美国月嫂市场需求激增：竞争与法律挑战 The US Market for Confinement Nannies is Booming: Competition and Legal Challenge

01美国月嫂市场现状

在美国，月嫂的需求持续攀升，其平均工资在2024年已达到相当水平。高额工资的诱惑使得众多华人纷纷涌向美国，希望成为一名月嫂，赚取8000美元左右的丰厚收入。而为了降低人力成本，美国的月子中心纷纷从中国大陆招聘月嫂，这一行为却涉嫌违法。近期，美国南加州地区的月嫂们反映，由于这些中心的行为，他们当地的工作机会变得稀少。同时，这些来自中国的女性月嫂可能面临签证欺诈和非法打工等指控，最高可判处15年监禁。此外，当地律师指出，那些从中国聘请月嫂的雇主可能也会被追究刑事责任，与被雇用的中国女子同罪，同样面临长达15年的监禁。

01 The Current State of the US Postpartum Caregiver Market

► Demand and Competition

In the United States, the demand for postpartum caregivers continues to rise, with average wages reaching a considerable level by 2024. The allure of high salaries has attracted many Chinese to the US, hoping to become postpartum caregivers and earn a substantial income of around $8,000. However, to reduce labor costs, postpartum care centers in the US are increasingly recruiting postpartum caregivers from mainland China, a practice that is suspected of being illegal. Recently, postpartum caregivers in Southern California have reported that their local job opportunities have become scarce due to these centers' actions. Furthermore, these female postpartum caregivers from China may face charges of visa fraud and illegal employment, which could carry a maximum sentence of 15 years imprisonment. In addition, local lawyers point out that employers who hire postpartum caregivers from China may also face criminal charges, suffering the same fate as the employed Chinese women and facing up to 15 years in prison.

跨国请月嫂，究竟抢了谁的饭碗？

在美国南加州地区，近期出现了一种现象：许多月子中心纷纷从中国大陆招聘月嫂，这一行为不仅引发了当地月嫂们的担忧，更揭示了一个深层次的问题：跨国请月嫂究竟抢走了谁的饭碗？这一现象不仅影响了当地月嫂的就业机会，更可能触及了签证欺诈和非法打工等法律问题，甚至可能导致长达15年的监禁。那么，在这场跨国雇佣的背后，究竟是谁成为了最大的受益者，而谁又失去了工作机会呢？

在南加州地区，一位拥有超过十年月嫂经验的中年人感慨道，如今找到一份工作变得愈发困难。这位在橙县从事月嫂工作的中年女性透露，她发现如今找工作愈发困难，原因之一是一些月子中心倾向于从中国大陆招聘年轻女性来美国工作，这些新来者占据了原本属于她们的工作岗位。据她了解，这些来自中国的月嫂大多持有有效期为十年的多次往返签证。她表示，为了谋生，她已尽力在南加州各地区的月子中心寻找工作机会，然而现在却变得异常艰难。尽管她擅长制作月子餐并了解中国传统坐月子方法，但仍然难以找到合适的工作。

Hiring Postpartum Caregivers from Across China: Whose Jobs Are Being Taken Away?

In Southern California, a recent phenomenon has emerged: many postpartum care centers are recruiting postpartum caregivers from mainland China. This practice has not only caused concern among local postpartum caregivers but also revealed a deeper issue: whose jobs are being taken away by hiring postpartum caregivers from across China? This phenomenon not only affects the employment opportunities of local postpartum caregivers but may also involve legal issues such as visa fraud and illegal work, potentially leading to up to 15 years in prison. So, behind this cross-border employment, who is the biggest beneficiary, and who has lost their job opportunities?

In Southern California, a middle-aged woman with over ten years of experience as a postpartum caregiver lamented that finding a job has become increasingly difficult. This woman, who works as a postpartum caregiver in Orange County, revealed that she has found it increasingly difficult to find work, partly because some postpartum care centers tend to recruit young women from mainland China to work in the United States. These newcomers are taking jobs that were originally theirs. According to her understanding, most of these postpartum caregivers from China hold multiple-entry visas valid for ten years. She said that she had tried her best to find work at postpartum care centers throughout Southern California in order to make a living, but now it has become extremely difficult. Although she is skilled at preparing postpartum meals and knows about traditional Chinese postpartum care methods, she is still finding it difficult to find suitable work.

近年来，随着中国大陆月嫂的大量涌入，许多月子中心在招聘时更倾向于选择这些来自远方的年轻女性。据观察，这些新来的月嫂大多持有长达十年的多次往返签证，为美国月子市场带来了新的活力。然而，这一现象却给当地月嫂带来了不小的冲击，她们发现原本属于自己的工作机会正在逐渐减少。尽管如此，这些经验丰富的当地月嫂并未轻言放弃，她们依然坚持在南加州各地区的月子中心寻找工作机会，希望能够通过自己的努力重新赢得市场的认可。

近期，在尔湾的一家月子中心工作的月嫂反映，如今找到一份工作变得愈发困难。她发现，包括她自身工作过的月子中心在内的多家机构，都倾向于从中国大陆招聘年轻的月嫂，这些新来的月嫂不仅手脚麻利、吃苦耐劳，而且往往比中年月嫂更具有竞争力。此外，一些中国孕妇甚至选择从中国携带保姆前来美国，在美待产及产后坐月子期间都由自带保姆提供服务。

当地律师透露，月子中心老板普遍偏好雇佣中国大陆的年轻月嫂。在雇主看来，本地中年月嫂体力不足、事务繁杂，且因熟悉本地环境而可能面临更多的流言蜚语。相较之下，来自中国大陆的年轻女性则往往“心思单纯”、体力充沛，且因缺乏身份而不敢轻易提起劳资纠纷。

► Impact of Cross-Border Employment

In recent years, with the influx of postpartum care workers from mainland China, many postpartum care centers have preferred to hire these young women from afar. It has been observed that most of these new postpartum care workers hold multiple-entry visas valid for up to ten years, bringing new vitality to the US postpartum care market. However, this phenomenon has had a significant impact on local postpartum care workers, who have found their job opportunities gradually decreasing. Despite this, these experienced local postpartum care workers have not given up easily; they continue to seek job opportunities in postpartum care centers throughout Southern California, hoping to regain market recognition through their efforts.

Recently, a postpartum care worker at a center in Irvine reported that finding a job has become increasingly difficult. She found that many institutions, including the center where she had worked, prefer to recruit young postpartum care workers from mainland China. These newcomers are not only quick and hardworking but also often more competitive than middle-aged postpartum care workers. Furthermore, some pregnant Chinese women even choose to bring their own nannies to the US, where they are cared for by their own nannies during their pregnancy and postpartum period.

► Legal Challenges Faced by Chinese Confinement Nannies

Local lawyers revealed that confinement center owners generally prefer to hire young confinement nannies from mainland China. Employers believe that local middle-aged nannies lack physical strength, have numerous responsibilities, and are more likely to face gossip due to their familiarity with the local environment. In contrast, young women from mainland China are often perceived as "simple-minded," energetic, and hesitant to initiate labor disputes due to their lack of legal status.

以旅游签证身份非法打工，刑期长达15年

这些来自中国大陆的女性，在计划前往美国担任月嫂之前，若以旅游签证入境，则可能涉嫌签证欺诈，这一行为构成联邦重罪。若罪名成立，她们将面临长达15年的监禁。同时，这些女性还可能因在美国非法打工而违反劳工法。

同样，那些从中国聘请月嫂前往美国月子中心的雇主，也涉嫌与中国月嫂共同策划签证欺诈，一旦罪名成立，同样可能面临长达15年的监禁。此外，这些雇主还因非法雇佣劳工而涉嫌违反移民法。

Working illegally on tourist visas can result in up to 15 years in prison.

These women from mainland China, if they enter the United States on tourist visas before planning to work as postpartum caregivers, may be suspected of visa fraud, a federal felony. If convicted, they face up to 15 years in prison. They may also violate labor laws by working illegally in the United States.

Similarly, employers who hire postpartum caregivers from China to work in U.S. postpartum care centers are also suspected of conspiring with the Chinese caregivers to commit visa fraud. If convicted, they could also face up to 15 years in prison. Furthermore, these employers may also violate immigration laws by illegally employing workers.