Indonesia Helper Annual Leave

My Indonesian helper is due for her contract renewal at the end of next month. She will have been with us for 4 years.


Do we have to renew her contract through an agency?


Does she have to return to Indonesian and come back after the specified time? Or can she stay in Hong Kong whilst her contract is being renewed?

You must renew her contract through an agency.


I suggest you get involved with the agency directly because they will almost certainly attempt to overcharge her. We have gone to war with some of the agencies and the the ICAC has also dealt with these unscrupulous people but for some reason nothing changes...


If you get involved you can ensure that she gets hit with a lower renewal payment...they will probably try to get 10K or more but I understand they may go as low as 3K if pushed...


The consulate will not renew the visa directly - they will require that you go through an agency approved by them (guess why....)


I dont think your helper has to return to Indonesia if you are renewing.

We didn't renew through any agency. My helper just did it all by herself. Not necessary for agency unless you or the helper don't want to do it. Saves you lots of money!

Ed, are you suggesting that the Indonesian consulate is getting kickbacks from the agencies?

Katetam - can you ask your helper how she renewed without an agency - I have a good friend who tried to help his helper renew without an agency - he went directly to the consulate but was told not possible.

It's possible to renew the contract by yourself but it's painfully difficult. My Indonesian helper got all the forms from the consulate last year and one of the forms they need is a letter from her village head in Indonesia! If she is married, the letter has to come from the village head of her husband's family. Otherwise, it will be from her own family's village head.


You also need to go with helper to the consulate for an interview and believe me, they will make you wait! When I renewed by myself the first time in 2003, I waited more than an hour to see the manager. Back then, she didn't need the letter from the village head. Now she does.


We ended up doing it with an agency and paid $5,000 ($2,000 from employer and $3,000 from helper). If you do it through the agent, you don't need the letter from the village head! Hmm, don't ask me why it is possible!!!


You can do renew her contract while she is in HK. You only need to show them a return air-ticket. I think your helper can go back around the end of her contract or slightly later. They are not too strict about that. My helper's visa was renewed 2 weeks before her contract ended, and she only went back to Indonesia a week after her contract ended.