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Fatwa CenterWorking for au-pair companies
Question
Asalaamu Aleykum, i have a question about whether it's aloud for me to have my internship at a company who is specialised in bringing girl/boys from a poor foreign country to a rich western country and places them in homes and let them do some light household activities and taking care of the kids of the family, in exchange of pocket money, board and lodging.The company says that they take good care of the girls. After one year they (the aupairs)will be sent back to their country (the company calls these activities cutural exchange). The most of these so called aupairs are girls. Am i accountable if something bad happens to these girls?Besides these girls are between the 18 and 26 years! They also have told me that some of the girls do not want to go back their country and live in the country illegaly. I really can use some advise! jazakumulaah!
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
In our view, it is not permissible to work in the company which you mentioned in the question because working in it involves some religious prohibitions, among which is bringing girls and this leads them to travel without a Mahram and the probability of them being subjected to what violates their honour and the like, especially if they work as maids. Among the prohibitions is also the fear of exploiting those boys and girls and trying to Christianize them. Indeed, many such institutions and companies which claim that its work is restricted to helping the poor are in reality Christian missionary organizations which take advantage of those poor boys and girls; and there are many other disadvantages.
Therefore, dear sister, the Fatwa we issue to you is that it is not permissible for you to work in that company, and you should know that Allaah Says (what means): {… And whosoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine.} [Quran 65:2-3].
Allaah also Says (what means): {And whoever fears Allaah -- He will make for him of his matter ease.} [Quran 65:4].
For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 89189.
Allaah Knows best.
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