More agency issues...

Good morning, just wondering if anyone can offer me some advice.

I have read the recent agency thread with interest as my fantastic helper is involved in a similar situation. She has paid an agency in HK $10,000 to find her sister a job here. The agency matched her sister with an employer whom she met up with, they seemed nice, etc. However, when my helper's sister began work last week this was not the same people. (We think they were out of the country and sent a representative but this was not explained in any way). Her actual employers are phoning my poor helper to complain about her sister all the time and it is very stressful for her. On top of this, the new employers are threatening to move overseas and release her, the agency claim they will not return the $10,000 if this happens even though she only began work there last week. The agency told my helper this family were going to move to Central from Yuen Long this month as my helper was reluctant to send her sister so far away from her here in Central, this was clearly a lie. Sorry for the long, complicated story, but my queries are...


Should my husband or I contact the agency and make a complaint about their misleading behaviour?

Can we report them?

Will this make things worse for my helper/her sister? (We adore our helper and would not want to make things more difficult for her)

Is there anything we can do to help?


Thank you for persevering through this epic!

Is the helper Indonesian or Filipino?


One way or another I suggest you ask your helper before you take action - if she is Indonesian there can be some serious repercussions for the helper if you 'attack' the agency... they are a corrupt tentacle of the even more corrupt Indonesian consulate in Hong Kong and there potentially could be implications for the maid's family back home. These ladies are generally afraid to rock the boat - for good reason.


If the maid is from the Philippines and the agency is messing around with her its unlikely they can do anything to her because their consulate is not in cahoots with the agencies any longer (we put an end to that action some years ago by threatening to report them to the ICAC...). If she authorizes you do go ahead I suggest you contact the Labour Board and the ICAC - if they are engaging in illegal activities AND the helper is willing to come forward to testify, the agency involved will be in serious hot water - I have heard of operators of agencies being jailed in the past.


Whenever possible do NOT use helper agencies. Most are not much more than slave traders who exploit these women.

well repoet to icac about her employer because why they hire helper if they want to move and about agency they are stayble in there right but the helper why she say 10,000 $ cash can diduct from her monthaly income.

well repoet to icac about her employer because why they hire helper if they want to move and about agency they are stayble in there right but the helper why she say 10,000 $ cash can diduct from her monthaly income.

Sounds like another (subtle) scam.


Hope your helper and her sister are brave enough to testify.


No complainant, no case. And the sooner actions are taken, the better. Perhaps, by now this same employer is signing up for someone else who is being charge another 10k or more.