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Aside from physical fatigue, Filipina maids in China are struggling to make a living while suffering homesickness. For the OFWs with illegal status, the burden is doubled because they cannot go home freely.
Although China has existing bans from hiring foreign household workers, it is not rare to see foreign faces in Beijing's domestic service market, many of whom are from the Philippines.
Due to lack of job opportunities, other OFWs uses illegal means to enter China using business visa with the help of some travel agencies at a cost.
Regardless of how they entered China, Filipina maids gained a reputation of being good workers nonetheless equated to high-end service.
In the field of domestic services, Filipinas are quite popular for being well-trained and more professional.
For a Chinese family to be able to hire a Filipina domestic worker, a one-time fee of 79,000 yuan (US$12,008) has to be paid, covering brokerage and fees for transportation, visa application and custom clearance.
In Beijing, a common Filipina maid can get 6,000 yuan (US$912) per month; those well experienced or being bilingual can get 7,500 yuan (US$1,140). And the ones dubbed "golden maids" can receive up to 8,000 yuan (US$1,216) every month.
Because she does not have a valid visa, Lisa, 56 years old and has been working in Beijing for 5 years could not go home though she badly wanted to. Instead, she calls them everyday after work. She also sends her salary to them.
Her husband didn't have a job and the whole family was dependent on her.Specialized in nursing infants and mothers who had recently delivered a child, Lisa majored in "maid services" at a Filipina college. Her 14 years of working experience in Hong Kong where she could get a legal work visa made her ranks high.
Lisa said she used to return to the Philippines during holidays and the transportation charges were covered by her employers. But she decided to come to Beijing after hearing her friends were earning a much higher salary in the metropolis.
However, the laws in the Chinese mainland don't allow foreign low-end labor to work as nannies or maids. In the first two years, domestic service agency got Lisa a business visa and renewed it every six months. Then, she had an accident and was not able to renew it, becoming unregistered since then or popularly known as "black".
Due to lack of job opportunities, other OFWs uses illegal means to enter China using business visa with the help of some travel agencies at a cost.
In the field of domestic services, Filipinas are quite popular for being well-trained and more professional.
For a Chinese family to be able to hire a Filipina domestic worker, a one-time fee of 79,000 yuan (US$12,008) has to be paid, covering brokerage and fees for transportation, visa application and custom clearance.
In Beijing, a common Filipina maid can get 6,000 yuan (US$912) per month; those well experienced or being bilingual can get 7,500 yuan (US$1,140). And the ones dubbed "golden maids" can receive up to 8,000 yuan (US$1,216) every month.
Because she does not have a valid visa, Lisa, 56 years old and has been working in Beijing for 5 years could not go home though she badly wanted to. Instead, she calls them everyday after work. She also sends her salary to them.
Her husband didn't have a job and the whole family was dependent on her.Specialized in nursing infants and mothers who had recently delivered a child, Lisa majored in "maid services" at a Filipina college. Her 14 years of working experience in Hong Kong where she could get a legal work visa made her ranks high.
Lisa said she used to return to the Philippines during holidays and the transportation charges were covered by her employers. But she decided to come to Beijing after hearing her friends were earning a much higher salary in the metropolis.
However, the laws in the Chinese mainland don't allow foreign low-end labor to work as nannies or maids. In the first two years, domestic service agency got Lisa a business visa and renewed it every six months. Then, she had an accident and was not able to renew it, becoming unregistered since then or popularly known as "black".
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"Black" maids are in great risk but Chinese employers favored hiring them because they can pay them less without worrying that they may escape or run away. They cannot do it without a valid visa.
In the Chinese mainland Filipina maids usually hold a business visa which they need to renew every six months. Most of them are registered as translators or foreign language teachers in foreign enterprises.
Mary, 38, is a "black" Filipina maid. She used to earn 3,380 yuan (US$513) per month in Hong Kong. When she came to Beijing, her employer promised to pay her 6,000 yuan (US$912) per month after working satisfactorily for a year.
"But the employer didn't keep the promise. Then, I threatened to leave and work for others," Mary said.
Tat made her employer angry and did not give her visa.
Filipina maids cannot leave China without a valid visa. The ones who hold a business visa must not disclose that they are working as a nanny or maid while checking out.If the Chinese authorities found out, they would deported back to the Philippines, and their Chinese employer would be fined 20,000 Yuan (US$3,040).
Lisa's employer Wang Fang, a stay-at-home mother, said the maid was quite capable and diligent.
"But no matter how reassuring she is, I have to pay a close attention to her whereabouts in case she goes back to the Philippines without notice."
Wang kept Lisa's passport and visa and temporarily hands them over to her when needed for business visa application.
Homesickness prevailed, Lisa finally made her mind in returning to the Philippines and spend her time with her family regardless of the possibility that she might not get a job in her home country.
Recently, news reports disclosed the plans of China to hire more Filipino domestic workers in the future. If this will push through, there would possibly be a window for the "black" domestic workers to correct their status and enjoy the protection and privileges of the Chinese labor law that they had been deprived of for years.
Source: china.org
In the Chinese mainland Filipina maids usually hold a business visa which they need to renew every six months. Most of them are registered as translators or foreign language teachers in foreign enterprises.
Mary, 38, is a "black" Filipina maid. She used to earn 3,380 yuan (US$513) per month in Hong Kong. When she came to Beijing, her employer promised to pay her 6,000 yuan (US$912) per month after working satisfactorily for a year.
"But the employer didn't keep the promise. Then, I threatened to leave and work for others," Mary said.
Tat made her employer angry and did not give her visa.
Filipina maids cannot leave China without a valid visa. The ones who hold a business visa must not disclose that they are working as a nanny or maid while checking out.If the Chinese authorities found out, they would deported back to the Philippines, and their Chinese employer would be fined 20,000 Yuan (US$3,040).
Lisa's employer Wang Fang, a stay-at-home mother, said the maid was quite capable and diligent.
"But no matter how reassuring she is, I have to pay a close attention to her whereabouts in case she goes back to the Philippines without notice."
Wang kept Lisa's passport and visa and temporarily hands them over to her when needed for business visa application.
Homesickness prevailed, Lisa finally made her mind in returning to the Philippines and spend her time with her family regardless of the possibility that she might not get a job in her home country.
Recently, news reports disclosed the plans of China to hire more Filipino domestic workers in the future. If this will push through, there would possibly be a window for the "black" domestic workers to correct their status and enjoy the protection and privileges of the Chinese labor law that they had been deprived of for years.
Source: china.org
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