Hiring a helper basics

Posted by mikelr (192 days ago)

We are new to Hong Kong and need to hire a helper, mainly to look after our baby.

Is this how it works:

1. Salary of not less than 3480 per month;
2. Levy of 400 per month (paid up front);
3. Food (or 300 per month).
4. Free travel to and from the Phillipines every two years;
5. medical insurance?

Have I missed anything / source of costs?

We arived 8 months ago. Is it true that our helper cannot live out (because you need approval obtained before a 2003 cut-off date to be a living-out employer)?

Many thanks,

Michael

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Posted by abby78 (192 days ago)

yeah thats the basic salary now, the levy you can pay into 4 installments,2,400 every 6 months. the food allowance that depends if you don't provide food for her, normally if she eats what you eat ( which means whatever cooked on that meal time, you don't need to pay a food allowance.the travel back home is after the contract which is 2 years, DH insurance (can buy from HSBC) and of course extra expenses like when you bring her with you to dine outside, octopus for going out with your kids etc etc.... you can say monthly.....roughly you will spend 5K

Posted by kittycat2 (191 days ago)

Of course if you want a helper from somewhere else the airfare will be more - also if you get a helper from Indonesia then it won't cost you any more, but she will arrive with a $21,000 debt (agency 'fees'). Worth bearing in mind.

Posted by mikelr (191 days ago)

Thank you.

Posted by adele78 (188 days ago)

5k a month or 60k a year is the minimum but when I c alculated it up for a slightly better than basic salary, bit more money for food and gifts for birthday, CNY, bonus, etc, I think it would be more like 80k.

You of course don't have to give your DH gifts but they're just like the rest of us and appreciate being treated well and 'might' be a better employee if they feel supported more than the bare minimum.

Posted by worker bee (183 days ago)

Does the contract have to be 2 years?

What would happen if we did not have a contract in HK ourselves longer than 2 years?