The Philippine Embassy in Oslo has pushed for the abolition of au pair, or shared responsibility, system in Norway as the government aims to advance the Filipino migrant workers’ welfare there.
Philippine Ambassador to Oslo Enrico Fos recently met with International Organization for Migrants (IOM) Chief of Mission in Norway Fumiko Nagano to discuss possible areas of collaboration on rights and condition of Filipino workers in the European nation.
Photo courtesy of Philippine Embassy in Oslo
Among issues both officials discussed were the embassy’s position on the proposed abolition of au pair and the embassy’s call to check on the working condition of Filipinos working in huge farms, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said over the weekend.
Au pair is a program for young people to spend some time abroad to learn about culture and foreign languages while helping their hosts with duties related to childcare
Nagano also shared with Fos IOM’s Voluntary Assisted Return Programme (VARP), which provides assistance to migrants without legal right to stay in Norway and are planning to return voluntarily to their home countries.
She mentioned their upcoming project to provide Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar (PDOS) to future engineers who will be working in big Lithium Battery manufacturers in the northern Norwegian region.