The cost of hiring a domestic helper in Hong Kong

The Hong Kong government has set a minimum financial requirement for hiring a foreign domestic helper. A Hong Kong citizen needs to have a monthly household income of no less than HK$15,000 or assets of comparable amount to support the expenses for the entire (i.e. two-year) contractual period.

The initial cost of hiring

If you are hiring through a domestic helper agency, you’ll have to pay an initial cost that falls between HK$2,500 - HK$10,000, depending on the contract details of your helper or agency. Remember that an agency cannot charge more than 10% of one month salary to the helper.

Alternatively, you can hire a helper who is finishing her contract so that you can save the fees of the agency.

Basic pay and food

After the initial cost of hiring, naturally the next question will be “how much is the minimum wage for domestic helper in hong kong?”. According to the government, for contracts signed on or after 28 September 2019, the minimum allowance wage is currently set at HK$4,630 per month.

Furthermore, domestic helpers are entitled to an allowance for food of HK$1,121 per month; or the employer must provide food instead of the allowance. However, these are only the basic pays and you should offer a better salary to get a chance to hire a more experienced helper.

Travel costs

Employers are responsible for purchasing the flight tickets to and from your domestic helper’s home country. This means that you will have to pay for her flight before she comes to Hong Kong and also her travel after she finishes her contract. Depending on where your helper lives, this cost varies and can be anywhere between HK$1,500 – HK$4,000.

Medical needs

Employers are also obliged to take care of their domestic helpers’ medical costs. Therefore, it is best to take out a medical insurance plan to protect your helper and limit your expenses.

Employee’s compensation insurance

Employee’s compensation insurance is a form of insurance that is mandatory for all employers. The cost is usually around HK$300 - HK$1,500. Employers will usually purchase a domestic helper insurance policy to cover various aspects such as the aforementioned health coverage, accident coverage, repatriation expenses, and more.

Maternity Leave

Unbeknownst to many employers, but if your domestic helper get pregnant during the contract term, she is entitled for 10 weeks of leave with pay.

Costs in case of contract termination

Should you terminate your contract with the domestic helper before the stated maturity date, you will need to pay for her travel costs so you should select your helper carefully to avoid additional expenses.

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