Care migration

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The term care migration describes an arrangement in which migrants , mainly from Central and Eastern Europe , work permanently or in the specific form of “commuting migration” in the private households of people in need of care and assistance. The majority of these are live-in relationships, in which the foreign domestic help or carer lives in the same household as the person in need of care. The foreign domestic help is responsible for 24 hours a day. Commuter migration means that the migrant women return to their country of origin after a certain time interval (often over three months) in order to return to their job after a break (different time periods).

Care migrants come from economically poorer countries to Switzerland , Germany and Austria and take on housekeeping and caring activities. They cook, clean, wash, help with personal hygiene and are there for the elderly, mostly around the clock. Virtually all of them are women who do this paid care work. That is why there is talk of care migrants in public discourse.

Care migration is a controversial issue: some see it as a " win-win situation". Elderly people can spend their old age at home for as long as possible (and cheaply). Care migrants improve their economic situation in their home country. Others speak of “modern slavery” and emphasize irregular and exploitative working conditions: low wages, physical and psychological overload, social isolation. Ultimately, regardless of the public debate, there is a demand for care and support at home . If those affected consider the service of 24-hour care by a care migrant, this is often associated with (justified) fears of slipping into the legal gray area. In this case, the need for information for correct action is high.

In Austria, a legal regulation for 24-hour care was introduced in order to direct this form of home nursing into legal channels.

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Anke Lehmann (2017): Care Migration: Care of the Future? (PDF; 523.76 kB)
  2. ↑ Mission statement - CareInfo. Retrieved on March 2, 2018 (Swiss Standard German).