A group of 100 Filipina caregivers is scheduled to arrive in South Korea early Tuesday morning to undergo a month-long specialized training program before being assigned to families in Seoul next month, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Monday.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Ministry of Employment and Labor have been advancing a project to introduce foreign caregivers in response to the declining number of local domestic workers amid an aging population and the rising cost of child care.

The arrival of Filipina workers signifies the commencement of a six-month pilot program designed to evaluate the initiative's potential and efficacy in addressing the shortage of domestic help while providing essential child care and housekeeping support to local families.

The pilot program, confined to Seoul and initially hiring exclusively Philippine nationals, is scheduled to run from Sept. 3, 2024, to February 2025, with services provided by domestic workers beginning on Sept. 3.

To facilitate a seamless transition and integration, the 100 Filipina caregivers must participate in a comprehensive four-week intensive training program, commencing Tuesday and concluding on Sept. 2.

This training includes 160 hours of instruction, divided into fundamental education under the Employment Permit System (E-9) and specialized job training. The curriculum covers safety and health regulations, basic civil law, sexual harassment prevention, child care and housekeeping duties, as well as Korean language and cultural education.

The caregivers, limited to Filipinas aged 24 to 38, hold the Caregiving National Certification Level II Certificate from the Philippine government‘s Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, after completing at least 780 hours of vocational training in the Philippines.

They have also passed a comprehensive background check, health examination and language proficiency assessment. Additionally, all the caregivers are fluent in English and have basic proficiency in Korean, according to the Seoul city government.

During the pilot program, the caregivers will be accommodated in shared housing near Yeoksam Station, within a 5-minute walking distance of the training center. The accommodations are intended to ensure convenience and safety for the workers throughout the 7 months, according to the city officials.

Applications for local families interested in hiring caregivers from the Philippines opened July 17 through Tuesday. As of Aug. 1, 422 families submitted applications.

Priority will be given to single-parent households, families with multiple children, dual-income households and expectant mothers, with final selection considering child age and service duration needs.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government said it would closely monitor the pilot program to evaluate its effectiveness, collecting feedback from both domestic workers and service recipients to fine-tune the program.

“As this is Seoul’s first attempt to implement a foreign domestic worker program, we are thoroughly preparing by inspecting accommodations, training facilities, and educational content, as well as registration procedures,” said Kim Sun-soon, director of Seoul City's Women and Family Policy Division.

“Our goal is to support the Filipina domestic workers in adapting to life in Seoul while ensuring that families receive satisfactory caregiving and housekeeping services.”