Of all the problems in South Korea, one is certainly shocking: they have the lowest birth rate in the world, at 0.72 children per woman. In recent years, governments and administrations have come and gone, but no one has managed to stop the decline. not even the super checks babynor the incredible idea that Girls start school earlier. The latest measure is a symptom of the crisis: they are being forced to Hire foreign nannies.
Nannies and visas. As part of the government's strategy, it has announced the hiring of 100 Filipino nannies who will be able to work in the country from now on. The measure is only the beginning, as it is expected to bring approximately 100 Filipino nannies. 1,200 foreign nannies by the first half of 2025.
A problem without a solution. Despite the government's efforts over the past 17 years, including an expenditure of 380 billion won (about $284 billion) in various incentives to boost fertility, the birth rate has continued to plummet. The situation is so desperate that Seoul has warned that the country could become the first in the world to disappear due to this population decline.
What's more, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's own administration has acknowledged that drastic measures are needed to reverse this trend, and here's the first of its ideas: the introduction of foreign nannies with the aim of easing the burden of childcare on working parents, especially in dual-income households, and ultimately boosting the birth rate.
The new policy. Just as The government has reportedThe entry will be made up of women between the ages of 24 and 38 who hold the National Certificate Level II of Caregiving Certification from the Philippine government and who have undergone extensive training. Their skills, according to the government, include childcare, housekeeping and basic proficiency in Korean.
The workers will also be on an E-9 visa, which allows for employment in non-professional sectors in the country, and will be part of a pilot program restricted to Seoul residents. The six-month program aims to provide affordable childcare services to households with children under 12, single-parent families, and those with multiple children.
Who pays for the party. The lack of affordable childcare is a major concern among working parents, so the question is more pertinent than ever: who pays for nannies? According to the Seoul government, hiring a foreign nanny for eight hours a day could cost households around 2.38 million won per monthalmost half of the average monthly income of Korean households.
This has raised many questions about the affordability of the program for average Korean families. “We are seeing complaints about the cost burden of Filipino foreign domestic helpers,” You Hye-mi saidsenior secretary to the president, in a recent interview. “So we are trying to explore ways to mitigate the burden on an individual household to hire them.”
The minimum wage controversy. The program has also faced criticism from labor activists and immigrant rights groups. This occurred last year when Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon proposed hiring foreign nannies a monthly cost of approximately 1 million wonwhich is significantly lower than the minimum wage in South Korea.
Not only that. Rep. Cho Jung-hun also proposed a bill that would exclude migrant domestic workers from the minimum wage law requirement, arguing that such workers' wages should be in line with those in their home countries – a proposal widely criticised by human rights organisations, who say it undermines the rights of foreign workers and violates International Labour Organisation (ILO) standards.
And the birth rate? As we said at the beginning, the introduction of foreign nannies is part of a broader government effort to boost female participation in the workforce, which is seen as essential to improving the country's birth rate. The number of dual-income households in South Korea has been steadily increasing, reaching 5.82 million in 2021. The problem is that many women end up dropping out of the workforce due to childcare responsibilities.
By offering more affordable childcare options, the government therefore hopes to create a more conducive environment for young couples to have children, thereby addressing, in theory, the worrying declining birth rate.
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