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Paid Migrant Domestic Labour in Gender-Equal Norway: A Win–Win Arrangement?

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Paid Migrant Domestic Labour in a Changing Europe

Part of the book series: Citizenship, Gender and Diversity ((FEMCIT))

Abstract

In this chapter, Kristensen explores the recent increase in paid domestic labour in Norway. The chapter’s empirical point of departure is employers’ experiences of paying migrant women to undertake work that, in line with today’s political and cultural ideals of gender equality, should be shared equally between the sexes. The chapter argues that paid migrant domestic labour has smoothed the implementation of both the dual-earner and the dual-carer aspect of the gender equality ideal. It also demonstrates that employers, by focusing on migrant women’s empowerment (in the country of origin) rather than their exploitation and subordination (in Norway), create a win–win narrative in which paid migrant domestic labour is made compatible with the Norwegian citizenship ideals of gender equality and social equality.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    In Norway the statutory parental leave is either 49 weeks at 100 % salary or 59 weeks at 80 % salary, to be divided between both parents. By law, the mother must take nine weeks of parental leave. The father is entitled to 2 weeks paid leave when the baby is born. In addition, the father must take an additional 10 weeks before the child turns 3 years old. If the father does not take these 10 weeks, they are withdrawn. With respect to the remaining weeks, the parents can decide if the mother takes it all, the father takes it all, or they both work part-time and share it. The National Welfare Office covers an income up to six times the National Insurance basic amount. In addition, most employers top up to the employee’s full salary.

  2. 2.

    The paternity leave quota was introduced in Norway in 1993. In the first years, the quota was 4 weeks. Over the years to come, it was gradually extended to 14 weeks before it was reduced to 10 weeks by the new conservative government in 2013.

  3. 3.

    In the last few years, substantial efforts have been made to increase day care facilities in Norway and, today, approximately 90 % of children between the ages of 1 and 5 go to kindergarten. Source: http://www.ssb.no/utdanning/statistikker/barnehager

  4. 4.

    In 2013, the employment rate for women (20–66 years) was 77.1 %, and 82.7 % for men.

  5. 5.

    In 2013, 34.7 % of women aged 20–66 worked part-time, compared to 13.9 % of men.

  6. 6.

    According to Ruth Lister, the comprehensive Norwegian/Nordic welfare model is characterised by a ‘passion for equality’ (Lister, 2009, p. 246).

  7. 7.

    In Norway, rights to unemployment benefits and sick leave are dependent on taxation.

  8. 8.

    In comparison, the average Norwegian wage was 5287 euros a month in 2014. Source: https://www.ssb.no/arbeid-og-lonn/statistikker/lonnansatt/aar/2015-03-20. Au pairs are granted health insurance that covers medical treatment and return to country of origin, if necessary. The Holidays Act applies to the payment of holiday pay to au pairs.

  9. 9.

    The empirical material was produced as part of the research project ‘Buying and Selling Gender Equality. Feminised Migration and (Gender) Equality in Contemporary Norway’, financed by the Research Council of Norway.

  10. 10.

    With one exception, I interviewed the couples in pairs.

  11. 11.

    In the book chapter ‘A Fair Deal? Paid Domestic Labour in Social Democratic Norway’ (Kristensen, 2015), I also present examples of other, though more marginal, ways of framing the decision to employ domestic labourers than the need for help; these include the wish to get to know new people, to help the children learn more English, and to give another person the opportunity to come to Norway and experience Norwegian culture.

  12. 12.

    Due to anonymity requirements, I use aliases for all interviewees.

  13. 13.

    As a Norwegian working week is 37.5 hours, working 90 % means working 33.75 hours per week.

  14. 14.

    This does not mean that cultural exchange did not occur in these families, or that it was not considered important by the host families.

  15. 15.

    As several of the au pairs had come to Norway before the Norwegian government in 2012 decided that au pairs could not have children, several of my employers had experience with hosting au pairs who had children in their home country.

  16. 16.

    When this interview was done, the minimum wage was approximately 500 euros (4000 NOK).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture, Centre for Gender Studies, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway

    Guro Korsnes Kristensen

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  1. Guro Korsnes Kristensen
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture, Norwegian University of Science and Tech Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture, Trondheim, Norway

    Berit Gullikstad

  2. Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture, Norwegian University of Science and Tech Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture, Trondheim, Norway

    Guro Korsnes Kristensen

  3. Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture, Norwegian University of Science and Tech Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture, Jakobsli, Trondheim, Norway

    Priscilla Ringrose

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Kristensen, G.K. (2016). Paid Migrant Domestic Labour in Gender-Equal Norway: A Win–Win Arrangement?. In: Gullikstad, B., Kristensen, G., Ringrose, P. (eds) Paid Migrant Domestic Labour in a Changing Europe. Citizenship, Gender and Diversity. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-51742-5_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-51742-5_8

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-137-51741-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-137-51742-5

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