Many Hong Kong people find it helpful to use the services of a domestic helper. From cooking, cleaning to childminding, helpers are hired to assist in handling day-to-day household chores.

You may hire domestic helpers locally or from foreign countries. Either option has its pros and cons, and you should choose the helper that best suits your needs and circumstances.

As an employer of a domestic helper, you are required to observe the labour legislation of Hong Kong. You can find answers to some frequently asked questions about the legislation in the Labour Department's website through the following link:

• Frequently asked questions about labour legislation
  http://www.labour.gov.hk/eng/faq/content.htm

If you are looking for a local domestic helper, you may choose to post your vacancy or search online for candidates through the Integrated Scheme for Local Domestic Helper of the Employees Retraining Board and the Interactive Employment Service of the Labour Department.

• Integrated Scheme for Local Domestic Helper (Available in Chinese only)
  http://ldh.erb.org/guic/er.asp
• Interactive Employment Service from Labour Department
  http://www.jobs.gov.hk/eng/domestic/employer/employer.aspx

During the recruitment process, you should observe the laws of Hong Kong on equal opportunities as well as protection of personal data.

• Equal Opportunities Commission
  http://www.eoc.org.hk/eoc/GraphicsFolder/default.aspx
• Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data
  http://www.pcpd.org.hk/

When you have selected the right candidate, you should enter into a written employment contract with him/her. Under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance, you are also required to take out a valid insurance policy for your domestic helper to cover all your liabilities for compensation.

• Sample employment contract
  http://www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/emp_cont/index.htm
• Frequently asked questions about local domestic helpers
  http://www.jobs.gov.hk/eng/domestic/question/question.aspx

On the other hand, if you are looking for a domestic helper from abroad, you need to be a Hong Kong resident with a monthly household income of no less than HK$15,000 or assets of comparable amount to support the employment of the helper for the entire contractual period.

You can recruit the foreign domestic helper through an agency or directly via personal ads or recommendations. In either case, you should enter into a standard employment contract as specified by the Director of Immigration and apply to the Immigration Department for an employment visa for your helper.

• Standard employment contract for foreign domestic helpers
  http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/id407form.htm

As an employer, you are required under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance to take out a valid insurance policy for your domestic helper to cover all your liabilities for compensation. You are also required to provide free medical treatment for your foreign domestic helper when he/she is ill or suffers from injury. You are therefore advised to take out comprehensive insurance policy that covers both your liabilities for employees' compensation and potential medical and other expenses of your helper.

More details about employment of foreign domestic helpers can be found in the Guidebook for Employment of Domestic Helpers from Abroad and other documents issued by the Immigration Department.

• Guidebook for Employment of Domestic Helpers from Abroad
  http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/hkvisas_5.5.htm
• Deployment of foreign domestic helpers clarified
  http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/20050521.htm
• Special Permission for Performance of Motor Driving Duties by Foreign Domestic Helpers
  http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/id934a.htm
• Additional information for employment as foreign domestic helpers
  http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/hkvisas_1.htm#p23
• Frequently asked questions about foreign domestic helpers
  http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/faq_fdh.htm

There is no minimum wage for local domestic helpers under the laws of Hong Kong.

As for foreign domestic helpers, you should pay them no less than the prevailing Minimum Allowable Wage at the time of signing the contract and factor in the living maintenance of your foreign domestic helper. The Minimum Allowable Wage has been adjusted to HK$3,580 per month with effect from 10 July 2008.

Besides the wage you must pay, you should take into consideration any additional costs that you may need to incur in hiring a foreign domestic helper (e.g. air fare, costs of health check).

• Guidebook for Employment of Domestic Helpers from Abroad
  http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/hkvisas_5.5.htm

Moreover, the Executive Council has approved suspending the Employees Retraining Levy for two years from 1 August 2008.

• Frequently asked questions relating to Suspension of Levy for Employment of FDHs
  http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/faq_fdh.htm#levy