Korean government lays out plans to deploy foreign housekeeping helpers

[Image source: Gettyimagesbank]

The South Korean government plans to launch a pilot project in the second half of the year involving foreign housekeeping helpers for dual-income and single-parent families in Seoul amid growing calls for introducing foreign domestic workers as a solution to the country’s low birthrate and aging population.

The plans were announced by the Ministry of Employment and Labor after a public hearing on Monday. The project is being pursued as there is a deepening labor shortage in domestic household and childcare services caused by the aging population.

The number of workers in the housework sector decreased to 114,000 last year from 156,000 in 2019. The aging of workers in this field is also serious, with 92.3 percent of workers aged over 50.

Under the plan, the pilot project will be carried out across all autonomous districts in Seoul. About 100 workers will be introduced and the minimum working period for foreign housekeeping workers will be six months.

The target users will be dual-income couples, single-parent families in their 20s, 30s, and 40s, who are maintaining their careers while facing childcare burdens, and pregnant women.

Certified service providers of housekeeping workers hired by the government will provide cleaning, laundry, and kitchen services, as well as childcare services, to households that sign a contract with the provider and are commuting from home.

Foreign housekeeping workers will receive wages equal to or higher than the country’s minimum wage. However, some regulations, such as day-offs, holidays, and annual leave under the Labor Standards Act will not apply to them according to the Housekeeping Workers Act.

The accommodation for these workers will be arranged by the service providers through rental contracts and the costs will be borne by the housekeeping workers themselves.

However, the Seoul city government plans to allocate a budget of 150 million won ($117,344) to initially support foreign housekeeping workers settling in Korea by providing partial support for accommodation, transportation, and interpretation.

According to the government, domestic household workers typically receive at least 15,000 won per hour for commuting. The monthly wage for live-in workers can reach 3.5 million~4.5 million won. Even with the guaranteed minimum wages, the burden on users is expected to decrease significantly.

The government will first consider countries that operate a certification system for housekeeping services among the 16 countries that send unskilled foreign workers (E-9 visa) to ensure the reliability of foreign housekeeping workers.

The Philippines, which issues completion certificates after six months of training at vocational training institutes, is mentioned as a major target country.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor listed the following qualification requirements - possession of a nationally recognized housekeeping service certification or equivalent education, passing a Korean language test and English interview, and excluding applicants with mental illness, drug addiction, or criminal history.

Experts, in the meantime, point out the need to diversify the foreign labor supply system for further system improvement.

The “Au Pair” system used in the Netherlands, Germany, and France is mentioned as an alternative.

The Au Pair system is in which foreigners stay with host families, sharing housekeeping and childcare responsibilities while learning local culture and language.

“The government’s certified provider method has the advantage of enabling systematic workforce management but there is a need to explore a foreign labor supply system that meets various user demands,” said Lee Gyu-yong, head of employment policy research at the Korea Labor Institute.

“The government should also consider options of utilizing young foreigners that wish to experience Korean culture or foreign students studying in Korea,” he added.