Updated 05 February 2026
In recent years, there has been a lot of negative reporting on domestic helper agencies in Hong Kong. The employment agencies are accused of overcharging domestic workers, illegally confiscating passports, offering fake too-good-to-be-true contracts to helpers, and deliberately mismatching employers and domestic helpers. The Hong Kong Labour Department has increased its investigation on the illegal and unethical practices of employment agencies, but the issues for both the employer and the helper continue.
How much placement fee is actually allowed by law?
When hiring a domestic helper from their home country, the processing usually goes through two agencies, one in their home country, one in Hong Kong.
Domestic helper placement fee in Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, agencies are only allowed to charge the helpers 10% of their first month’s salary, which must only be collected after the first month’s salary is issued.
See also: Domestic Helper Agencies in Hong Kong
Why HelperChoice?
It is important to choose a reputable and ethical employment platform. Some employment agencies overcharge the agency fees, domestic helpers may borrow usury because they cannot afford the high agency fees. The debts of foreign domestic helpers can also cause problems for employers. The creditor may even come to collect it, affecting the life of the employer. Therefore, choosing a reputable and ethical employment platform can save you from trouble.
HelperChoice is an online platform that enables foreign domestic helpers to find jobs for free, no placement fee will be charged. As a result, no domestic helpers would ever need to shoulder expensive placement fees. They can start earning money once the contract begins, which also protect both employer and employee.
Domestic helper placement fee in their country of origin
In the Philippines, domestic helpers who are Hong Kong-bound must not be charged placement fee, but they can still be charged for training, medical check-up and paperwork etc. Therefore, some unethical agencies have ways to maximize their profits, such as by charging a huge amount of training fee (up to 120,000 Philippine Pesos or HK$20,000), or by exerting unnecessary expenses on the helper. For example, one common practice is that the agency sends the helper to multiple places for a medical check-up in order to make more money.
In Indonesia, Hong Kong-bound helpers are allowed to be charged a maximum of IDR15,550,000, which is equivalent to HK$8,600, a huge amount for an Indonesian domestic helper who is still looking for a job.
Domestic helpers often end up sending their first few months’ pay-checks to those agencies. Feeling desperate and frustrated, they might tend to take out loans from loan sharks. Some of these agencies also keep the helpers’ passports to stop them from returning to their home countries.
What might happen to your helper and your family if you choose an unethical agency
The most important issue will be your helper’s debt. Some employers think that an indebted helper is good because debts prevent her from running away. This is a very harmful misconception. An indebted helper will not only be under huge pressure and become unhappy while working, being in debt might even drive them to steal or get a part-time job. Loan sharks might even harass your helper and your family, causing troubles for everyone.
Domestic helpers in debts
Enrich HK, an NGO in Hong Kong, found that almost 60% of domestic helpers in Hong Kong are in debt. Is it their own fault? Most likely not. Agencies, based in both helpers’ home countries and Hong Kong, collude with lender companies to force their helpers to take out loans. Most often, helpers will not be able to understand the contract (especially for Indonesians) before they sign it. In return, agencies will get a commission fee from these lending companies.
The two-week rule further worsens the problem – it stipulates that once the helper’s contract has prematurely ended, they must return to their home countries within two weeks. When helpers return to their home countries, they will have to go through the agency’s placement and training again, increasing their expenses and the debts they have. In the end, domestic helpers might spend years to repay their loans, and return to their countries with less money than before.
What has the Labour Department done regarding the overcharging problem?
Employment Agencies Administration, under the Labour Department, is responsible for licensing and assessing all employment agencies and reviewing their license every year. Employment agencies are required to place their license and Part II of the Second Schedule in an obvious place in the office, so if you cannot see them in the office, you should go to another employment agency.
Due to an increase in complaints from both foreign domestic helpers and employers, the department has taken action and has increased its random checks of employment agencies. Despite this, issues continue to prevail and the Hong Kong government has urged the Labour Department to crack down on unethical employment agencies. In response, the Labour Department has issued a Code of Practice for Employment Agencies with recommendations of employment agency standards.
How to prevent your domestic helper from being overcharged
As an employer, the power is in your hand. You play an important role in avoiding modern domestic slavery and forced labour of domestic helpers in Hong Kong! Learn how to communicate with your helper about loan sharks.
Report the unethical agencies that overcharge domestic helpers
If you found out that the agency has overcharged your helper, report to the Labour Department. Ask your helper whether her passport is with her. If not, you can either send your helper back to the agency and demand her passport in your name, or go to the agency yourself directly.
Help her with Financial Literacy classes!
HelperChoice partners with Enrich HK, an NGO in Hong Kong specialized in providing financial literacy training to foreign domestic workers. Starting from March 2020, when you subscribe to a premium membership, you also have access to all Enrich classes Financial Literacy and certification for your helper.