Understand your need
Before employing foreign domestic helpers, employers should first assess whether the family is ready financially. You should understand the wishes of all family members as the foreign domestic helpers will be living at home with you and being part of the family.
You and the family members should meet the foreign domestic helpers for interview to let both you and the foreign domestic helper understand the requirements of each other. Every foreign domestic helper has her strengths and characters, for more information about how to pick a Foreign Domestic Helper, please click here.
Eligibility Criteria for Employment of an Foreign Domestic Helper (FDH)
Any Hong Kong resident who can satisfy the following criteria may employ an FDH:
1) he/she is financially capable of employing an FDH;
2) he/she has entered into a Standard Employment Contract (ID407) as specified by the Director of Immigration with the prospective helper;
3) he/she will require the prospective helper to perform domestic duties only;
4) he/she will not allow or require the prospective helper to take up any employment with any other person during the contractual period as specified in the employment contract;
5) he/she will pay the helper a salary no less than the minimum allowable wage as announced by the HKSAR Government;
6) he/she will let the helper work and reside at the contractual address only;
7) he/she will provide the helper with decent accommodation and suitable privacy;
8) he/she is a bona fide resident in Hong Kong and the bona fides of him/her and the prospective helper are not in doubt;
9) he/she has no adverse record in respect of employment of FDH.
Details of eligibility criteria are stated in Guidebook for the Employment of Domestic Helpers from Abroad.
Income requirement
Annual income or asset of the employing family should be no less than HK$180,000 to pay wage throughout contract period. Employers could use tax return, bank statement or time deposit for income proof.
Accommodation requirement
Employers must provide foreign domestic helpers with appropriate accommodation with privacy, for example individual room or shared room with children or adult of same gender. It is not allowed to share a room with opposite gender.
Rates, water bills, electricity bills, gas bills, telephone bills or cable TV bills of last 3 months could be used as proof of address to be stated in employment contract.