The visas of Filipino caregivers participating in South Korea’s caregiver pilot program will be extended for another year, Korean authorities announced on Friday.

Initially launched by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Korea’s Ministry of Employment and Labor, the program was originally set to run for only six months, ending on 28 February. However, the Korean government has decided to extend the program, granting caregivers a 36-month extension, which includes the seven months they have already spent in the country since arriving in August.

There are currently no discussions about whether caregivers will be allowed to work beyond the one-year extension for the remaining 17 months.

Several improvements will accompany the extension, including a salary increase from KW 13,940 (approximately P550) per hour to KW 16,800 (approximately P670) per hour. This raise is intended to help caregivers cover insurance and other living expenses.

Additionally, caregivers will now have the freedom to choose their accommodations. This change comes after complaints regarding the high rental costs of their shared housing near Yeoksam Station, which amounts to KW 510,000 per month (around P20,400).

As of now, there are 98 Filipino caregivers serving around 180 households.

According to reports from a Korean news outlet, only four to seven caregivers have expressed interest in returning to the Philippines.

In early February, reports indicated a lower-than-expected interest in the program, leading authorities to cancel plans to recruit additional caregivers from other partner countries.