Cheap child care? Korea’s Filipina caregiver program found it wasn't

Seoul’s attempt to address the country’s low birth rate through an influx of foreign caregivers is set to wind down, as the Korean government said Monday it would not issue any additional visas tied to the city’s domestic worker program. The project began in August 2024, when 100 Filipina caregivers entered Korea on E-9 non-professional work visas, aiming to reduce high child care costs, widely cited as a major factor behind Korea’s low birth rate. Seoul had planned to expand the program to 1,200 caregivers with full implementation from March. The program, however, failed to gain traction. Higher-than-expected wages fueled […]... Keep on reading: Cheap child care? Korea’s Filipina caregiver program found it wasn't