Advertisement
Opinion | Ageing Asia needs immigration reform to end care worker shortage
- Asian countries in need of long-term carers cannot meet the growing demand through domestic recruitment alone
- Multi-year visas, emigration that benefits countries of origin and regional collaboration can all help ensure proper care
Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
Asia needs millions more long-term care workers to look after its ageing population. Fuelled by increasing life expectancy and falling total fertility rates, the number of people in Asia aged 60 or over will reach 1.3 billion by 2050.
Advertisement
For example, in 1960, the average life expectancy in China was just 44. By 2060, it is expected to reach 83. These older people have more complex conditions, leading to a greater need for long-term care.
In the past, this meant younger people tended to stay close to home to care for their older relatives. But, increasingly, they are moving to cities and seeking out new opportunities.
Women are seeking fulfilling careers and are less likely to take up a traditional caring role. As a result, many older people – especially women, those living in poverty, and in rural areas – cannot access the care they need.
Today, the Asia-Pacific region lacks 8.2 million care workers. In China, it is estimated there is just one formal long-term care worker per 100 older people, compared to the global recommendation of at least four.
Advertisement
Whether it is because of the wages and working conditions offered, perception and status of those who work as carers or true labour scarcity, the demand for long-term care in Asia is not being met through local recruitment.
Advertisement