Foreign maids under South Korean govt's pilot project overworked, underpaid: Survey

Seoul, Jan 17 (IANS) Foreign housekeepers employed locally under a government pilot project launched two years ago were severely underpaid and had to do extra work that was not agreed upon, a survey showed on Saturday.

In September 2024, the Seoul metropolitan government launched its foreign maid pilot program and allowed the entry of 100 people, mostly from Southeast Asia, including the Philippines, to work as housekeepers at more than 150 households in the city.

The project, which ended in December last year, was aimed at tackling the shortage of locals willing to work as maids and to support women in continuing their careers, reports Yonhap news agency.

According to the survey, respondents said they received an average of 1.92 million won (US$1,303) in monthly wages during the first six months of the project.

The amount is less than half the average monthly payment received by South Koreans in 2024, which was 3.74 million won.

When deducting costs, such as residential expenses and insurance payments, their net monthly wages were only 1.18 million won, the survey showed.

Some respondents said they were requested to work outside of their job descriptions, such as washing dishes, caring for pets and tutoring kids in English.

"We must ... reevaluate the value of child care, recognise the economic value of housekeeping labour, and foster a virtuous cycle of providing high-quality housekeeping services and jobs," said Professor Lee Mi-ae of Jeju National University, who conducted the survey.

The survey was conducted on 21 housekeepers from the Philippines aged in their 20s and 30s and two of their translators from April to May last year, and published in a journal by the Korea Association for Immigration Policy and Administration.