3.2. Undeclared work
The fact that the sector faces fierce competition and struggles with high staff turnover increases the
opportunities for illegal work. Although different sources acknowledge the existence of illegal labour, no
concrete figures are available. [2] [5]
A Polish study [13] on employment of foreigners in Polish households in 2001-2002 showed that the
majority of foreigners employed in households are illegal workers, originating mainly from Ukraine,
Belarus and Russia. The number of undeclared migrant workers is estimated to be several times
greater than the one of workers in possession of individual work permits in Poland and its neighbouring
countries. Undeclared workers are mainly found in jobs that do not require high qualifications, including
household duties and cleaning – as well as construction work, farm work, care of elderlies and children.
They are often found in the lowest market segments that are regarded as unattractive by native
workers, and have few rights, if any [14].
A Norwegian survey on wage disparities between Norwegian and Polish workers in Norway found for
instance that illegal work is most common among self-employed individuals. In the cleaning services
sector, which has the largest proportion of self-employed individuals, 84% of workers operate illegally or
in a grey area. [15]
In order to create new employment opportunities for the sector, and to open the cleaning sector towards
private individuals, different countries have introduced service cheques or vouchers for instance in
Belgium, France or Germany. This is supposed to create job opportunities for unemployed people with
a low level of education and to achieve a shift from unregistered labour towards registered labour in the
sector [16].
The cheques enable users to buy household services and include health and accident insurance
contributions. The cheque seeks to facilitate and promote legal 'quasi-employment' in the area of
household-related services. By paying with the cheque, the (quasi-)employer fulfills all social insurance
obligations on behalf of the worker who - for his or her part - has to declare all the cheques received for
the work. In Belgium the vouchers can for instance be used for the following private services to
individuals: cleaning, gardening, ironing, preparation of meals, doing groceries. More than 90% of the
vouchers are used for cleaning activities. Although the cheques are intended to create sustainable jobs,
in practice, the cheques have sometimes the opposite effect by creating more precarious short term
contracts. [12] [16] [17]