It's reasonably straightforward au-pairing legally in the US. You just need to be represented by one of the officially sanctioned au pair agencies, and you get

It's reasonably straightforward au-pairing legally in the US. You just need to be represented by one of the officially sanctioned au pair agencies, and you get a J1 visa. So I guess they're miffed that girls are trying to cheat the official (rather inflexible IMO) system. There are huge numbers of American girls in Europe doing a similar thing -- legally and illegally -- and in some countries you'd get the same hard-assed attitude. In Germany, au pairs don't need a visa at all. France, being France, they require a work permit (unless you're from CN, NZ or AU). Spain is easy (just apply to the nearest consulate and it's rubber-stamped) and you can work there for up to two years. In the UK, it's super-complicated. The UK authorities simply don't want non-EU workers under any circumstances (but what's the point in au-pairing in another English-speaking country?). However, French and German girls are awesome, so please keep it up and with any luck, more will come here to Spain. ;-)