Evening star., 1963-12-23

LIS ~C-4C AAOA4 bAAC &@1S4A SOAA4-
tries.
They account for several
at least three or four-a
month" the inspector said.
Why are they seeking the
changer
Il don't ask that" the In
spector said. IF people decide
to stay, it's none Of our busi-
ness why"
Open-QuOta System
Once in this country, the
Central and South American
maids have no trouble in chang
ing from diplomatic to immi-
grant status.
No quota-limit on the num-
Der Of persons permitted to i'm
migrate to the United States
from another country-is i'm
posed on our American neigh
bors to the south. Unlike
Southern Europeans and Asians,
South and Central America
counties come under an OPEN
quota system.
There is not even q time
limit imposed on length Of stay
in this country before applying
for q visa change
"It can be one day." a visa
officer noted.
All the maids have to do is
visit the immigration Service
office in the Old Post Office
Building In downtown Wash
ington. AS long as they comply
with immigration laws, they're
in.
Because they're already here,
they can bypass one hurdle
that keeps a lot Of people out
proof Of sufficient funds to
support oneself or proof Of en-
ployment.
Some JOb-Hop
One reason the maids are at
tracted here is that jobs are
so readily available to them.
The Washington area is q big
maid market.
Good maids are so scarce
that friends have been known
to steal domestic help from one
another.
The scarcity also provides
maids with a fluid job pattern
Wiser ones-or ones who have
been around long enough to
size UP the situation - dis
cover they can job-hop and i'm
prove their salary position along
the way.
The Central and South Amer
lean MAIDS learn the mobility
trick, apparently, from their
friends who have learned 1t be-
fore them.
One employer, for example,
reported that she has had six
Spanish-speaking maids in the
last dozen years. She had to
hunt for only the first one.
The others were friends" or
friends of friends" Of the pre-
vious maid.
Another employer said she
acquires her Latin maids
through social contracts. She
can count on a diplomatic
friend to get her one-or she
can entice an Embassy girl to
to work for her.
Work For Less
Foreign maids are more de-
sirable, employers say, because
they'll live in and because
they'll work tor wages lower
than their Washington counter
parts, in the domestic trade.
Remember, they come up
for diplomats who pay very
little. After that experience,
we Americans look very good
to them" one employer said.
Employers tell of both good
and bad experiences with Latin
American help.
One said she wouldn't hire
any other national group be-
cause these Spanish-speaking
girls like to be with a family,
like to feel they're part Of a
family more than anyone else.
Another complained that
while she keeps on hiring Latin
girls-her current maid came
to her from a diplomatic home
she's had considerable trou-
BILE with thievery, surliness and
lazineSS.
The going rate for overseas
maids in private employment?
II think $150-$160 a month
is q good going wage" one
housewife said.
"I know some people so des-
parate for domestic help that
they are paying $200-$250 a
month. think that's too high, ~
she said. They're getting no
more loyalty or better work
because Of that extra money"
Popularity Grows
One thing is sure in the
Washington maid trade:
Domestic help from overseas
is getting increasingly popular.
All three employment agen-
cies bringing in foreign maids
as business-National Person.
mel Center, World Abilities
Search, Inc, and King Per-
sonnel Agency - report their
business goes up yearly. Ninety
per cent Of their girls are
from the British Isles. Others
come mainly from Germany,
Sweden and, in q few cases.
Brazil.
Last year about 400 were
brought here on immigrant
visas to work as maids. Indi-
cations are that this years
figure will be higher.
And the demand for foreign
domestics far exceeds the sup
ply, one agency director said.
Ever since Washington was
pictured as q crime-ridden city
---AHsA.n Il