After extensive discussions and negotiations with the government of Norway and various agencies in the Philippines, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Labor and Employment have announced the lifting of the ban on the deployment of au pairs bound for Norway. The order will take effect immediately. Norway is the only other country in Europe (the other is Switzerland) where the ban has been lifted.

Both agencies expressed satisfaction that the conditions prevailing in Norway warrant sufficient safety nets to promote and protect the rights and welfare of the au pairs in this country. The Norwegian government has also exercised flexibility and accommodation of the Philippine government’s requirements to provide safety nets to provide health insurance for au pairs as well as cover their repatriation in case of death or when they are no longer able to fulfil their contracts due to terminal illness and other similar reasons. According to the Norwegian authorities, the au pair contract has already been amended to reflect such provisions and will be effective in June 2010.

The POEA will be announcing the appropriate guidelines in implementing the order. Au pair contracts will now have to be submitted to the Philippine Embassy in Oslo for authentication. The contract will then have to be submitted to the Philippine Overseas Employment Authority (POEA) to obtain the necessary permit and for the applicants to undergo pre-departure orientation seminars to prepare them for their new life in Norway. The au pair will, of course, have to obtain the requisite visa from the Norwegian Embassy in Manila, The contract, the passport with the requisite visa and the POEA permit will be presented to the Bureau of Immigration upon departure.

The Embassy and the POEA have also developed a DVD to be used in the pre-departure orientation of future au pairs to acquaint them with their new life in Norway.

The Philippine Embassy reiterates its warning to au pairs not to give any amount to any party or middlemen to facilitate their departure. Any attempt to obtain money from au pairs, outside the official fees duly acknowledged with official receipts, should be reported immediately to the Philippine Embassy or the Department of Labor and Employment for appropriate action.

The Embassy is also in the final stages of negotiations with Denmark so that the ban could also be lifted on au pairs bound for this country. The Minister of Refugee, Immigration and Integration Affairs, Birthe Røhn Hornbech has indicated her positive response to the proposals of the Philippine Embassy on the matter.

With the lifting of the ban , the two countries have now aligned their otherwise divergent policies on the matter, and should, hopefully reduce or eliminate the factors leading to the exploitation of the system. Au pairs will now be given an opportunity to learn about Norway and in turn be able to help their host families.

This lifting ban doesn’t mean that the aupair problems will stop but will surely will increase but reading the Guidelines or a memorandum of Agreement between the two countries at least the aupairs will have the security in case they become sick or die during their au pair stay then they host family will shoulder their repatriation. (Will discuss it further next post)

The aspiring Filipino aupairs should always be reminded that the AUPAIR is not a DOMESTIC HELPER, know their aupair rights and of course speak up if you think you are being abused and don’t pay anything to middle men/illegal agents/agencies.

Catholic Church

Oslo

St. Olav’s Cathedral
Every Sunday English Masses at 1800H

Address: Akersveien 1, 0177 Oslo
Contact Person: Rev. Fr. Amando Bergantino Alfaro Jr. and Ms. Elizabeth Helland (Church Secretary)

Contact No.: +47 2321 9573, +47 2298 2165 and + 47 9940 5608 (Mobile)

St. Joseph’s Church
Every Sunday English Masses at 0930H Every 4th Sunday of the Month: 1400H (Tagalog Mass)
Every Friday: 1800H (Tagalog Mass)

Address: Akersveien 4, 0177 Oslo
Contact Person: Rev. Fr. Redentor M. Molina
Contact No.: +47 9986 4952

Copenhagen:

Skt. Annæ’s Church
Saturday and Sunday English Masses at 1700H

Address: Skt. Elizabeth’s Allé 2, 2300 Kbh. , Denmark

Contact Person: Fr. Benny Mathew,C.Ss.R
Contact No.: +45 – 2193 4215 (Mobile)
e-Mail: bennycssr@hotmail.com
Chaplain for the Filipino Community: Fr. Joe Toms, C.Ss.R.
Contact No.: +45 5322 5232 (mobile)
e-Mail: joetoms77@ymail.com

How to get there: take 5 A from the city and get down in Tycho Brahes Alle note is already Zone 3 so it’s better stand up in Englandsvej busstop which is still zone 1 and walk around 100 meters ahead or take 3500S and go down in Englandsvej)

Sakramentskirken
Wednesday English Mass& Novena at 1700H

Address: Nørrebrogade 27C, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
Contact Person 1: Fr.Reinhold Sahner
Contact No.:+45 3535 6825 (fastnet)
e-Mail: sakramentskirken@mail-telia.dk
How to get there: Take bus no. 5A and go down in Ravnsborgade Busstop.

Sunday English Mass 1800H

Contact Person 2: Fr. Carroll Parker, Omi
Contact No.: +45 3125 5996 (Mobile)
e-Mail: carroll.parker@mail.dk

Vor Frue Kirken in Herlev
Thursday English Mass at 0930H and Sunday English Mass at 1130H

Address: Herlevgårdsvej 14, 2730 Herlev
Contact Person: Fr. Carroll Parker, Omi
Contact No.: +45 3125 5996 (Mobile)
e-Mail: carroll.parker@mail.dk

St. Knud Lavard’s Church
Sunday English Mass at 1300H

Address: Lyngbygårdsvej 1A, 2800 Lyngby
Contact Person: Fr. Alren Soosaipillai, OMI
Office tel nr: 45 87 08 88
Contact No: 50 15 52 26
e-Mail: alrenomi@gmail.com

Jesus is Lord

Oslo

Jesus is Lord Norway
Every Sunday: 1530H – 1800H
Every Thursday: 1800H – 2100H

Address: American Lutheran Church, Fritznersgate 15, 0264 Oslo
Contact Person: Pastor Gilbert Palmero
Contact No.: +47 9528-2491
e-Mail: jilnorwaychapter@hotmail.com

Copenhagen

Jesus is Lord Copenhagen
Every Sunday: 1445H – 1700H

Address: Allehelgens Kirke 43, Ungarnsgade 2300, Kbh S
Contact Person: Pastor Precy Soltes-Ofori
Contact No.: +45 3123 9778 and +45 3646 3113
website: www.jesusislordchurch.dk

Living World Bible Center

Living World Bible Cente

Every Sunday: 1500H – 1730H

Address: Geitmyrsveien 7D 0107 Oslo
Contact Person: Pastor Vic del Valle and Sis. Ana del Valle
Contact No.: + 47 4023 0603 and + 47 4024 9524
e-Mail: livingwordbiblecenter@yahoo.com

Filipino Christian Church

Oslo

Filipino Christian Church Norway
Every Sunday: 1400H – 1700H

Address: Filadelfia Center St. Olavsgate
Contact Person: Pastor John Angeles
Contact No.: +47 6084 3667
e-Mail: jpa4569@yahoo.com

Copenhagen:

Filipino Christian Church Copenhagen
Every Sunday: 1730H – 2030H

Address: Culture Hall/Kultur Sal, Drejervej 15-21,2400 Copenhagen NV
Contact Person: Pastor Raymond Osias
Contact No.: +45 2692 9314
Website: www.fcccommunities.com

Iglesia ni Cristo 1

Copenhagen:

Filipino Christian Church Copenhagen
Every Sunday: 1730H – 2030H

Iglesia ni Cristo
Every Thursday: 1900Hpm-2000H ;Every Sunday: 1000H – 1100H

Address: Brønshøjvej 12, 2700 København
Contact Person: Rossal Kiilerich
Contact No.: +45 41233679
e-mail: divinekiilerich@yahoo.com

Workship services are both conducted in English

Copenhagen Community Church (CCC)

Copenhagen:

Copenhagen Community Church
Sundays: 1100H – 1300H

Norre Farimagsgade 45
1364 Copenhagen K

This is the description from FaFo’s homepage 

This report is the outcome of an evaluation of the Norwegian au pair scheme. The main objectives of the evaluation have been to uncover whether (or not) the scheme is practised according to its original intentions, and whether the changes introduced to the scheme in 2007 have generated the desired effects. The basic aim of the evaluation has thus been to give a comprehensive assessment of the au pair scheme, and furthermore to see whether additional changes are needed other than those already put in place in 2007. The report describes the strategies and motivations of au pairs and host families, and discusses how contact is established between them.

There has been a considerable increase in the number of au pairs in Norway, from 691 in 2000 to 2860 in 2008, with Filipinos representing the largest group. The majority of au pairs are female, and only a small proportion of applicants are men, making au pairing a form of female-dominated employment involving what has traditionally been the responsibility of women within the household, namely housework and care work.

 The report examines the increase in numbers and the fact that third country nationals today dominate the scheme. It also debates whether au pairs and host families see au pair placement as a cultural exchange scheme in accordance with the original intentions, or as a form of employment. In addition, the report offers a brief description of the conditions for au pair placement in the UK, Denmark and Poland as a comparison to the situation in Norway. In light of these various issues, the evaluation offers policy recommendations for improvements and changes to the structural framework of au pair placement.

You can download the full report as a pdf file by clicking this link that will lead you to site.

The launching of this report  was attended by State Secretary Libe Rieber-Mohn, the State Secreatary of integration, immigration, and diversity matters. One of Fafo’s recommendation is that the Norwegian government/embassy has to work on establishing a bi-lateral agreement with the Philippines. According to the State Secretary Lieber -Mohn that they are already in dialog with the Philippine goverment  and  will continue this autumn, she said, and if there is no agreement reached, Norway will most likely follow the Wien convention and respect Filipino law regarding au pairs. (source: http://www.lofot-tidende.no/innenriks/article4529719.ece)

So I hope the Philippine goverment will look on this matter now that the Norwegian goverment will sit down and willing to establish a bi-lateral agreement regarding the aupair system. For your information the Philippines doesn’t allow it’s citizens to go out and work as an aupair. Check the realted posts on this site  regarding the ban, The research of aupair program by Genevieve Arroyo Part 1 & Part 2 andd Not is all fair for Au pairs by Filomenits Hoegsholm. 

This is relevant for the Filipinos  because according to the 2008 statistics there are 2,090 filipinaaupairs out of 2,860 that is 73.08 % of the total aupairs in Norway. Filipinos in the past years flocks to Norway after their term as aupair  in Denmark and Holland. Others came direct from the Philippines amidst the ban by paying  a large sum of money to corrupt officials at the airport and agencies. 

As there is a continous demand for househelp more and more families are misusing the aupair system because it much more cheaper than hiring a professional help. Although the pocket money is higher than in the Philippines they should  still follow the European standard. So much was changed when they started the aupair system it is not a cultural exchange anymore but it mean work to the aupair and cheap labor to the host families. So is au pair still on equal terms?