Manila – South Korea is launching a pilot program to hire 100 Filipino caregivers, opening a new channel for workers from the Southeast Asian nation in a move that could pave the way for deeper labor ties between the two countries.
The caregivers will be recruited and employed to provide assistance to Korean households with infants, young children, pregnant women, or working parents, according to an advisory issued Friday by the Philippine Department of Migrant Workers.
“The project aims to expand bilateral labor ties between the Philippines and Korea and assess the feasibility of a larger caregiver deployment plan between the two countries,” the department said.
Under the program, prospective caregivers must be between 24 and 38 years old and have a caregiving certificate from the Philippines’ vocational training authority. They will undergo screening tests on Korean language proficiency, medical and psychological evaluations, and interviews.
Successful applicants will work directly for certified recruitment agencies accredited by South Korea’s labor ministry, with protections for equal treatment, labor standards, and human rights, the Philippine advisory said.
The open recruitment period for the limited positions underscores South Korea’s appetite for more foreign labor, even as acrimonious domestic debates persist over immigrant workers and policies intended to attract skilled careers and businesses.
For the Philippines, a longtime labor exporter, the project offers a new official channel for deploying more domestic workers and caregivers abroad as its population grays. An estimated 10 million Filipinos are employed overseas, which is a vital source of remittances for the country.
Registration for the open jobs begins May 9 in Manila. With Korea’s low birth rate and rapidly aging society, many more such mutually beneficial labor partnerships could be on the horizon.
