Nanny&Me

The age-old question of whether or not to use an agency to help you find a nanny is a tough one. If you have the time and energy, then chances are you can manage the process of recruiting and selecting a nanny, and filing the paperwork yourself, but I completely understand that for some people the task seems too overwhelming. I have a great support network of savvy and competent people around me which has probably contributed to my confidence in taking on the process.

For many people, the cost associated with hiring an agency (between $800-1,400 if sponsoring from overseas) is a huge deterrent and feels like a big undertaking. Recently I had an acquaintance contact me and share the good news that she had found a wonderful nanny through an agency. She was elated to tell me that she didn’t even have to pay anything. The agency was operating out of Hong Kong and wasn’t charging her a cent, which I am learning is not so uncommon when using overseas agencies. I can see why this would seem like a great idea; a FREE agency that will do all of the legwork and find you a great nanny, what a steal! But who’s footing the bill? Surely the agency isn’t just working out of the kindness of their heart. The answer…your future nanny. Your future nanny is likely in debt to the agency that found her the position with you, and potentially previous agencies as well.

Now some people might say, “well is that really a big deal?” I mean people use talent agencies and pay them fees right? Yes, but perhaps on a different scale. If a band uses a talent agent to find them a gig, they will probably pay them a small reasonable commission, but they certainly won’t be going into debt to do it. I spoke with one individual from the Philippines who was in debt to an agency who charged her the equivalent of $1,200 Canadian to place her with a family. The average wage in the Philippines is equivalent to about $200/month Canadian, and the average wage in Hong Kong (for a nanny) is about $450/month Canadian. If a nanny is in debt to an agency for $1,200 when they’re making $450/month, that is a LOT of money. Imagine using a recruiter in your profession, and perhaps finding a job that pays you $4,000/month and then owing the recruiter $12,000 for finding you the job! There are nannies out there that owe multiple agencies finder’s fees and when you’re making minimum wage (for live-in positions) this really adds up to be a serious burden, but a lot of nannies don’t have other options as they don’t know where to look to find the positions, and don’t have adequate experience or professional job training to feel confident in pursuing positions themselves.

To the best of my knowledge, Canadian agencies don’t charge their nanny candidates fees, but it is probably a good question to ask. Maybe you’re comfortable if they charge them a small  amount or even a not so small amount, but the important thing is to be informed. If you’re finding a nanny and completing the process on your own, then hopefully my blog offers you helpful resources and if an agency is the right fit for you then hopefully my blog is still helpful to you, but I’ll leave you with this, just keep in mind that if you’re not paying an agency, then someone else is footing the bill because they’re not working for free.