Good news to foreign domestic helpers in Hongkong!
The Government of the Hong Kong SAR (Special Administrative Region) announced the increase in the Minimum Allowable Wage (MAW) of foreign domestic helpers by 2.3% and food allowance by 1.5% on September 29, 2017.
From HK$ 4,310 MAW, it will now be HK$ 4,410 per month or PHP 28,861.60 (HK$ 1=PHP 6.54 as of Oct 3). And from HK$ 1,037 food allowance, it will now be HK$ 1,053 per month.
This means that HK$ 100 was added to the MAW and HK$ 16 was added to the food allowance.
Under the Standard Employment Contract for hiring Foreign Domestic Helpers (FDHs) in Hong Kong, employers are required to provide FDHs with food free of charge. And while the vast majority of employers provide free food to FDHs, employers have the option to provide free food or pay a food allowance to their foreign domestic helpers.
How does this affect to Filipino Domestic Helpers in Hongkong?
The Php 650 wage increase may not be that much, but for OFWs working as Domestic Helpers (DH) in Hongkong, this is already a huge help to them and their families here in the Philippines.
“This will benefit the more than 196,000 Filipino household service workers in Hong Kong,” said the Department of Foreign Affairs.
The DFA also promised to continue to work together with the Hong Kong government and other relevant groups to protect the rights and ensure the welfare of OFWs.
When is the effectivity date of the wage increase?
The new levels of the MAW and food allowance will apply to all FDH contracts signed on or after September 30, 2017.
Contracts of Foreign Domestic Helpers that are signed on September 29, 2017, or earlier at the existing MAW of $4,310 per month and with food allowance of not less than $1,037 per month will still be processed by the ImmD or Immigration Department. This is provided that the applications reach ImmD on or before October 27, 2017. This arrangement will give employers sufficient time to send the signed contracts to ImmD for completion of the necessary application procedures.
Source: Hong Kong Gov’t Press Releases
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