Studies carried out in developed countries have found that the care sector is distinguished from other sectors by certain specific characteristics: it is highly feminized, it offers limited access to social protection, its workforce has a high proportion of migrants, turnover is high, and pay is low. These factors together create conditions that foster precariousness, discrimination and inequality. Past research has covered related topics, including a comparative study of domestic employment (ECLAC, 2007, Valenzuela and Moras, 2009, Blofield, 2012) as well as research on employment and wages in the education sector (Navarro, 2002, Liang, 2003, Vaillant and Rossel, 2006, Cerrutti, 2008, Mizala and Nopo, 2011) and the health sector (Malvarez and Castrillon, 2005, Rico and Marco, 2006, Pautassi, 2006). However, veiy few studies have taken a comprehensive comparative look at paid care work.