Bureau of Immigration lifts ban on au pairs starting today

MANILA, Philippines - Beginning today, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) will no longer block the exit of au pairs or taking part in a cultural exchange arrangement in Europe.

In a statement issued yesterday, Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David Jr. said he has already given instructions to all their port personnel assigned nationwide to facilitate the unhampered exit of au pairs headed for Europe, starting today.

An au pair is an unmarried person between 18 and 30 years of age who, under a cultural exchange arrangement, was picked to stay with a European host family to enable him or her to learn the culture and language of the European country.

As an au pair, he or she shall live with the host family at par (au pair) or on an equal basis with members of the host family and shall be given pocket money and share in child care, light household chores and responsibilities as stipulated in the placement contract between the au pair and the host family.

To be able to leave the country, the au pair would be required to present documentary requirements to the immigration counter such as a contract of engagement or letter of undertaking duly authenticated by the Philippine embassy or consulate in the European country.

The au pair should also present a valid passport with valid au pair visa to the country of destination and a certificate from the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) indicating that he or she has attended a familiarization seminar about the European country conducted by the CFO.

The BI commissioner clarified that au pairs are no longer required to get exit permits from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) since they are not considered overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

Earlier, Vice President Jejomar Binay announced the lifting of the ban on au pairs to Europe that was imposed in 1998 due to isolated cases of abuse by unscrupulous elements.