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The widespread use of
domestic helpers or amahs in Hong Kong has improved the lifestyle of
many Hong Kong families. Chinese amahs were
once a common sight in Hong Kong and most
wealthy families employed at least a cook and often housemaids and drivers.
However, in recent years domestic helpers from the Philippines, Indonesia,
Thailand, India and Sri Lanka have taken their
place, and today many expatriate families now follow this tradition of
employing an amah.
The duties of a domestic helper include housework, cooking and caring for
children. The minimum wage for a domestic helper, as set down by the
Government, is currently
HK$3,320.00 per month. In addition, there is an amount paid to the
Government by the employee (Employee Retraining Levy) of HK$400 per month.
Besides the basic salary, an employer is responsible for providing
accommodation and food as well as medical and dental expenses, sick pay,
long service leave, holiday pay and a return airfare to the country of
origin for your helper. The Labour Department publishes a booklet which
offers further guidance, and there is some helpful information on the
Emigra Group http://www.emigra.com.hk/
website.
Labour
Department
Tel: +852 2717 1771 (24-hour telephone enquiry)
www.info.gov.hk/labour
Immigration
Department
Tel: +852 2824 6111
www.info.gov.hk/immd
The idea of having a full time
domestic helper or amah living in your home can take a little time
to get used to, but the convenience it can afford you often outweighs the
temporary inconvenience of having a stranger living in your home. When moving
to a new country you are without your usual support systems of family and
friends, and a domestic helper goes a long way towards replacing these
systems.
Finding a good helper can take a little time. Some people use an agency,
and some prefer to go by "word of mouth". Asking around, or
watching the advertisements placed by employers or by the helpers
themselves, on supermarket notice boards or in the lobbies of some
buildings is one way to find a helper.
We suggest that you interview a number of prospective helpers and this will
give you an idea of what to expect. We would always suggest that you
contact the helper's last employer to get a genuine referral. Everyone has
different needs and you really need to trust your own intuition. If you
have children then naturally introducing the prospective helper to the
children and watching the interaction will help. No helper can be perfect
immediately and the amount of time you spend training your helper will be
reflected in her work.
Once you have found a helper, you and the helper are required to complete
contracts and Immigration forms. Most helpers are very conversant with the
regulations and naturally if you use an employment agency all these matters
will be looked after by the agency. Agency fees are usually equivalent to
approximately one month's salary.
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