When considering how to hire a domestic helper, or whether or not you should even be looking to hire a domestic helper, there are a number of key items listed in this article that you should bear in mind.
1. You must be a Hong Kong resident with monthly household income no less than HKD 15,000 (or assets of a comparable amount), so that you can reasonably support the expenses for the entire period the domestic helper is contracted.
2. The helper must only work and reside in the contractual address. In addition, the employer must provide the helper with either food or a food allowance along with suitable accommodation and a reasonable amount of privacy.
Domestic helpers can be employed by yourself directly or via an agency. If you are looking for a domestic helper yourself, it may take some time searching online for one that matches your needs. You can alternatively ask for referrals from friends or take out an ad on supermarket bulletin boards. 1. The following completed application forms: ID 988A, and ID 988B
2. An original copy of the standard Employment contract in addition to 3 other copies for the employer, the consulate, and the helper to keep.
3. A copy of the employer's Hong Kong Identity Card or relevant travel documents
4. Financial proof of the employer's earnings. These can include bank statements that show the employer's auto-paid salary for the past 3 months, salary statements/slips, or latest notices of assessment issued by the Inland Revenue Department.
5. A submission of the above to the Director of Immigration either in post or in person at the Immigration Tower. The Immigration Tower is located at: Receipt and Dispatch Unit, 2/F, Immigration Tower, 7 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai.
1. Bear in mind that the domestic helper is entitled to the same labor rights and benefits and protected by the same anti-discrimination laws as their local counterparts.
2. If you're looking to employ a domestic helper, it will be useful to have a written guide prepared for them in addition to vocal training when they are introduced to your home. This will better guarantee that the helper will quickly adapt and acclimatize to your home's specific needs.
3. There are social enterprises in Hong Kong that exist to improve a domestic helper's skill set and it might be worth your while enrolling her/him to such classes should you find it more difficult to train him/her yourself.
