A very encouraging trend
As the Hong Kong Labour Department is expected to announce the foreign domestic workers minimum wage reevaluation by the end of the month, HelperChoice, an ethical online platform connecting domestic workers and employers analyzed the data of more than 2,000 job ads posted on its platform from 1 October 2017 to 31 July 2018.
The study reveals a very encouraging trend: for the 2nd consecutive year, the average salary offered by employers located in Hong Kong increased faster than the legal minimum wage. While the minimum wage was increased by 2.3% in October 2017 to HK$4,410, the HK$4,799 average salary is HK$254 or 5.5% above the results of the previous survey in 2017. In the meantime, the consumer price index increased by 2.5%. This means that the domestic helpers have more to save, to send to their families back home or to improve their daily life in Hong Kong. For example, by saving HK$1,000 per month during 4 years, they can finance their children education: HK$250 per month can make a difference.
However, this global positive trend hides significant disparities between the different Hong Kong districts. While some employers in Happy Valley and Sai Ying Pun offer up to HK$8,500, most of the employers in Kwun Tong don’t offer more than the HK$4,410 minimum wage. These results correlate with HelperChoice preceding results, showing that the helpers tend to earn more in affluent areas of Hong Kong, such as Central & Western, and the Southern district.
Unsurprisingly, the domestic helpers salaries are higher in areas favored by wealthy families and international residents. The top 5 Hong Kong districts with the highest wages are: the Southern side, Central & Western districts, the Islands, Sai Kung and Wan Chai. The global average salary for these 5 districts is HK$4,881, which is HK$471 above the current foreign domestic workers minimum wage. In the sole Central sub-district, the average salary reaches HK$5,595, that is to say HK$1,185 more than the minimum wage. This is of course balanced by a high level of skills and experience required from the domestic workers working in these families.
On the other hand, HelperChoice also investigated the 5 districts with the lowest average salaries for domestic helpers. Although last year Siu Sai Wan offered the lowest average salary, this year, the areas that pay the less are Yuen Long, the Northern district, Wong Tai Sin, Tsuen Wan and Kwun Tong, which collectively show an average wage of HK$4,562, that is to say only HK$152 above the minimum salary.
Living arrangements
As in Hong Kong it is mandatory for domestic helpers to live with their employers, the domestic helper salary doesn’t include the cost of accommodation (nor food allowance neither medical expenses) borne by the employers. Considering, the housing costs in Hong Kong, this has of course a huge impact on the domestic helpers’ budget and the money they can save or send back home. However, the comfort of the living arrangements plays a significant part of domestic workers living condition.
As the employers can specify the type of accommodation they offer to their domestic workers, HelperChoice also investigated which are the most common living arrangements. The survey exposes that a large majority (70%) of the job offers include a private room, 16% a room shared with a kid and 10% a room shared with another domestic worker.
While in most areas private rooms are common for domestic workers, Hong Kong remains a city where real estate often rhymes with high prices and small spaces. Therefore, 26% of shared living arrangements is not a surprising figure, and among all the districts, only Wong Tai Sin and Kwai Tsing are proposing a majority of shared accommodations.
What This Means for Employers and Domestic Helpers
These findings show encouraging progress: salaries for foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong continue to rise, especially in districts with higher income levels. While differences between areas remain, the overall trend points to greater recognition of helpers’ skills and contributions. Understanding these salary patterns can help both employers and domestic workers set fair, transparent expectations.
For more insights on ethical hiring and updated salary trends, visit HelperChoice, where employers meet verified domestic workers safely and responsibly.
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Helperchoice Salary Survey: The Areas Where Hong Kong Employers Pay Domestic Helpers the Least and the Most
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