Core definitions and caregiver scope
- A caregiver is defined as a contract worker hired to provide home support care in a private household.
- A live-in caregiver must reside in the employer’s home.
- A live-in caregiver must only work for the employer for whom the caregiver has been given permission to work.
Eligibility: minimum age and qualifications
- Caregivers bound for Israel must be at least 21 years of age.
- Caregivers must have the ability to provide home support care with minimum or least supervision in a private household.
- Caregivers must be at least a high school graduate.
- Caregivers must be able to speak, read, and understand English at a level sufficient for effective communication in an unsupervised setting.
- Caregivers must possess the appropriate certificate of competency as caregiver issued by TESDA as soon as the applicable system for determination of skills of household workers is in place.
Minimum employment terms for caregivers
- The deployment of caregivers requires adoption of the attached standard employment contract for Filipino caregivers to Israel with the following guiding minimum wage protections.
- Caregivers are entitled to a guaranteed monthly salary in accordance with the prevailing minimum wage law of Israel, inclusive of food and accommodation.
- The salary of a live-in caregiver may be deducted an amount to cover food and accommodation only upon mutual agreement.
Pre-qualification of foreign agencies/principals
- Foreign placement agencies/principals must undergo pre-qualification by the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) or the Philippine Embassy in Israel.
- A Pre-Qualification Certificate (PQC) is issued after pre-qualification.
- The following documents and requirements must be submitted to the POLO/Philippine Embassy:
- An appropriate license issued by the Israel government.
- An accomplished employer’s information sheet.
- A Special Power of Attorney and Recruitment Agreement with the Philippine Recruitment Agency.
Accreditation and processing requirements
- Foreign placement agencies must meet specific documentary requirements for accreditation and for processing of employment contracts through Philippine licensed agencies.
- For accreditation of foreign placement agencies, the documentary requirements include:
- A Pre-qualification certificate together with a copy of the license to operate a placement agency issued by the appropriate government authority of the host country, with a certified English translation.
- Authenticated and verified Special Power of Attorney and authenticated and verified Recruitment Agreement.
- A verified manpower request indicating the number of caregivers and the minimum qualification requirements.
- For processing through Philippine licensed agencies, documentary requirements include:
- Request for processing (RFP).
- Individual employment contract.
- Individual employer’s particulars, including the complete address and telephone number.
- Visa/Work permit.
- Worker’s Information Sheet.
- Certificate of attendance to PDOS.
Arrival monitoring and welfare support
- The foreign placement agency must regularly inform the POLO/Philippine Embassy/Consulate of the arrival of the household workers in Israel for effective monitoring.
- Philippine recruitment agencies and foreign placement agencies, in close coordination with POEA and the Philippine Embassy in Israel, must:
- Assist in the settlement of disputes.
- Assist in the repatriation of caregivers.
- Report any significant incident involving hired caregivers, including run-away, death, injury or illness, and detention.
Governing framework referenced
- The Circular requires the minimum age requirement to be in consonance with MC No. 20, Series of 1998.
- The Circular is adopted pursuant to POEA Governing Board Resolution No. 5, Series of 1998.