For Filipino caregivers in South Korea, 30-hour week, up to U$1,750 monthly salary a draw

By KTimes Asked about her expected duties, Mary (a pseudonym), a participant in South Korea’s pilot programme for Filipino domestic workers, says she was told her role would involve “taking care of expectant mothers or children in households”. Another participant, Belle (a pseudonym), says: “My main job is caregiving, and I understand that I will only assist with household chores related to caregiving when necessary.” Their perspective differs from the traditional role of domestic workers in South Korea, who often take on multiple responsibilities, such as caring for children while also preparing meals for other family members or housecleaning. This could signal potential conflicts over the scope of duties in the future. On August 13, 100 Filipino domestic workers in their twenties and thirties arrived in South Korea and are currently undergoing training. They will be dispatched to households in Seoul next month, but controversies over unclear job descriptions persist. According to guidelines from the Ministry of Employment and Labour and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, the primary duty of these workers is “caregiving”. This includes dressing and bathing children, preparing baby food and cooking meals for pregnant women. Mary and Belle, like other participants, understood these as their main responsibilities. In addition to caregiving, they may also perform some household tasks. For example, if they work more than six hours a day, they may be asked to do laundry for adults, wash adults’ dishes and clean floors with a vacuum or mop. However, tasks such as trash disposal, cooking meals for adults and organising storage are not permitted. While they can perform incidental household chores related to child care, the definition of what constitutes child-care-related duties could lead to disputes. Opinions among the workers themselves also vary. Mary said, “I don’t think it’s possible to draw a clear line between tasks,” adding that she’s OK with doing household chores, considering them part of the job. On the other hand, Belle expressed concerns, saying, “It won’t be easy to refuse work instructions,” but she also emphasised: “I hope people understand that we’re not housemaids but caregivers.” The Filipino workers were selected based on strict criteria, including possession of a government-certified caregiver licence (with over 780 hours of training), language proficiency in English and Korean and a clean criminal record. One of the reasons Mary came to Korea was financial. “I earned 22,000 pesos (about US$385) a month working for a company,” she said. She supplemented this income with a second job, earning an additional 17,000 pesos per month. Considering that the average monthly wage in the Philippines is 18,423 pesos, this was not a small amount. However, as her children grew up, the need for more money increased. She eventually looked to overseas work, which offered higher pay. “I will miss my family, but I made this decision to provide them with a better future and a more comfortable life,” she said. Belle, who also worked in the education sector, earned 30,000 pesos a month by working day and night, but it wasn’t enough to support her large family. To earn more, she obtained a caregiving licence and sought overseas employment. Their goal is to send at least one-third of their earnings in Korea back to their families in the Philippines. “I heard that the monthly salary in Korea is about 2 million won (US$1,500. The minimum work requirement is 30 hours a week, but I don’t mind working more. I want to earn as much as possible,” Belle said. I knew Korea had a minimum wage. More than that, I was interested in Korean culture and wanted to experience living in Korea. Mary (a pseudonym), Filipino caregiver hired to work in Korea These workers are entitled to the same minimum wage as Korean citizens. Based on this year’s wage (9,860 won per hour), they will earn 1.19 million won per month for working four hours a day, five days a week, or 2.38 million won (US$1,750) for eight hours a day. This is more than they would earn in Singapore or Hong Kong, where the monthly salary ranges from US$360 to US$580. When asked if the minimum wage policy influenced her decision to come to Korea, Mary said, “I knew Korea had a minimum wage,” but added: “More than that, I was interested in Korean culture and wanted to experience living in Korea.” Both Mary and Belle shared that their short-term goal is to find good employers, while their long-term goal is to return home healthy, with diverse experiences and happy memories from their time in Korea. This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by staff of The Korea Times. Read the full story at The Korea Times.

For Filipino caregivers in South Korea, 30-hour week, up to U$1,750 monthly salary a draw

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}The first Filipino caregivers have arrived in Korea, where they will be paid the national minimum wage and don’t have to do household chores

The first Filipino caregivers have arrived in Korea, where they will be paid the national minimum wage and don’t have to do household chores