Today March 1, 2012 the CFO (Commission on Filipino Overseas) to conduct Country Familiarization Seminar for Europe-bound Au Pairs which is more simplier and cheaper. Registration fee is only 400 php. This is a good news beside it’s cheaper and simplier the Philippine goverment also acknowledge that the aupair is indeed a cultural and educational program and not as a domestic helper/assistant position as it i popularly known in the country. They don’t need to go to the PDOS (Pre -departure Orientation Seminar) by POEA (Phil.Overseas Employment Administration) because aupair is not considered as labor anymore.

CFO acts as a monitoring agency for aupairs leaving the country thus making sure that they will fall into human traffickers as they need to validated their Au pair contract by the Philippine Embassy located on the host country.

Once the aupair visa is approved the aupair need to undergo the CFS (Country Familiarizaton Seminar conducted at CFO every Wednesday 1-5pm. on
First come first serve basis.

REQUIREMENTS FOR REGISTRATION
The following are required for registration of an Au Pair:
1. Original and photocopy of valid passport
2. Original and photocopy of visa;
3. One (1) 2×2 or passport-size photograph;
4. One (1) valid identification card with photograph;
5. Original and photocopy of contract of engagement or letter of
undertaking to engage duly authenticated/notarized by Philippine
Embassy/Consulate in the European country of destination;
6. Duly completed registration form;
7. Payment of PhP400.00 registration fee; and
8. Attendance in the Country Familiarization Seminar (CFS)

CFO to conduct Country Familiarization Seminar for Europe-bound Au Pairs

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in its letter dated 20 February 2012 announced the lifting of the ban on au pairs bound for Europe. Following the lifting of the ban, the new guidelines on the departure of au pairs for Europe agreed upon by the ad hoc Technical Working Group (TWG) will be implemented. The TWG also agreed that au pairs need not go to the POEA procedure since they are not considered overseas Filipino workers (OFW) but participants in a cultural and educational exchange program with the country they are bound to.

Instead, Au Pairs shall be required to register at and undergo the pre-departure program of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO), which will essentially be a Country Familiarization Seminar (CFS). The CFS is intended to prepare the au pairs for their participation in the program overseas. Effective March 1, 2012, the CFS will be conducted every Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the main office of the CFO in Manila.

The CFS would be vital for the au pair participants to equip them with adequate information on topics such as settlement concerns, values, cultural and social realities in the host countries, health and safety issues, airport and travel procedures and support networks. The program will also serve as monitoring scheme for au pairs leaving the country.

“On a par” or “equal to” in French, Au Pair scheme denotes living on an equal basis in a mutual, caring relationship with the host family and the children. Au Pair is “intended to become a member of the family in the host country for cultural exchange to improve their linguistic and cultural knowledge which they can obtain better in the country where they are received.” Thus, an Au Pair will learn a new language and culture by living with a family in exchange for light household chores.

(For more information, please click here or contact Ivy Miravalles, OIC of the Migrant Integration and Education Division (MIED), Lucille Ronda and Manolo Tibe of CFO, (632)552-4700, Extension 712 to 713)

Source and original article can be found at CFO Website

Good news to all who aspires to be an aupair in European countries, the Philippine Goverment has lifted the aupair ban. Here’s the announcement from Department of Foreign affairs from their homepage http://dfa.gov.ph/main/index.php/newsroom/dfa-releases/4807-ban-on-au-pairs-bound-for-europe-lifted.

22 February 2012 – Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario announced today that the ban on au pairs bound for all European countries has been lifted after the issuance of the new Guidelines on the Departure of Au Pairs to Europe.

The new Guidelines are meant to facilitate the departure of the au pairs and at the same time to provide them safety nets and protection. It was drafted and agreed upon by the ad-hoc Technical Working Group, composed of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Education (DepEd), Bureau of Immigration (BI), Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), and Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO).

Au pair is a term used to describe those between 18 and 30 years of age, unmarried and without any children, placed under a cultural exchange arrangement with a European host family for a maximum stay of two years, unless otherwise allowed by host countries.

Under the au pair scheme, the au pair is placed in an immersion program in cultural and language learning in the specific European country of destination. S/he shall live with the host family at par (au pair) or on an equal basis with the immediate members of the host family, shall be given pocket money, share in child care, light household chores and responsibilities previously agreed upon in an au pair placement contract between the au pair and the host family.

Under the Guidelines, procedures for the departure of au pairs have been simplified and documentary requirements down to the minimum.

A strict monitoring system shall also be put in place in Philippine Embassies and Consulates General in Europe for the protection of the au pairs. The DFA will act as the lead agency in formulating policies on the au pair scheme.

Departing au pairs need only to submit the following to the Bureau of Immigration at the port of departure: a contract of engagement duly authenticated by the Philippine Embassy or Consulate General in the area of destination, valid passport with au pair visa, and a CFO certificate/sticker.

Au pairs need not go through the DOLE or POEA procedures anymore, as they are not considered overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

The ban was imposed in 1998 due to isolated cases of abuse of the system by some unscrupulous elements. In 2010, the ban was lifted for Switzerland, Norway and Denmark.

Secretary del Rosario advised prospective au pairs not to go to third party go-betweens since the procedures have been simplified at the least cost for the Filipino au pairs.

At the same time, he warned unscrupulous agencies not to exploit the scheme for their nefarious activities, as any infraction will be dealt with severely by the laws of the host countries and those of the Philippines. END