The impacts of COVID-19 on Filipino irregular migrant domestic workers in the Kingdom of the Netherlands

The Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands has instituted stricter immigration policies since the early 1990s. However, as in other countries, preventing irregular migration remains a challenge for the Kingdom of the Netherlands. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck and lockdowns were imposed, among those severely affected were irregular migrant workers, including those working informally in the domestic sector. The pandemic has brought a combination of health, socioeconomic and protection challenges. However, the lived experiences of Filipino irregular migrant domestic workers (IMDWs) in the Kingdom of the Netherlands point to a range of impacts instead of a homogenous one. Drawing on participant observations and interviews with IMDWs themselves, as well as key informants, three specific impacts were identified first: (a) income and financial remittance volatility; (b) dual-country or transnational precarity; and (c) physical and migration status immobility. This article then explains how IMDWs address such impacts and how they advocate for themselves and build resilience despite the limitations imposed by their precarious legal status. The article also highlights the important role played by civil society organizations and local governments in service provision for irregular migrants in times of crises. Finally, the article illustrates how some welfare provision efforts do not necessarily contradict a restrictive migration policy and identify gaps in the Dutch multilevel approach to migration governance.