Philippine Embassy in the Netherlands suspends au pair contracts over reported abuses
The Philippine Embassy in the Netherlands will temporarily suspend the approval of au pair contracts in the country amid reported abuses starting July 1.
According to local media reports Nieuwsuur and NL Times, the suspension came after the embassy received “repeated” reports of au pairs working long hours but receiving insufficient pay.
An au pair is a young adult, usually aged 18 to 30, who lives with a host family and works as a live-in childcare helper for a set period under a cultural exchange arrangement. The French term means on equal terms, reflecting the idea that the au pair and the host family regard each other as equals.
A spokesperson told Nieuwsuur that the Philippine government will first look into the situation of au pairs in the Netherlands before resuming visa applications.
Similar measures are also being implemented in Germany, France, and Switzerland.
According to the Commission on Filipino Overseas, they have registered more than 2,000 Filipino au pairs in the Netherlands. Popular European destinations also include Denmark, Norway, and Germany.
The au pair program operates under a “cultural exchange” framework, as outlined by the Immigration and Naturalization Service, with the aim of fostering mutual understanding between au pairs and host families through exposure to each other’s cultures. Its implementation likewise requires coordination with the au pair’s country of origin, per the outlet.
The advocacy group Center for Philippine Concerns has raised concerns about the current au pair arrangement.
"For years, the au pair program has been promoted as a 'cultural exchange.' But in practice, many Filipina au pairs are expected to perform domestic labor such as cleaning, childcare, and household work for stipends ranging only from €300 (around P21,500) to €350 (around P25,000) a month, far below the Dutch minimum wage. The program has long created conditions where young migrant women are made vulnerable to overwork, exploitation, and abuse while being denied recognition as workers with full labor rights," they said in a statement.
They stressed that the Philippine government must do more than just suspend the au pair approval.
"The Philippine Embassy’s foremost responsibility is to protect the rights and welfare of Filipino nationals abroad. That means ensuring access to protection, legal assistance, labor rights, and safe channels for migration, not imposing blanket measures that bar Filipinas from entering the Netherlands and deprive them of choices they themselves make under difficult economic realities," they added.
