Seoul gov't to cooperate on pilot program to train foreign residents in housekeeping, child care
Published: 23 Mar. 2025, 18:34
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- MICHAEL LEE
- [email protected]
![A Filipino caregiver holds a baby at a household in Seoul on Sept. 3, 2024. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/03/23/36e46997-b8a5-400c-944b-48f314c0d91f.jpg)
A Filipino caregiver holds a baby at a household in Seoul on Sept. 3, 2024. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]
The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Sunday that it will collaborate on a pilot program run by the Justice Ministry to train foreign residents in housekeeping and child care and match them with service providers.
Unlike the city’s existing scheme involving Filipino caregivers, who were recruited in their home country, the Justice Ministry’s new program seeks out foreigners who are already legal residents of Korea.
Qualified recruits will also not be subject to minimum wage requirements and enter into direct contracts with housekeeping and child care providers.
Only individuals who hold a D-2 student visa, D-10 job-seeker visa, F-3 dependent visa or a F-1-5 long-term resident visa will be eligible to register in the program beginning Monday, March 24, via www.easytask.co.kr/seoul.
Applicants who hold an F-3 visa can only apply if their spouse holds an E-1 to E-7 visa or an F-2, F-4 or H-2 visa.
Applications will be accepted through April, with training set to take place in April and May.
The city plans to pair trainees with approximately 300 households in June.
The Seoul city government will be responsible for handling administrative aspects of the new program, including training, matching recruits with providers and addressing any problems, while the Justice Ministry will verify the residency status of participants and ensure compliance.
To incentivize international students to stay active in the program, those with D-10 visas who remain in household and child care roles for six months or longer will receive 10 bonus points toward extending their residency in Korea.
They will also receive additional points if they apply for an F-2-7 visa, which features less stringent financial documentation requirements when applying for a visa extension.
City official Lee Hae-sun expressed optimism about the program’s potential to benefit both citizens and foreigners.
“I hope this project will alleviate the burden of household and child care responsibilities for families while ensuring a stable environment for foreign nationals participating in the program,” she said.
BY MICHAEL LEE [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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