Children in Turkey entrusted to Filipino caregivers

In 2017, it was reported that families across Turkey mostly entrusted their children to Filipino caregivers. Iha News

Damla Human Resources HR Manager Filiz Şeker stated that families preferred Filipino caregiver candidates in 2017. Şeker noted that when Filipino caregivers are sourced domestically, they work for an average of one thousand dollars per month plus leave pay, and mentioned that the cost of bringing a caregiver from abroad is lower. Şeker said, "However, there is a significant difference in the process between these two alternatives. If you choose to source your caregiver from abroad, you need to wait 4 to 6 weeks. If you prefer to source from within the country, you only wait a few days."

“The rise in the dollar exchange rate did not reduce the demand for Filipino caregivers”

Şeker stated that the rise in the dollar exchange rate in Turkey has pushed families to seek more economical alternatives, saying, "Recently, we have noticed that our clients have started to show interest in Nepali caregiver candidates as well. The main reason for this is that the monthly salary of Nepalis is around 600 dollars. However, we cannot say that this situation has led to a noticeable decrease in the demand for Filipino caregivers. Currently, this is not the case. Families looking for caregivers who speak English continue to prefer Filipinos, as their English is better than that of Nepali caregivers. Additionally, they have a reputation for working in a disciplined and principled manner," she stated.

“Foreign caregivers can work live-in, which is important”

Filiz Şeker emphasized the importance of foreign caregivers being able to work live-in, stating, "One of the main reasons families prefer Filipino caregivers is that they do not object to working live-in. Most local caregivers prefer to return to their homes and families in the evenings. Foreign caregiver candidates often go to other countries to work, leaving their families behind in their home countries. Since their spouses, children, parents, and relatives remain in their home countries, spending the night at their workplace is not a problem for them; in fact, they find it advantageous. Nepali caregivers also work live-in, and this is an important criterion for many families. However, their position in the market for sick, elderly, and child care or household assistance is not as strong as that of Filipinos at the moment. Filipino helpers and caregivers have been in this market for three years and generally satisfy their employers. Therefore, families with a comfortable budget still prioritize them," she expressed.

Filiz Şeker also shared the points families should pay attention to when searching for foreign caregivers: "No company or institution can promise you a flawless caregiver, nor can they guarantee that you will be 100% satisfied with your caregiver. However, there are things you can do to minimize the risk of dissatisfaction. The most important of these is to source the caregiver through a company that has built a good reputation in the market. As the Damla Consulting team, we are proud of the reputation we have gained through our 20 years of experience in the industry and our understanding of quality service, and we are grateful to our clients who have helped us achieve this reputation. We have provided many families with caregivers and helpers with the desired characteristics and resolved the issues that arose in a short time. We would be happy to assist you with your personnel needs such as child caregivers, shadow teachers, play sisters, household assistants, and elderly caregivers."