Being a domestic helper is a tough job, but there are things you can do to stay long with your employer. Aside from your own efforts though, the government has a lot of programs that ensure domestic helpers get treated well and get the pay and benefits that they deserve. One such government is Italy, and that is why you need to consider working in this country.
Also Read: Italy Do’s and Dont’s
Working as a domestic helper in Italy definitely has its perks. In this article, we will look into how much a DH can earn working in Italy based on the information shared by a Filipina working there. Aside from the salary, she also talks about some of the benefits she receives, and what the difference is between a documented and non-documented DH. Read on if you are interested.
Disclaimer: The information posted here is based on the personal experiences shared by the OFW in the video below. Please let this post serve as a guide only. If you have specific questions, you may ask the OFW by commenting on their video on their accounts.
How much can you earn working as a Domestic Worker in Italy?
As mentioned above, the information presented in this video is from a domestic helper working in Italy. She uses her YouTube channel named “The CORTEL Fam” to post content mainly about her experiences working and living in the country. If you want to watch the full video, then you can click on the link below:
The vlogger works as a domestic helper in Italy. She talks about how blessed she is. Starting as an undocumented domestic helper, she was able to make her way to the top and become a documented one. She was therefore then able to petition her family to join her in Italy. Moreover, she became a permanent resident.
In the video, she mentioned that what she is about to share is only based on her own experience. That is, she acknowledges that other domestic helpers working in Italy have a different point of view.
One can divide the kinds of DH working in Italy into two categories:
- Working without documentation
- Working with documentation
Correspondingly, each kind of DH has a different salary rate and each receives different benefits.
Salary and Benefits of a DH in Italy Without Documentation
A domestic helper working in Italy but is not yet documented is earning a monthly income of 700 euro. In Philippine Pesos, that is equivalent to around 40,000 PhP, depending on the exchange rate.
The vlogger mentioned that she used to work without documentation, and these are the conditions or benefits she receives:
- Full time work living in with the employer
- Free food
- Rest hour
- Five and a half working days
- Day offs on Sundays and Half a day on Wednesdays
The vlogger mentioned that the 700 euros she earns is clean, with no deductions. That’s because she doesn’t have documentation yet, which means she has no contract. This further implies that she doesn’t have to pay for contributions, neither does her employer.
The good thing is that even if she isn’t documented, the law still mandates that she receives the following benefits on a yearly basis:
- 13th month pay
- Vacation with pay
- Separation pay
All in all, since she is earning 700 euros per month, you multiply that by 3 and she gets an additional bonus of 2,100 euros yearly. That is equivalent to around 120,000 pesos.
Here’s a little bit more facts about these benefits.
- 13th month pay – you get this during December
- Vacation with pay – you get this during August
- Separation pay – you get this during December or January if you and your employer agrees that you get it on a yearly basis. This was something that her employer prefers, so she gets this pay every year.
Challenges during the first few years of working as a DH in Italy
The vlogger said that during her first few years, she really had a hard time. That’s primarily due to the language barrier; she couldn’t speak Italian yet. Moreover, she had zero experience and was not yet that skilled in the roles and responsibilities of domestic helpers.
Despite these challenges, she decided to take the opportunity to learn. In fact, even before she became documented, she already started learning how to speak Italian. Her strategy was to talk to the kids. She would talk and listen to the kids, and they would patiently help her learn the language.
In addition, she had to learn how to do all the chores on the job. She mentioned that she learned how to cook, clean, iron clothes, and other chores the right way by experience.
Salary and Benefits of a DH in Italy Without Documentation
The vlogger mentioned that she eventually got documented. Once she had the papers, she decided to transfer to another employer.
For her new employer, she earned a monthly salary of 900 euros or higher. In Philippine pesos, this is equivalent to around 51,500 PhP. Moreover, she still receives all the benefits that she had when she was undocumented.
She still receives 13th month pay, vacation with pay and separation pay. But in addition, she now has some deductions in her salary. These are contributions to an agency similar to SSS in the Philippines.
So what are the benefits from these contributions? These are the following:
- You get health coverage when you get sick
- You get benefits when you get pregnant. They will pay you during maternity leave
- You also get a health card.
What are the benefits of having a health card?
- You get free hospitalization
- You get free doctor’s appointment
- Some medical examinations are not free, but you get a heavily discounted price.
An example of this is when the vlogger got surgery. She said that she didn’t have pay for the ultrasound and the blood tests, but she had to pay for the MRI scan. The original price for an MRI is 250 euro, but because of her health card, she only had to pay 45 euro.
Is the salary enough for the costs of living?
To be absolutely clear, the vlogger said that she isn’t discouraging other Filipinos who are working as domestic helpers without documentation. She merely stated the benefits of being documented, but she knows that there are really hardworking ones, and she can relate because she used to be one.
In fact, she mentioned that the great thing about working in Italy is that you don’t get deported even if you don’t have the papers. As long as they see that you are working hard and you are not being a nuisance to society then they tend to let you remain.
She’s been working 2 years already, 10 hours per day from Monday to Friday. During Saturdays she only works 3 hours. Nowadays, her salary is around 1000 euros or higher. That’s around 57,200 pesos per month.
She mentioned that this salary is more than enough for the monthly expenses. But the great thing is that she’s not the only one working for their family. Her husband also works. Their two salaries combined is more than enough to live a stable life in Italy.
That’s why she is really thankful that after 9 years of hustling in the country, she finally got to the point were she has a stable job and a decent life, and she can’t help but feel that God has arranged her life for the better.
So what are the perks you can expect as a DH in general?
- You get free lunch break
- You typically get at least 2 rest hours
- You get free food if you work full time
- You can be given a monthly ticket for your meals. A ticket is worth 35 euro
Staying long in the job
The vlogger mentioned that she no longer asked for a monthly ticket from her employers. That’s because she is already happy with their arrangement and she feels blessed.
The great thing about her employer is that they trust her. They especially trust her in terms of taking care of their children. In fact, she loves the kids and treats them like they are her own kids.
Not only is she close to the kids, her kids are also really close to them. And in general, the rest of the family loves her and both families involved love and respect each other.
In fact, if for some reason she can’t go to work, she always asks her husband to replace her, and the employer is fine with that.
She mentions that the reason why they trust her so much is because she loves her job, and that because of this they love her back. It all boils down to the golden rule: Do to others what they want them to do to you.
So there you have it. These are the salary and benefits of a domestic helper in Italy. The salary is definitely more than enough to sustain a stable career and life in general. Moreover, the government is there to protect you and make sure all your rights are upheld. If you are interested, pretty soon, you will experience the good life of an OFW in Italy.