Information on hiring foreign domestic helpers

You must be a Hong Kong resident and hold a monthly household income of not less than HK$15,000 or assets of similar amount to prove that you have sufficient financial ability to hire the foreign domestic helper for the entire contract period (i.e. two years).

• You can hire foreign domestic helpers through Manxi Employment Center services.You must sign a standard employment contract specified by the Director of Immigration with the foreign domestic helper and apply for a work visa from the Immigration Department on behalf of the foreign domestic helper .

• Wage: You must pay no less than the minimum wage announced by the government at the time of signing the contract. The current minimum wage for foreign domestic helpers is HK$4,870 per month.
• Accommodation and meals: You must provide the foreign domestic helper with suitable accommodation with reasonable privacy, free meals (or a meal allowance of not less than HK$1,236 per month), and provide the foreign domestic helper with a meal allowance of not less than HK$1,236 per month when the foreign domestic helper arrives in Hong Kong and when the contract is terminated. or travel expenses back to the place of origin upon expiration. The minimum wage and meal allowance levels specified above apply to all contracts signed on or after September 30, 2023.
• Insurance: The Employees' Compensation Ordinance (Chapter 282 of the Laws of Hong Kong) stipulates that all employers must purchase workers' compensation insurance for their employees to cover their employees' legal liabilities under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance and common law if they are injured at work.
• Medical care: When a foreign domestic helper becomes ill or injured during the period of employment, you must provide him/her with free medical care in accordance with the standard employment contract. Therefore, the authorities strongly recommend that you purchase insurance for your foreign domestic helper that provides comprehensive medical and hospitalization coverage. You may also consider purchasing comprehensive insurance that also includes medical and hospitalization protection and complies with the requirements of the Employees' Compensation Ordinance.

• As an employer, you must comply with your statutory obligations under Hong Kong law.
• Foreign domestic helpers enjoy the same protection as local employees under labor laws. For details, please visit the Labor Department's FAQs on labor legislation , publications on employment of foreign domestic helpers and the Equal Opportunities Commission's guidelines for foreign domestic helpers and their employers.
• Questions and answers on filing taxes for foreign domestic helpers

If you decide to terminate the contract with your foreign domestic helper, you must notify the Immigration Department online or in writing within seven days of the contract termination date.

Statutory holidays in 2024
1. Monday, January 1st
2. The first day of the Lunar New Year, Saturday, February 10th
3. The third day of the Lunar New Year, Monday, February 12th
4. The fourth day of the Lunar New Year* February 13th Tuesday
5. Tomb Sweeping Day Thursday, April 4
6. Labor Day Wednesday,
May 1 7. Buddha's Birthday Wednesday, May 15
8. Dragon Boat Festival Monday, June 10
9. Anniversary of the Establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region July 1 Monday
10. The day after the Mid-Autumn Festival Wednesday, September 18th
11. National Day Sunday, October 1st
12. Double Ninth Festival Friday, October 11th
13. Winter Festival or Christmas
(at the employer's option) December 21st or
December 25th Saturday or
Wednesday
14th First Sunday after Christmas* Thursday 26th December

*According to the Employment (Amendment) Ordinance 2021, the new statutory holiday from 2024 is the first Sunday after Christmas.

As for how foreign domestic helpers can enjoy paid statutory holidays? As long as your foreign domestic helper has been employed under a continuous contract for three months immediately before the statutory holiday, she is entitled to "paid statutory holiday/holiday pay", which is equivalent to the employee's salary for the 12 months before the holiday. Average daily wages. If you want to ask your foreign domestic helper to return to work on a statutory holiday, you must give at least 48 hours' notice in advance and provide the domestic helper with compensatory leave within 60 days before or after the original holiday.

In addition, if a statutory holiday falls on the foreign domestic helper's rest day, the employer should arrange for the foreign domestic helper to make up for the statutory holiday on the next day, and the next day cannot be a statutory holiday, another holiday, a substitute holiday or a rest day. For example, October 1, 2024 is a Sunday. If that day is also the foreign domestic helper's sister's rest day, the employer should arrange for October 2 to be a statutory holiday.
In fact, in addition to the 14 statutory holidays, Hong Kong also has other public holidays, including every Sunday, Good Friday, the day after Good Friday, Easter Monday and the day after Christmas. Although employers do not need to give public holidays to foreign domestic helpers, it is still important to have adequate rest so that foreign domestic helpers can work more efficiently and take care of their employers and their family!