(Updated on November 2, 2023)
In Hong Kong there are very few affordable nurseries, kindergartens or other childcare businesses offering daycare, so many families opt for hiring domestic helpers. Hiring a domestic helper allows a family to have dual income as the time for childcare is freed up.
It is true that the costs of hiring a domestic helper are generally lower than hiring professional childcare and elderly nursing services, but how much does the hiring of domestic helpers really cost? What is the difference in terms of costs between direct hire and hiring through an employment agency?
Work visa and paperwork
Employers can either hire a domestic helper through a direct hire or through an employment agency. The fees for direct-hire are cheaper than that for employment agencies, and you can avoid your domestic helper and you from being overcharged.
After you have found a domestic helper, you will need to pay for the domestic helper work visa fee. Depending on your helper’s current situation and nationality, you can apply for the work visa yourself at the Immigration Department, given that your domestic helper:
- is a Filipino;
- has just finished her 2-year contract with her current employer; and
- is still in Hong Kong.
It will cost less than HK$1,000 to do everything.
In other cases, you will need to appoint an employment agency due to the requirement of the Consulates. When you ask an employment agency to only assist with the visa and paperwork processing, the cost is much cheaper. It ranges between HK$3,000 and HK$4,500 for a domestic helper with a finished contract, and for all other situations, between HK$6,000 and HK$12,000.
If you are interested to learn more about these visa packages, please feel free to send a Whatsapp message to our customer support team or visit our Visa Package For Filipino Helpers.
- The fee collected by the sending country’s government
- Mandatory insurance in the sending country
- Medical examination fee
- Contract notarization fee
- Visa fee
- Travel costs to Hong Kong
We advise employers to pay only when the domestic helper produces a proof of payment.
HelperChoice can help you process the paperwork of your domestic helper with the following options:
Helper Visa For Finished Contract (Local Hire)
If your Filipino maid has completed 2 years contract with her last employer and she is currently in Hong Kong, you may refer to Hiring Basic (HK$2,988) or Hiring Plus (HK$4,988) visa package.
Hiring Basic Package includes:
– All the necessary contract and visa process fees
– Door-to-door document delivery in Hong Kong
– A Financial Literacy class with charity Enrich HK
– HK$100 vouchers for the hired domestic worker
Hiring Plus Package includes:
– All the features included in Hiring Basic package
– Pre-recruitment medical check-up
– 2-year mandatory domestic helper insurance
Helper Visa For Overseas Contract (Overseas Hire)
If you hire a domestic helper from the Philippines, it will be deemed as an overseas case and you may refer to Overseas Basic (HK$8,500) or Overseas Plus (HK$11,800) visa package.
Overseas Basic Package includes:
– All the necessary contract and visa process fees
– Door-to-door document delivery to Manila and in Hong Kong
– Helper Mandatory insurance in the Philippines
– Standard medical examination for domestic worker
Overseas Plus Package includes:
– All the features included in Overseas Basic package
– One-way flight ticket to Hong Kong (up to HK$1,000)
– 2-year mandatory domestic helper insurance
Salary and food allowance/free food
The Hong Kong government has set a legal minimum wage that employers must pay their workers. Currently, the Minimum Allowable Wage (MAW) is HK$4,870 per month.
On top of that, each employer is legally required to either provide their helper with free sufficient food or with a food allowance of no less than HK$1,236 every month.
Transport fees
All work-related transport, such as daily trips to the market, must be reimbursed. Transport fees also include flight tickets and transport fares to your house if you are hiring a first-timer. After her contract ends or is pre-terminated, you are again obliged to pay for her trip to the airport and flight back. This cost is usually between HK$2,000 – $5,000 depending on the destination.
Insurance and medical check-up
The Labour Department also requires the employer to take out an Employee Compensation Insurance. It tends to be around HK$350 – $1,000 per year.
The most basic helper insurance will only cover your domestic helper in case she is injured during her work. We advise you to consider expanding the coverage to include other benefits such as health insurance, personal accident insurance, loan protection insurance and so on. The employer is responsible for all medical costs of their hired helper so, in the long run, a more comprehensive insurance plan can save you money and worries.
You may also want your new worker to undergo a comprehensive medical check-up. These medical checks are affordable, but paying a medical clinic does add to the costs of hiring a helper.
Training
You, as an employer, are responsible for all the hiring-related costs under the labour law, except for the mandatory training. All first-time domestic helpers need to take on training in the Philippines or Indonesia and the costs are usually paid for by the domestic helper, but you may offer to pay for that. In fact, it is the training where most agencies overcharge helpers so when selecting an employment agency, also ask about their training costs.
Why you should hire a helper on HelperChoice platform?
HelperChoice is an online ethical helper matching platform that enables employers and domestic helpers to browse through profiles and job advertisements freely to find the right match according to personal needs. It was found in 2012 and it is registered as a licensed maid agency in Hong Kong. HelperChoice does NOT charge domestic workers any placement fees or referral fees for finding a helper job on the platform, but allows helpers choose their employer through online matching and job interviews. On HelperChoice platform, the hiring cost (direct hire) is much more affordable than finding a helper through a traditional maid agency and the process is much more transparent and flexible.
Register an account on HelperChoice platform for free now!
The information provided is a guide for employers and we do not accept responsibility for any inaccuracies or outdated information. The rules set by the Immigration Department and sending countries are subject to change. Employers should check the department’s website, and contact the relevant embassy, for the latest updates.
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