Since late August, the Hong Kong government has allowed foreign domestic helpers to enter the country with a certificate of COVID-19 vaccination approved by the local government. However, due to the limitation of the number of quarantine rooms, the “foreign domestic helper shortage” issue has not been resolved. A foreign domestic helper said that due to the lack of new inbound foreign domestic helpers, the average salary of foreign domestic helpers who have completed their contracts in Hong Kong has reached between HK$5,500 and HK$7,000. She also pointed out that the government must provide at least 1,500 more quarantine hotel rooms to cope with the demand within two to three months.
CHEUNG Kit–man, Chairman of Hong Kong Employment Agencies Association said that if there are only two quarantine facilities, it is estimated that it will take 7 to 8 months to absorb 6,000 to 7,000 foreign domestic helpers who are preparing to come to Hong Kong.
The government has recently opened one more quarantine hotel namely Silka Tsuen Wan Hotel for foreign domestic helpers to offer 500 rooms more.
He also pointed out that at present, newly arrived foreign domestic helpers generally receive the “Required Minimum Wage” of HK$4,630 per month.
However, due to the lack of new foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong, the average price of foreign domestic helpers who have completed their contracts in Hong Kong has reached HK$5,500 to HK$7,000. It accounts for about 20% of the total number of foreign domestic helpers