Nowadays in most families both parents are working and a nanny is a necessity for those who want to keep the children in a happy and safe environment. The best solution would be to find a live-in nanny who can care for the kids while the parents are at work. The majority of nannies willing to work as a live-in caregiver are from overseas i.e.: Europe, Philippines, and South America.
Recent studies show that 96% of the caregivers arriving in Canada under the Live-in Caregiver Program are from Philippines. The rest 4% are from Europe (Slovakia, Ukraine, Russia, etc,) and from South America.
In most cases the nannies coming from Europe are well educated and trained as teachers or nurses. After working as babysitters in Europe (in particular Great Britain) they decide to move on and seek a job as a nanny in Canada. Unlike Europe, the former babysitters can apply in Canada for permanent residence after two years of employment as a live-in caregiver providing better chances to settle in Canada in an easier and faster way. The majority of those coming from Europe have a driver license which allowed them to obtain a Canadian driver license after they pass the road test. Having years of experience in Europe as babysitters and most cases a University degrees they are easily accepted by Canadian families, moreover they are in demand as many parents are looking for a nanny who is able to drive the kids to activities, school and supervise them during studying time. European nannies are preferred by families who are looking for more of a nanny then a housekeeper. In this case the parents are most concerned to have somebody to contribute to their offspring education and for the cleaning they will have a professional housekeeper several times a month. Of course the nanny will do some housekeeping and cooking, but her main duty is to focus on the children well-being.
The former babysitter working as a nanny will need some time to adjust to her new environment. Unlike her job in Europe where she worked fewer hours a week for room and board and pocket money, in Canada she will have a busy schedule with a full time job and more responsibilities. It would be very helpful if the family can provide her with childcare duties and guidance about the house and work schedule. The nanny job requires somebody who is flexible and willing to adjust her schedule to family’s needs. For a happy relation nanny-family the parents should have a clear picture about what they require from a nanny and the nanny should have an idea about what the family is expecting from her.
Although most of the nannies are willing to do housekeeping, laundry, grocery shopping, etc. it is recommended to have a work agreement in writing to avoid any misunderstandings. The employment agreement should include details about the work schedule, salary and benefits, overtime compensation, holidays, childcare and housekeeping duties, etc.
It is also recommended to keep an honest and open communication dialog with the nanny, praise her for the good work she has done and discuss any issues that arise before a decision is taken. Let the nanny know what is expected of and respond to her needs. The more you help your new nanny to adjust to her new environment, the sooner you will be confident to leave your children in her care.
4 comments:
Hello I´m Brazilian, and I´m looking foward for a job as a caregiver in Canada. I felt really sad about this post. I agree that European girls may have more opportunities to get Education, therefore they seem more qualifield to be a caregiver, but I had experience as an au pair in USA and I noticed that most of the girls who came from Europe stayed shorter than the other girls who came from Latin America and Asia. Talking to some of them I could see that they were not so much involved emotionally with their host family. What I mean is of course it is important to check out the nannies Educational background, but also whether they are or not emotionally prepared for this kind of job that includes not only be away from your family and culture but also be immersed in another family and culture
Hello I´m Brazilian, and I´m looking foward for a job as a caregiver in Canada. I felt really sad about this post. I agree that European girls may have more opportunities to get Education, therefore they seem more qualifield to be a caregiver, but I had experience as an au pair in USA and I noticed that most of the girls who came from Europe stayed shorter than the other girls who came from Latin America and Asia. Talking to some of them I could see that they were not so much involved emotionally with their host family. What I mean is of course it is important to check out the nannies Educational background, but also whether they are or not emotionally prepared for this kind of job that includes not only be away from your family and culture but also be immersed in another family and culture
I am not so sure about how's your being "educated" really mean. Asian workers particularly the Filipinos are mostly educated and the most hardworking (no wonder they make up the most number of nannies being hired...).They work from their heart and they learn through their heart. I was just sad of reading such kind of an article. Doesn't seem to be fair to say Europeans are more educated. I don't think so.I would rather prefer to have a nanny who works with sincerity, honesty, commitment and love then hiring a doctoral graduate who works only for money and benefits.
I am not so sure about how's your being "educated" really mean. Asian workers particularly the Filipinos are mostly educated and the most hardworking (no wonder they make up the most number of nannies being hired...).They work from their heart and they learn through their heart. I was just sad of reading such kind of an article. Doesn't seem to be fair to say Europeans are more educated. I don't think so.I would rather prefer to have a nanny who works with sincerity, honesty, commitment and love then hiring a doctoral graduate who works only for money and benefits.
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