MANILA, Philippines (Jul 2026) – Wealthier nations across the Asia-Pacific are becoming completely dependent on Pinay caregivers and nurses to support their aging populations, yet these essential workers face severe gaps in labor rights and social protection.
According to a new study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), countries like Japan, Singapore, and Australia are facing massive labor shortages as their populations grow older. To fill the void, they are turning to skilled workers from the Philippines to sustain their care systems.
The numbers show a massive reliance on Philippine labor. For instance, Singapore employed roughly 250,000 foreign domestic workers in 2021, and about half of them were Pinays. Meanwhile, Australia employs around 10,000 Filipino healthcare professionals, and Japan has taken in more than 3,000 nurses and caregivers under a bilateral economic agreement.
A deep concentration of women
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) reveals a steady pipeline of women entering the care sector. Women make up over 85 percent of both enrollees and graduates in local caregiving training programs, dominating the country’s care workforce.
Foreign employers prefer Pinay care workers due to their high English proficiency, exceptional caregiving skills, and quick cultural adaptability.
The caregiver paradox
Despite being absolutely indispensable to eldercare and domestic services abroad, many Pinays face a harsh reality once they deploy. The study highlights a growing paradox: destination countries depend heavily on these workers but fail to provide them with adequate safety nets. Many migrant workers suffer from insecure employment, grueling work hours, language barriers, and limited career growth. They also lack equal access to healthcare, social security benefits, and basic labor protections.
There is also a hidden cost back home. While overseas jobs bring in vital remittances, the constant outflow of medical and care professionals is triggering a local “care deficit,” leaving the Philippines short of its own healthcare workers.
What needs to change
To address these gaps, the study authors urge regional governments to step up. They recommend implementing ethical recruitment practices, expanding portable healthcare and social benefits, and ensuring cross-border recognition of professional skills. Stronger bilateral agreements between the Philippines and destination countries are also vital to secure decent work and fair treatment.
The authors emphasized that recognizing the economic value of care work must go hand in hand with protecting the human beings who provide it.
The full research paper, titled “The Future of Work in Aging Societies: Filipina Migrant Workers in the Asia-Pacific Value Chains,” can be accessed through the PIDS study portal.
For more on this story, check out our coverage on PIDS studies.
