'Hundreds' of au pairs stuck outside country amid visa delays

German au pair Johanna Paulina Gorek says her host family does not want to wait for her to get a visa. ( Supplied: Johanna Paulina Gorek )

Johanna Paulina Gorek postponed university for a year and turned down a job at home in Germany to become an au pair in Australia.

But a slowdown of working holiday visa processing times is threatening her plans.

"I had already found a host family in Melbourne who had basically offered me a position, but eventually they decided to cancel because they did not want to wait longer for my visa," she told the ABC.

Ms Gorek said she applied for her visa on September 3 and had spent more than $1,500 on visa application and au pair agency fees.

She wanted to become an au pair to improve her English and learn Australian culture, she said.

"It's so disappointing to still be waiting and not knowing exactly when I will be able to go," she said.

"I'm also worried that the longer I have to wait, the fewer opportunities I will have to find a suitable host family."

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