POEA: Switzerland needs au pairs, not maids

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) said Monday that the government is sending au pairs, not domestic helpers to Switzerland.

POEA chief Jennifer Manalili said the government lifted the deployment ban on au pairs, which she said work in the household as “caregivers or nannies, but they are not classified as domestic helpers.” She added that the Philippine government is not promoting the deployment of domestic helpers.

Earlier, Manalili reported that the POEA has approved a resolution lifting the ban on deployment of au pair after the Swiss government put in place necessary regulation protecting these workers.

The Philippine government banned the deployment of female migrant workers under the au pair program for more than two decades due to reports of abuse, discrimination and prostitution of Filipino women.

Meanwhile, local recruitment industry is seeking to ease the government prescribed minimum salary rates for low skilled workers to be deployed abroad.

Recruitment leader Lito Soriano said allowing lower entry level pay for low skilled workers would promote hiring of inexperienced Filipino workers abroad.

“If the government would allow us to negotiate with foreign employers the hiring of lowly skilled workers with lower minimum salaries, we could curb the high unemployment rate in the country,” Soriano said.

According to Soriano, many Filipino mechanics and technicians are unable to work abroad due to lack of experience required by foreign employers. He said the Philippine government requires a minimum salary $400 for technicians and mechanics. –Mayen Jaymalin (The Philippine Star)