62.5% of Foreign Domestic Workers in Hong Kong Haven’t Been Home For More Than 3 Years
Home Away From Home
Within the past few years, foreign domestic helpers have been highly affected by the global pandemic and the restrictions (see our previous press release on “3 Out of 10 Domestic Workers in Urgent Financial And Emotional Support in The Fifth Wave”).
As the city is slowly reopening and stopped the compulsory quarantine on arrival, we asked foreign domestic workers in the city what their plans were this coming Christmas.
As a reminder, at the same period last year, all inbound travellers to Hong Kong had to undergo a mandatory 21-day quarantine, which had to be paid by the employers. An expense that many could not afford, ending up in numerous domestic workers having to stay in the city throughout the holiday season.
This year, out of 317 domestic workers surveyed, a majority, 62.5%, declared not having left the city in the past 3 years, therefore, also not seeing their families. While 18.6% have been away for 2 to 3 years, 5.4% for 1 and 2 years, and 13.6% have been home in the past year.
With the end of Covid-19 restrictions, 31.2% of respondents answered that they were going home for Christmas this year, while 5.4% declared already being home for holidays. However, 45.4% are going to stay in Hong Kong once again. Mahee Leclerc, General Manager of HelperChoice comments:
“Overall we are really happy to see that around a third of the surveyed domestic workers will be able to go back home for Christmas after such a long time, especially for those who haven’t seen their children in more than 3 years. This is a trend we also observed with our clients recently, employers are more understanding and agree to delay the contract start date to January so that the worker can return home first and spend quality time with their loved ones!”
Supportive Employers
59% of helpers who are going back home for Christmas this year are encouraged and supported by their employer. More than 60% of them have their flight ticket paid for while 28.9% will receive a bonus from their employer for Christmas.
As for the domestic workers who are not going home for Christmas this year, 31.9% of them pointed out that their employers want them to stay in Hong Kong during Christmas. 15.3% found the flight ticket too expensive to afford. 11.8% and 6.2% expressed their concerns about Covid-19 travel restrictions imposed by the Hong Kong government and the safety of travelling during covid time respectively.
Celebrating Christmas
This year, domestic workers will mainly spend their Christmas budget on gifts for their family back home (63.4%) and food (61.5%). Other spendings include a Christmas gift for themselves (38.5%), travel (11.7%), and 7.9% plan to spend part of their salary to buy a Christmas gift to their employers! 35% of the respondents declared feeling pressure because they will spend more money this month to celebrate Christmas with friends or family.
Lastly, HelperChoice asked the respondents what they will do with their friends or family for Christmas and received heartwarming answers. The majority will of course have a small gathering, and go to church for the mass.
Anne* wrote:
“If friends here in Hong Kong we just meet and do some happy things to enjoy a while the day of Christmas..if my family we celebrate together the Christmas eve we go church at night and when we comeback we eat together and make happy moments 😊”
While Rosanna* answered:
“Exchanging gifts, eating & drinks, singing & dancing it might be laughing and crying because of messing our family in our home land 😭”
And Jenny* adds:
“Just enjoy the spirit of Christmas singing, eat together, talk to each other, just enjoy the moment”.
For those going back home, this Christmas will also be emotional, for example, we received this particularly touching message from Mary Ann*:
“Spend quality time / bonding with my family as I have been away for 3 years”, while Cherry* explained: “If I am with my family I will give them the best Christmas since I have never been with them for 12 years during Christmas”.
And we received this particularly touching message from Mary Ann*:
“I want to spend quality time with my family, especially my 2 grown up children as we lost my husband last November 2019 and I could not go home due to covid. This year I will be going home on December 11 and want to surprise them. We are still coping and struggling from my husband’s loss and I am trying my best to be a mother and a father at the same time. Unfortunately we have been in debt as my husband was hospitalised and sadly passed away from cancer. Even if I don’t have enough money, I just want to be with them. It is a big gift for myself. Thanks for including me to be part of the survey. More power and God bless Advance Merry Christmas to all and Happy New Year”
Whatever their plans are, in Hong Kong or abroad, HelperChoice wishes all foreign domestic workers and families in Hong Kong a Merry Christmas!
*all the names used in this story are fictional as the survey was conducted anonymously.
About HelperChoice
HelperChoice is the first social impact startup dedicated to eradicating placement fees and human trafficking for the purpose of forced labour. The impact has been recognised by many organisations, including the International Labour Organisation. HelperChoice contributes to fair employment, and is a grantee of the DBS Bank foundation for social enterprises. HelperChoice has facilitated more than 50,000 recruitments and estimates that more than 60 million euros of illegal placement fees were saved. Learn more:https://www.helperchoice.com/
For more information please contact:
Mahee Leclerc, General Manager at HelperChoice
Tel: +852 9132 3115
E-mail: mahee@helperchoice.com