Domestic Helpers
Looking to employ a domestic helper in Hong Kong? There are many channels you can go through in hiring a domestic helper in Hong Kong.
In Hong Kong, there are agencies that can match you with a suitable domestic helper or even a simple search within the classified ads will give you leads to domestic helpers. In many cases, referrals from your own friends or personal network is always a safe bet.
In any case, you must enter into a Standard Employment Contract as specified by the Director of Immigration and apply to the Immigration Department for an employment visa for the helper.
Agencies:
For a copy of the employment contact please visit Hong Kong GOV site:
A lot of domestic helpers will require an employer to process a visa for their legal stay in Hong Kong and work. For more information please visit Hong Kong GOV Visa site:
Costs:
Generally, foreign domestic helpers require a salary that is no less than the Minimum Allowable Wage (MAW) announced by the Government and prevailing at the date of signing the employment contract for employing the foreign domestic helper. The minimum wage is currently set at HK$4,110 per month.
Under the Standard Employment Contract, the employer must provide suitable accommodation and with reasonable privacy, free food (or food allowance in lieu, which is HK$964 per month at present) and free travel from the helper’s home country to Hong Kong and return to the home country on termination or expiry of the contract. The above levels of the MAW and food allowance are applicable to all contracts signed on or after 1 October 2014. These are the basic baselines for costs but specific circumstances may vary.
As stipulated in the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance (Cap. 282), an employer must take out insurance policy to cover his/her liability both under the Ordinance and at common law for injury at work in respect of an employee. In addition, employers are required to provide the domestic helper with free medical treatment under the Standard Employment Contract when he/she is ill or suffers personal injury during the period of employment. It is strongly recommended to take out an insurance policy with full medical and hospitalization coverage for the helper. You may also consider taking out a comprehensive insurance policy which provides medical and hospitalization coverage and satisfies the requirement under the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance at the same time.
More Details of employment:
Scope of Work:
A foreign domestic helper should only perform domestic duties for the employer’s residence stated within the contract. The employer should not require or allow the helper to carry out any work for any other person, otherwise, the helper may be liable to criminal prosecution. For more details you can refer to the links below.
Terminating Contract:
If you decide to terminate the employment contract of your foreign domestic helper, you should notify the Immigration Department in writing within seven days of the date of termination. You can now do it online.
Click the link below for details.