WUNRN
July 17, 2009
by Brittany Shoot
-
In Demark, despite strict immigration laws, it isn’t uncommon to see large
groups of young Filipina women congregating on train station platforms or
giggling together in public. In
• Au pairs are in a precarious
position in many European countries. Photograph courtesy of Babaylan Denmark.
Domestic workers perform all sorts of household duties, ranging from childcare and caring for the elderly to cleaning, laundry, cooking, and yard work. Many are immigrants – some documented, some not – and even among the most well paid, highly valued legal workers, domestic employment and au pair agreements can be complicated situations.
In a precarious position, domestic employees are often forced to do exactly what they’re told – no matter what. They can be fired just for requesting a schedule change or unpaid time off, and in many countries, domestic workers rely on their employers for meals and housing. When a laborer is suddenly fired without cause or notice, they are left in a potentially dangerous situation. Another job – no matter how unsavory or unsafe – must be secured, or they could end up homeless. There is no guaranteed legal protection, and these workers are at the mercy of their employers.
Originally, the idea behind au pair programs in many European
countries was to provide an authentic cultural experience for young people from
other countries in exchange for help around the house. But what was once
thought of as a year off for young people bouncing between education and other
employment has become an exploitative system for many workers from the
Conditions of an au pair work visa include an agreement from the host family that an au pair will live with them on “equal terms” and will be given the chance to “improve language and/or professional skills.” As the au pair is to adopt the role of a family member, he or she is entitled to their own room in the host’s home, a minimum allowance of 2,900DKK a month ($580 USD), no more than five hours of work each day, and one full day off each week.
But the integration system in
Some Filipino au pairs in
Yet despite this praise and the country’s clearly stipulated visa conditions, many au pairs are overworked and abused, forced to do household work that is not included in the official description of an “au pair.” Many are underpaid, forcing them to take additional “black” work, which can include undocumented babysitting and cleaning for reduced rates. Because au pairs can be deported if they are found taking on extra employment, some undocumented workers fear complaining about their host family’s treatment. Many have heard horror stories about employers that report their staff’s unsanctioned income to immigration authorities.
In response to charges of abuse abroad, the Philippine government
issued a ban on au pair visas in 1998. While likely well-meaning, the ban has
had strange, unintended effects, and it is largely ignored by European
governments seeking to import cheap migrant labor. Some European governments
circumvent the ban by accepting visas for Filipino workers issued in other
countries like
Filomenita Mongaya Høgsholm, the founder of Babaylan
Denmark and co-founder of Babaylan Europe, believes that
the Philippine ban only harms young workers trying to leave the
During the June election for European Parliament, several
left-leaning Danish political parties – including the Social Democrats and the
Socialist People’s Party – called for an end to the au pair agreement in
Mongaya Høgsholm agrees. “I don’t think families are thinking of
the cultural exchange,” she says, though she is quick to point out that some
families give their domestic workers access to things like laptop computers and
Skype to stay in touch with family and friends back home. Ideally, she says, au
pairs would find ways to stay in
For now, though, many are still treated as expendable labor. After
their visas expire, they head home or simply move on.
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