(Updated on January 3, 2024)
Choosing a maid agency in Hong Kong can be a crucial decision for employers, who are looking for a full time helper to help take your children to school or prepare cooking for your family. The quality of the maid agency services and the foreign migrant domestic worker provided can have a significant impact on employers’ entire hiring experience and their daily life. Here are some key things to consider before selecting a maid agency in Hong Kong:
Agency Reputation
The best way to check the reputation of the agency in the industry is through the “blacklist”(employment agencies who received written warning for violating code of conduct by the Hong Kong Labour Department). The list is provided by the Hong Kong Labour Department.
Other than that, you may also check Google reviews and ratings online and ask for recommendations from friends or family who have used helper agency services. A reputable helper agency will have a good track record in providing quality foreign migrant domestic workers and adhering to legal requirements.
HelperChoice is a well-known ethical maid agency in Hong Kong, which provides an online platform for helper matching (direct hire). It is closely working with NGOs like Enrich Hong Kong, PathFinders, Help For Domestic Workers and so on. Its dedicated work and surveys are also covered in the media like the Standard, South China Morning Post, Bloomberg, HK01, RTHK and more.
License and Accreditation
It is important to ensure that the maid agency has the appropriate licenses and accreditations to operate in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Labor Department licenses and regulates helper agencies and requires them to comply with a set of standards and requirements.
HelperChoice is licensed by the Hong Kong Labour Department and accredited by the Philippines Consulate. Founded in 2012, HelperChoice has 12 years experience of serving more than 75,000 employers in Hong Kong. We provide an online platform for domestic helper matching and visa processing services for Filipino domestic helpers. Employers can create an account without a hassle and publish a job ad to recruit a domestic worker on HelperChoice online platform. The entire hiring process is flexible and at your own pace. Over 91% of customers are happy and enjoy the hiring experience with our services.
Agency Fees and Charges
It is important to understand the fees and charges associated with the full spectrum services provided by the agency, including recruitment fees, visa processing fees, training fees, and agency service fees. A reputable agency will provide a clear breakdown of fees and charges upfront. In Hong Kong, it has always been reported that unethical maid agencies overcharged both employers and domestic workers for a huge lump sum of so-called “agency service fees”. For employers, they are requested to pay extra for reviewing and interviewing more helper profiles, advance some money for the helper, and a helper training fee on top of “agency service fees”. For domestic helpers, the legal placement fee is 10% charge on their first salary. However, some unethical agencies may find excuses to add extra expenses, for example, training fee (up to 120,000 Philippine Pesos or HK$20,000), medical check-up and paperwork. Domestic workers may feel desperate and get lurked into borrowing loans from loan sharks. Therefore, your choice of maid agency matters!
HelperChoice strives to provide the most affordable direct hire for employers in Hong Kong and insists not to make any profit by charging the domestic helpers any fees. Employers can find a domestic helper on HelperChoice platform for HK$550/month, which is a monthly, automatically renewed subscription plan and can be cancelled anytime at employer’s discretion. Once the employer has found a helper, HelperChoice team can help process the helper’s contract and visa and deliver all the necessary visa documents to the door.
See also: HelperChoice Direct Hire And Visa Package
Worker Screening and Training
It is important to ensure that the agency conducts thorough screening and background checks of domestic helpers, including verifying their qualifications, work experience, and contract status. A reputable agency should also provide training and support to domestic workers to ensure they are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to perform their job duties. Generally speaking, Filipino maids who have completed basic domestic worker training prior to her departure from the Philippines are certified with a TESDA certificate. Some maids are also equipped with first-aid training and child care or pet care or elderly care giving skills. During the job interview, employers should find out more details about domestic helpers’ work qualification certificates and determine if she is a good fit for your family and for the job.
If you intend to find and hire a domestic helper through direct hire, it is suggested that you hire the helper from a prestigious online helper matching platform or reliable sources such as a friend’s or relatives’ referral. This will ensure the service quality and work experiences of the helper.
Contract and Employment Terms
It is important to review the helper employment contract and terms and conditions provided by the maid agency carefully. This includes the scope of job duties, salary, rest days, leaves, benefits, and termination terms. It is recommended to read the terms carefully before signing any contracts.
HelperChoice has prepared you a standard employment contract template extracted from the Hong Kong Labour Department for your reference. As of January 2024, the minimum wage for foreign migrant domestic workers is HK$4870 per month and the food allowance is HK$1236 per month (or the employer can provide free food to their helper). Foreign migrant workers are entitled to 14 statutory holidays.
See also: 2023 Statutory Holidays For Maids , Cost Of Hiring A Maid
Customer Support Services
It is essential to ensure that the agencies provide adequate support services, including assistance with troubleshooting and dispute resolution.
HelperChoice team is dedicated to serving you with the best customer support through Whatsapp and by phone. If necessary, we can step in the dispute between your helper and you and take the mediation role. Should you have any enquiry, please feel free to reach out to our customer support team. We are more than happy to help you through the domestic helper hiring process in Hong Kong.
Overall, it is important for employers to carefully research and vet potential maid agencies in Hong Kong to ensure that they are reputable, reliable, and able to provide high-quality domestic helpers.
How To Hire A Domestic Helper Online (Direct Hire)?
Employers may register a free account on HelperChoice helper matching platform and review domestic helper profiles by their years of work experience, cooking and care-giving skills (child care / elderly care / pet care), current contract status (About To Finish Contract / Finished Contract / Terminated Contract Due To Good Reasons / Terminated / Break Contract), location (local / overseas), availability, nationality (Filipino / Indonesian), expected salary and so on. Before deciding to hire a domestic helper, the employer is highly recommended to have conducted reference checks with previous employers for the work performance of the domestic helper.
See also: Does Helpers’ Nationality Matter?
Once the employer decides to hire a domestic helper, the next step is to process the work permit for the helper – visa processing. In most cases, employers are advised to hire a licensed maid agency to represent them and process the visa application at the Hong Kong Immigration Department and the Philippines Consulate to guarantee a higher success rate and save a plenty of time and extra cost.
The Visa Processing Package by HelperChoice is currently suitable for Filipino maids, but not applicable for Indonesian workers. Both local finished contract helpers and overseas domestic worker cases are accepted. Most of our visa processing packages include 2-year mandatory helper insurance, which can help cover medical expenses incurred from accidents or illnesses. Our customer support team can speak both Chinese and English at your convenience. To learn more, feel free to contact us.
You might also be interested in:
- Essential Steps to Domestic Helper Visa Processing in Hong Kong
- 2023 Domestic Helper Salary
- 2023 Domestic Helper Holidays
- Domestic Helper Contract and Work Visa Renewal
Hire A Domestic Helper | HelperChoice | An Ethical Maid Agency In Hong Kong