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Elizabeth Cheung

The minimum wage for Hong Kong’s foreign domestic helpers is to be increased by 2.3 per cent, to HK$4,410 a month, but workers’ advocates have expressed dissatisfaction with the amount.
The new levels will apply to all contracts signed on or after Saturday. More than 350,000 foreign domestic helpers work in the city.
The food allowance for helpers – an alternative to free food from the employer as required in the employment contract – will also be increased, by HK$16, from not less than HK$1,037 to at least HK$1,053 a month.

But the pay rise was far lower than demanded by domestic helper representatives, who asked for a 27.6 per cent increase to about HK$5,500. They had also called for the food allowance to be more than doubled to HK$2,500.
The last minimum wage increase for foreign domestic workers was announced in September last year, when it rose from HK$4,210 to HK$4,310.
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A spokesman said the government regularly reviewed foreign domestic helpers’ minimum wage.
“We have carefully considered Hong Kong’s general economic and labour market conditions over the past year, as reflected through a basket of economic indicators, including the relevant income movement and price change in this year’s review,” he said.
Siu Sai Wan on Hong Kong Island labelled worst paying area for domestic helpers amid campaign for wage increase
“The government has taken into account Hong Kong’s near-term economic outlook, as well as affordability for employers on the one hand and the livelihood of foreign domestic helpers on the other.”
He said the food allowance had also been increased after a government review.
The government did not pay attention to domestic workers’ complaints
Eni Lestari, Asian Migrants’ Coordinating Body
Foreign domestic helpers’ contracts signed on Friday or earlier at the existing wage and food allowance levels will still be processed by the Immigration Department, provided the applications reach the department on or before October 27.
Asian Migrants’ Coordinating Body spokeswoman Eni Lestari expressed dissatisfaction with the amounts of the increases.
“The government did not pay attention to domestic workers’ complaints,” she said. “We have been dealing so much with inflation.”
While most employers provide food for free, Lestari claimed many did not supply enough.
“It is noodles or bread all the time ... some helpers are forced to use their salary to buy extra food.”
However, Betty Yung Ma Shan-yee, chairwoman of the Employers of Domestic Helpers Association, called the wage rise acceptable. She said officials should consider freezing helpers’ pay next year to alleviate employers’ financial burden.


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Foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong

Minimum wage for foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong raised by 2.3 per cent, but worker advocates unhappy

The last wage increase for foreign domestic workers was announced in September last year. Photo: AFP

Members of Asian Migrants Coordinating Body, march for more salary in Central. 04SEP16 SCMP / K. Y. Cheng

Siu Sai Wan on Hong Kong Island labelled worst paying area for domestic helpers amid campaign for wage increase

Foreign domestic worker rights advocates Eni Lestari (left) and Eman Villanueva in Causeway Bay. Photo: Edward Wong

TO GO WITH HongKong-Philippines-economy-labour-rights,FOCUS by Lih Yi Beh In this photo taken on August 7, 2011, Indonesian women, many of them part of the city's nearly 300,000 domestic helper work force, socialize on their day off near Victoria Park in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is set to hear a Filipino domestic helper's legal bid for permanent residency in the southern Chinese territory this month, in a landmark case that has sparked heated debate in the city. Activists said the legal challenge, if successful, will be the first in Asia and a significant recognition of rights and equality for domestic workers, who are mostly from labour-exporting countries like the Philippines and Indonesia. AFP PHOTO / Dale de la Rey / AFP PHOTO / DALE de la REY

Graphic showing the number of hours domestic helpers work around the globe. Image: SCMP

Indonesian maids attend a event to meet Indonesian President Joko Widodo at Asia World Expo in Chek Lap Kok. 30APR17 SCMP / Edward Wong

Graphic showing the number of domestic helpers in Hong Kong. Image: SCMP

News

Hong Kong

Hong Kong economy

New minimum wage HK$4,410 a month and applies to all contracts signed on or after Saturday
