Indeed, the Philippines is one of the expat-friendly countries worldwide, if not the friendliest. We cannot blame these expatriates; the Philippines is a gem with its beautiful beaches, warm people, vivid nightlife, great food, etc. Nonetheless, the majority of the expats go here for work and, of course, the fun of it all. Any expat will surely appreciate and need a helping hand. In fact, one of the reasons they love staying here is the affordability of services including housekeeping services.

If you are an expatriate to the Philippines, do you know how to hire or where to find a housekeeper? Below are the answers.

1) Referral

More often than not, the leaving expatriate, who gained loyal maids throughout his stay in the Philippines, leave their housekeepers to whoever will be staying in the country as the next expat to do the job. The foreigner tries to find the maid a new home before they leave the country. That's unless the expat decided to tag the maid along to his home country. Yes, it happens.

Thus, if you are a foreigner, you can get in touch with the other expatriate or other expats living in the country for that matter. 

2) Maid agency

If no one can refer a maid to you or are not yet ready to relinquish the maids in their own households, it is best to hire through an all-around maid agency. Maid agencies in the country do background checks and trains their rosters of maids, nannies, drivers, etc. There also agencies that can offer part-time maids for one-time or bi-weekly cleaning sessions.

Just make sure that the agency is accredited and it follows the Kasambahay Law. The law covers full-time maids and helpers, but not drivers.
Other things that expats like you should know

As an expat, you should know your responsibilities as an employer. Here's a rundown of the basic do's and don'ts whether you are hiring a maid through a referral or an agency. You should:

  • Never hire helpers 15 years old and below because it's against the law
  • Request pre-employment requirements (medical certificate, birth certificate, IDs, and clearance such as barangay, police and NBI)
  • Shoulder the transportation expenses from the place of origin of the helper to your place
  • Prepare a contract that is written in the language that she can understand including stipulations for:
    • duties and responsibilities,
    • employment period,
    • hours of work,
    • rest days,
    • allowable leaves,
    • deployment expenses agreement, and
    • employ ment termination
  • Register the helper to basic benefits such as SSS, PhilHealth and PagIBIG once the helper rendered one month of service
  • Register the helper in the local barangay's Registry of Domestic Workers where you reside
  • Issue a pay slip each pay day which contains the amount paid as well as the deductions
  • Not assign the helper in another work that is below the prescribed wage
  • Not tell the helper how she should use her wages
  • Not withheld the wage of the helper
  • Deduct fairly and reasonably; deductions must not exceed 20% of the helper's monthly wage
  • Provide helpers with three adequate meals, humane sleeping conditions and appropriate medical assistance (first aid kit)

Put simply, when hiring a maid in the Philippines, your conduct is guided by the Kasambahay Law. While the law is lenient to the conditions and interests of the maids, know that the law actually protects employers like you. For one, it is important to know what your duties and limitations are so that you won't unknowingly cross any boundaries or violate any laws. If you do this, you'll be rewarded by the hospitality and loyalty of Filipino workers, that's aside from being hard working ourselves.