Foreign Workforce Policy Committee Held on the 14th
Discussion on Extending the Foreign Domestic Worker Project
Contracts to Be Extended by One Year Starting Next Month
Service Fee Increased Considering Severance Pay and Other Costs
Main Project Delayed Compared to Initial Plans
Difficulties in Coordination Due to Multiple Ministries Involved
The government will extend the pilot project for foreign domestic workers, which is set to end this month, by one year until March next year. The service usage price will be raised to 16,860 KRW, considering severance pay and costs of entrusted companies. Whether the project will be expanded remains undecided. This is due to the slow progress in consultations as multiple related ministries are involved.
Filipino domestic workers participating in the pilot project for foreign domestic workers are seen moving by bus after entering through Incheon International Airport Terminal 1 in August last year. Photo by Gonghang Photojournalists Group
Filipino Domestic Workers' Employment Contracts Extended by One Year Next Month
On the 14th, the government held the Foreign Workforce Policy Committee via video conference between the Government Seoul Complex and the Government Sejong Complex, announcing the "Direction and Future Plans for the Foreign Domestic Worker Pilot Project" related to extending the employment period of foreign domestic workers. Since the pilot project, which started in September last year after Filipino domestic workers arrived in August, is ending this month, the meeting was arranged to discuss related matters.
The government decided to extend their employment contracts by one year, considering that survey results showed a high satisfaction rate of 84% among user households, many wish to continue using the service, and fairness with other E-9 workers. The employment period will be extended by 29 months, including the 7-month pilot period, totaling 36 months. A minimum of 30 working hours per week will be guaranteed, and working conditions such as wage levels (minimum wage) will be maintained at the current level.
The service usage price is expected to increase by 2,860 KRW from the previous 13,940 KRW to 16,800 KRW per hour. This reflects the increased minimum wage, severance pay that must be accrued monthly, and operating costs of employment entrustment companies previously borne by Seoul City. Park Il-hoon, International Cooperation Officer at the Ministry of Employment and Labor, said, "Although companies participated in the project without profit, there are various tasks such as interpretation and matching with user households, so operating costs are included."
Seoul City supports households using foreign domestic workers by providing vouchers worth up to 700,000 KRW annually through the "Seoul-type Domestic Worker Service." Eligible households are those raising children under 12 years old with a middle income of 180% or less, including pregnant women, dual-income families, and families with multiple children. Seoul City plans to support about 11,000 households this year until the budget is exhausted.
Among the 98 Filipino domestic workers, about 93 will have their contracts extended this time. Five workers who wish to return home due to personal reasons such as raising children locally are excluded. From next month, accommodations will be decided autonomously. Since the cost of the previously used accommodations was high and the workers have somewhat adapted, the burden on domestic workers will be reduced.
Foreign domestic workers from the Philippines participating in the pilot project for foreign domestic workers are entering through Incheon International Airport in August last year. Photo by Gonghang Photojournalists Group
Expansion of Main Project Undecided... Inter-Ministerial Consultations 'Stalled'
The government has promoted the nationwide childcare project by dividing it into three types?▲E-9 (foreign employment visa) workers ▲foreigners residing in Korea ▲separate visas?to address childcare gaps, reduce costs, and diversify choices for user households. In September last year, the 39th Foreign Workforce Policy Committee resolved to conduct a pilot project targeting Seoul using the E-9 worker method.
Accordingly, in August last year, 100 domestic workers who obtained government-certified care-related qualifications in the Philippines were brought in and received four weeks of job training before starting work in Seoul in September of the same year. According to the Domestic Workers Act, a government-certified institution signed employment contracts and employed them, and currently, 98 domestic workers provide care services to about 180 households.
The government had once announced plans to promote a nationwide main project in the first half of this year after the pilot project, but chose to extend the pilot project. There are many issues to discuss, such as wage system adjustments, and consultations are difficult as various related ministries including the Ministry of Employment and Labor, the Office for Government Policy Coordination, the Presidential Committee on Aging Society and Population Policy, and the Ministry of Justice are involved. It is also undecided when related consultations can be concluded.
However, the government explained that this delay will not lead to the termination of the project. The government plans to prepare supplementary measures for foreign domestic workers through inter-ministerial consultations to contribute to future workforce supply, diversify choices for user households, and reduce childcare cost burdens.
Bang Ki-seon, Chairman of the Foreign Workforce Policy Committee and head of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, said, "Along with extending the employment of foreign domestic workers, efforts to improve the treatment of domestic domestic workers will also be strengthened. We will prepare additional measures through inter-ministerial consultations to alleviate childcare cost burdens so that this year’s momentum to reverse the low birth rate can be sustained."
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