SEOUL: The Seoul Metropolitan Government and Labour Ministry announced on Tuesday (July 16) that applications from families interested in hiring caregivers from the Philippines are to open July 17, marking a step forward in implementing a government-facilitated foreign nanny programme for the first time.
Families eligible for the pilot programme are those with children under 12, single-parent households, households with multiple children and dual-income families. Applications are to be accepted via designated service provider mobile apps – Homestory Life’s Daeri Jubu and Hubris’ Dolbom Plus – until Aug 6, officials said.
The initiative jointly led by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Ministry of Employment and Labour is aimed at providing families with affordable childcare and housekeeping services amid the decline in the number of local caregivers due to labour conditions. This six-month pilot programme is limited to Seoul residents and hires only Philippine nationals until the official version is launched.
“We introduced this pilot programme to support families in need of child care and housekeeping assistance,” said Kim Sun-soon, director of Seoul city’s Women and Family Policy Division.
“Our goal is to offer practical and affordable solutions that help parents manage their responsibilities more effectively. We hope many interested individuals will apply.”
The pilot programme is making progress after the Seoul city government announced its plan to bring in around 100 caregivers from the Philippines to address the shortage of people here willing to do low-wage care work, as South Korea is also rapidly ageing.
During a National Assembly audit in 2023, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said hiring foreign caregivers would be effective if the monthly cost for their services is set at approximately one million won.
The plan, however, has been heavily criticised by labour activists and migrant rights groups because it does not meet South Korea’s minimum wage standard according to international labour law. Workers in South Korea are guaranteed a minimum wage of 9,860 won (US$7) an hour.
Amid the controversy, the government set the cost for hiring foreign caregivers at 9,860 won per hour, in line with the national minimum wage, according to the Labour Ministry.
The four basic insurances are required to be provided out of the minimum hiring cost.
Caregiving shifts are flexible, with part-time (four or six-hour shifts) or full-time (eight-hour) assistance possible between 8am and 8 pm, excluding weekends, with a maximum 52-hour work week. Households can apply for caregiving services for up to six months, it said.
Families that apply for the pilot programme will not be limited by income and will be considered for the programme if they meet specific criteria. With just some 100 caregivers initially, the pilot programme will prioritise households with children under the age of 12 and pregnant women.
Additional priority will be given to single-parent households and those with multiple children, with younger children receiving higher priority.
The caregivers, limited to Filipinas aged 24 to 38, hold the Caregiving National Certification Level II Certificate from the Philippine government‘s Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, after completing at least 780 hours of vocational training.
They have also passed a comprehensive background check, health examination and language proficiency assessment.
Additionally, the caregivers in the programme are to hold E-9 visas, allowing them to work in South Korea. All are fluent in English and have basic proficiency in Korean, according to the Seoul city government.
To ensure a smooth transition and integration of the workers, comprehensive training will be provided, according to the Labour Ministry.
In the Philippines, the 100 workers in the pilot programme are currently undergoing 45 hours of employment education focused on Korean language and culture, coordinated by the Sejong Institute, which started July 15.
Upon arrival in South Korea in August, they will receive an additional 160 hours of training covering practical housekeeping, childcare, industrial safety and sexual harassment prevention, along with education on adapting to life in South Korea.
During this training period, the caregivers will be matched with households in need of their services.
The government has set up support mechanisms to address grievances and ensure job satisfaction for the caregivers. During the pilot programme, the caregivers will reside in designated shared accommodations equipped with emergency alarms and on-site assistance for their safety and comfort.
They will be hired directly by a Korean government-certified domestic service provider and will commute to their assigned workplaces. The city government plans to allocate a budget of 150 million won to cover additional costs related to housing, transportation and interpretation.
To handle urgent situations for the caregivers in the programme, an easy-to-use emergency reporting system will be implemented, and counselling services will be available through the Comprehensive Support Centre for Domestic Services and consultation channels from the Ministry of Labour and Seoul Metropolitan Government. Service users will also be required to watch educational videos on compliance.
Furthermore, households applying for caregiving services through the programme will be required to watch educational videos on compliance. Any incidents of violence or harassment will result in permanent exclusion from the services, in accordance with relevant laws, ensuring a safe environment for all involved, according to the Labour Ministry.
The Labour Ministry plans to fine-tune the policy after the six-month pilot, closely monitoring the programme. This evaluation may lead to a potential expansion of the programme in the future. - The Korea Herald/ANN
