Nannies earn double compared to senior caregivers

Domestic helpers who specialize in caring for newborns earned the most with salaries double that of ayis who look after seniors, according to a pay list released today by the Shanghai Household Services Association.

The list, issued quarterly, provides salary guidance for people who want to hire an ayi, the Chinese term for a maid.

In the fourth quarter, an ayi with more than five years of maternal and child nursing experience earned about 6,000 yuan (US$967) a month, compared with 2,000 yuan for those who are less competitive.

But the salary stayed flat with that in the third quarter.

According to the list, good babysitters earned the second most at 3,500 yuan a month.

Domestic helpers who specialize in caring for the elderly earned 3,000 yuan a month, 100 yuan more than the previous quarter. Those have less or no experience at all earned 2,000 yuan a month.

Ayi's salary is decided by their experience and skills, the association said.

Domestic helpers for seniors are in great shortage in Shanghai as many are reluctant to serve elderly people due to low pays and hard work, said Chen Xizhu, director of the association.

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