Bringing my Dominican nanny with to the US

[drSix]

A'right, so when we move back to the US, and am considering finding someone to come with me to work as a Nanny/ Housekeeper. My wife will be going back to work full time, and as child care is ridiculously expensive and I don't really like the idea of my little one being in daycare 40 hours a week.

Even paying US minimum wage with room and board, I'll be saving money and I won't have to worry about taking her to daycare while I am home from work.

Anywho, anyone done this? We have a great lady working for us now, but she is in school and has a kid, so she couldn't move.

Am I very likely to get screwed over by someone just looking for a visa?

I'd like to have someone who can work for me here for at least six months, prior to moving. But, I don't really want to advertise that the end result will be a US visa.

 

[Cdn_Gringo]

Reflect on your past experience with your best friend, handyman, general purpose concierge and then re-ask yourself this question.

Wouldn't you become financially responsible for this nanny person for an extended period of time?

 

[the gorgon]

A'right, so when we move back to the US, and am considering finding someone to come with me to work as a Nanny/ Housekeeper. My wife will be going back to work full time, and as child care is ridiculously expensive and I don't really like the idea of my little one being in daycare 40 hours a week.

Even paying US minimum wage with room and board, I'll be saving money and I won't have to worry about taking her to daycare while I am home from work.

Anywho, anyone done this? We have a great lady working for us now, but she is in school and has a kid, so she couldn't move.

Am I very likely to get screwed over by someone just looking for a visa?

I'd like to have someone who can work for me here for at least six months, prior to moving. But, I don't really want to advertise that the end result will be a US visa.

the US is crawling with all kinds of people from Honduras and El Salvador who would be happy to have just such a job.

 

[JLA1125]

The first thing you have to do is obtain a labor certification from the Department of Labor. To get a labor cert, you have to prove that there is no U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident in the United States capable of performing the job. And as the gorgon said in his post, the U.S. is crawling with all kinds of people who would be happy to have that job. The odds of getting a labor cert from the DOL for a nanny is slim to none, and slim is on life support.

 

[drSix]

To get a labor cert, you have to prove that there is no U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident in the United States capable of performing the job.

It seems the rules are a little different for Domestic Employee Travel. It is different from a work visa. Am I incorrect?

 

[william webster]

There are many agencies that serve this market/need.
Filipinos, Thai nationals.

Go that route.... easier in the long run and you get a guarantee.

 

[Hillbilly]

Dominicans have done this for over 55 years that I know about, so it can be done.
Get advice here and from the consulate.

Good luck...

The woman my late MIL took with her retired a wealthy woman...

HB

 

[LTSteve]

A'right, so when we move back to the US, and am considering finding someone to come with me to work as a Nanny/ Housekeeper. My wife will be going back to work full time, and as child care is ridiculously expensive and I don't really like the idea of my little one being in daycare 40 hours a week.

Even paying US minimum wage with room and board, I'll be saving money and I won't have to worry about taking her to daycare while I am home from work.

Anywho, anyone done this? We have a great lady working for us now, but she is in school and has a kid, so she couldn't move.

Am I very likely to get screwed over by someone just looking for a visa?

I'd like to have someone who can work for me here for at least six months, prior to moving. But, I don't really want to advertise that the end result will be a US visa.

So at $10 an hour that is $400 a week and more if you acutally pay her legally. You are opening up a can of worms going this route. This is really not a good idea. If you are doing this because you think it will be somewhat cheaper than that is not worth the hassles.

 

[HUG]

Are there no nannies in the US? And if it doesn't work? Sounds like a great way to screw yourself over and complicate your life.
I can understand if you had a nanny for years and there was a bond. But to specifically search for a new headache to take home makes no sense. Introducing new nannies to new countries with no international experience can for you end up like just handing yourself another child, not reducing that stress.

 

[the gorgon]

Are there no nannies in the US? And if it doesn't work? Sounds like a great way to screw yourself over and complicate your life.
I can understand if you had a nanny for years and there was a bond. But to specifically search for a new headache to take home makes no sense. Introducing new nannies to new countries with no international experience can for you end up like just handing yourself another child, not reducing that stress.

it is a case of rolling too many die. i had a Dominican woman use my address in NY to apply for a cellphone service. i did not even cosign, but they had my address on record. she ran up some exhorbitant charges, and skipped out on the bills. i had to threaten Sprint and MCI with legal action to get them off my back, after they threatened me with legal action.

as they say...leave them where you found them.

 

[AlterEgo]

It sounds complicated and difficult - as others have said, it would be easier to hire a nanny in the US.

Personally, I'd want a nanny who spoke and understood English pretty well, and knew their way around my US city, in case of an emergency with my child.

 

[william webster]

So at $10 an hour that is $400 a week and more if you acutally pay her legally. You are opening up a can of worms going this route. This is really not a good idea. If you are doing this because you think it will be somewhat cheaper than that is not worth the hassles.

for live-in, you can deduct room/board.

I have done this... eons ago
Used an agency, brought a Filipina....... worked well.
English speaking, trained.... what a great girl she was - still is.

When we traveled , I had to visa her....

 

[TravelHippo]

Some info from USA gov website...

Personal or domestic employees who are accompanying or following to join their United States citizen employer in the United States may be eligible for the B-1 visa classification if their employer ordinarily resides outside the United States and is traveling to the United States temporarily, or the employer is subject to frequent international transfers lasting two years or more and who, as a condition of employment, is going to reside in the United States for a stay not to exceed four years.

Note: It is not possible to qualify for a B-1 visa if the United States citizen will reside permanently in the United States, even if the individual concerned has previously been in the United States citizen's employ abroad. In addition:

The employer-employee relationship must have existed for at least six months prior to the employer's admission to the United States or, alternatively, that the employer has regularly employed a domestic servant in the same capacity while abroad;
The employee has at least one year's experience as a personal or domestic employee as attested to by statements from previous employers;
The employer will be the only provider of employment, and will provide the employee free room and board and round trip airfare as indicated under the terms of the employment contract.
For complete information please visit the Visitor Visas section of the Travel.State.gov website.

 

[TravelHippo]

But the only reason I would think you would take someone with you rather than hire there would be because of a strong bond and trust you have with them and don't want to lose them. Since you haven't hired the person yet, this wouldn't be the case. Otherwise, like others have said, there are lots of nannies available in the USA who will live in and therefore, you would only need to pay them above room and board.

 

[4*4*4]

Am I very likely to get screwed over by someone just looking for a visa?

I'd like to have someone who can work for me here for at least six months, prior to moving. But, I don't really want to advertise that the end result will be a US visa.

drSix, unless your mind is set upon this venture failing, why conceal your most valuable bargaining chip? Many of my buddies took jobs because the employer was willing to pay for their MBA, thereby enriching their life. It is the same with a work visa. Perhaps, this will give you access to the Mary Poppins of the DR nanny set. Use it as the brass ring to recruit someone special. If you think they will be hoodwinking you simply for the work visa, why would you let them near your child? Find someone with a long term track record and offer the work visa opportunity as part of the package.

 

[JLA1125]

It seems the rules are a little different for Domestic Employee Travel. It is different from a work visa. Am I incorrect?

If the U.S citizen employing the nanny is only going to be in the United States temporarily then it is possible to simply get her a B-1 visa. However, from your original post it appears that you are relocating back to the U.S. This is from the U.S. embassy website that you linked to:

Temporary travelers to the United States and U.S. citizens who have their primary residence abroad and will travel temporarily to the U.S. may accompany their domestic employees to apply for a B1 (business travel) visa specifically for domestic employees if the following minimum conditions are met: ... (emphasis added)

 

[windeguy]

drSix, unless your mind is set upon this venture failing, why conceal your most valuable bargaining chip? Many of my buddies took jobs because the employer was willing to pay for their MBA, thereby enriching their life. It is the same with a work visa. Perhaps, this will give you access to the Mary Poppins of the DR nanny set. Use it as the brass ring to recruit someone special. If you think they will be hoodwinking you simply for the work visa, why would you let them near your child? Find someone with a long term track record and offer the work visa opportunity as part of the package.

While many Dominicans would be overjoyed with a chance to get a "yola" to the US and disappear into the landscape, what makes someone think that any given nanny they hire would want to do that without asking the potential nanny up front? That is an example of bass-ackward thinking.

 

[curlando]

You are just better off employing someone in the US. Lots of people work off the books and you don't have to worry about a stranger in your house.
I live in NYC I see it everyday.

 

[4*4*4]

While many Dominicans would be overjoyed with a chance to get a "yola" to the US and disappear into the landscape, what makes someone think that any given nanny they hire would want to do that without asking the potential nanny up front? That is an example of bass-ackward thinking.

Excellent point, windeguy. Common sense.

 

[zoomzx11]

My nanny was smoking LA hot, 21 and absolutely fine as hell. I tried taking her home and got nowhere.