Contractual violations A 2008 study by the Filipino Women's Organization PINAY Quebec and the
McGill University School of Social Work found that only 22.1% of employers always respected the contract, and that 25% signed no contract at all. Further contractual violations included: 34% of participants reporting denial of fair pay for unpaid childcare wages; 43% reporting having provided unpaid overtime; and 30% reporting having made purchases for the job with personal finances.
Educational criticisms Another issue has been the
deskilling of caregivers, who are required to have a grade 12 education (or acceptable equivalent) and domestic service training. Often, these workers have a university education or training as
registered nurses, making them
overqualified for the jobs they are performing. Furthermore, caregiver responsibilities under the program often do not encourage the development of additional skills that could provide upward mobility within the national workforce. As such, the labour potential of caregivers is largely under-utilized. Scholars have characterized the program as exploitative based on its recruitment of migrant women to perform difficult jobs, while not putting adequate oversight and accountability measures in place. Critics contended that as a means of boosting
immigration to Canada, the program failed to attract caregivers from a diverse pool of countries. For example, the Philippine nanny is often improperly stereotyped as the program's main market for applicants. While there may be a large and functional industry in the Philippines to produce qualified applicants, individuals from nearly every nation can qualify. Some caregiver placement agencies are substantially broader through their international advertising and the use of immigration legal services.
Impact on families Mama (Inay), a 2024 documentary film by Thea Loo, explores the impact of women's participation in the program on their children who were left behind in the Philippines. == References ==