Deployment of Filipino Caregivers to Israel Rises by 2.53% in 2017

17 January 2018 ISRAEL — In a report to the Department of Labor and Employment, the Philippine Embassy in Israel noted that, for 2017, the deployment of Filipino caregivers in Israel increased by 2.53% year-on-year.

According to the report, deployment from January to December 2017 reached 2,922, compared to 2,850 from January to December 2016.

Labor Attaché to Israel Rudy Gabasan noted that although there was an increase in deployment for 2017, this is just minimal compared to the 24.6% growth in 2016. The high placement fees before coming to Israel is a significant factor to this slight increase in deployment.

Although the minimum wage for household service workers in Israel is bigger than the rest of other Middle East countries, caregivers coming to Israel still pay for exorbitant placement fees which is illegal in both the Philippines and Israel.

To address the problem, the Philippine and Israeli governments are negotiating a bilateral labor agreement. The Philippine Embassy expects the deployment of Filipino caregivers in Israel to increase further once a bilateral labor agreement is finalized between the two countries.

Table. Number of Filipino caregivers deployed to Israel, 2016 and 2017