Sponsoring Maids and Nannies into Korea

Only foreign diplomats posted to a mission in Korea and select officers of multinationals that have invested more than KRW500billion (in excess of 500million USD) can sponsor foreign home help. 

Sponsors of foreign home help are responsible for the conduct and well-being of their sponsored staff. This includes, but is not limited to:
-  return air fare to and from their home country
-  accommodations
-  health care, including payment of all medical expenses
-  at least one full day off a week

Sponsoring process as described by an expat who sponsored a Philippines national:
It is not a very difficult process.  If you have someone you already want to sponsor it can take you 3-4 weeks to get her here. 

1. The first step will obviously be to find your maid.  In this case, you can go thorugh an agency or get referrals from other expats - check out the korea4expats.com Forum for postings from people who are leaving Korea. . 

2. After you've found your maid, the next step is to submit to the Philippines Embassy the following documents: 

a)  One original and four copies of contract of employment.  (A sample contract is available from the Philippines Labor Office, which is at the ground floor of the Philippines Embassy

b)  Photocopy of your (as sponsor) Korean ID card or diplomatic ID.

c)  Photocopy of the domestic helper’s passport

d)  Fee: KRW 56,000 (Fee paid at the time, may have changed. Please check with the Embassy)

e)  Photocopy of Insurance Policy for the domestic helper and receipt.  Medical coverage should be at least $10,000. (Insurance companies in Korea have provided such coverage to Filipino household workers and this doesn't cost a lot.  I might have paid around W280,000.)

Note:  This process will take about 2-4 days depending on the workload of the Consular Section.

After you get your notarized and sealed contract from the Philippines Embassy, the next step is to get the Certificate of Confirmation of Visa Issuance from the Visa Division of the Immigration office in Seoul (2650-6233/6234).  You then need to provide the following documents:

a)  A formal letter of invitation (Stating the reason for invitation).

b)  Form #21: Application for Confirmation of Visa Issuance (you can get this from the Immigration Office) – filled in & signed

c)  Form #129: Certification of Guarantee from Sponsor

d)  Copy of Original Contract Agreement between employer and employee – signed by both parties and verified by the Philippine Embassy

e)  A Letter of Employment for the sponsor

f)  Copy of Employer's ID card (front and back) issued by the Korean Government

g)  Copy of Employer’s Passport

h)  Photocopy of the Domestic Helper’s Passport

i)  One color photocopy of the domestic helper (35mmx45mm)

  
Note:  Make sure to photocopy all your documents before submitting them.  Documents have to be submitted personally to the Visa Department of the Immigration Office.  You will receive a registration number from the Visa Division, after submission of documents.  Then, after about a week, you should get a confirmation  number of Certificate for Confirmation of Visa Issuance. 

Lastly, once you have received the Confirmation of Visa Issuance, which is a 6 digit number, you will then get in touch with your nanny and provide her with this number, which she will provide to the Korean Embassy in the Philippines when she applies for a visa to travel to Korea.

Editor's Note: some things may have changed since this information was posted (regulations change very quickly in Korea), so please do check the Philippines Embassy to find out the exact proceedure required now. This should, however, give you a pretty accurate idea of the process involved in hiring foreign home help in Korea.  The advantage of foreign home help is that they speak English, have likely had experience working with Western families, have a culture that is relatively similar, and are interested in doing this kind of work.