions will be asked and you can potentially be barred from the country.