DH Wage rate?

For a fulltime DH wage rate, what is the going rate? I know that there is a minimum wage, but do people generally pay that amount, or is it common or expected for a DH to be paid more? I am new to HK and so just want to make sure that I am doing the right thing. Thanks

Depends on how much experience they have as it would in any job it's the experience and qualifications that we have that advances us in our careers.

i pay 4000, recently increased to 4150 as am saving 400 from the levy relief announced by the govt. she eats what we eat, no extra food allowance.


give her bonuses ( like 500 for xmas), ( 500 on my son's brthday), totalling to about 2000 per annum.


she's done 12 years in hk before she started to work for us

I am a foreigner and have lived in HK for 5 years. I've always paid more than minimum, but have found it is necessary to consider many factors before you hire someone. If the person has lived in HK for 20 years, he or she will have generally built up a large amount of people who depend on her financially and she will also have heard that some helpers earn $7,000/month. Some helpers start at minimum when they first arrive, but they need a great deal of training. My last helper was paid $4,600 but had been in Hk for 15 years. She knew how to cook Western food and spoke well, but constantly complained about being underpaid and scoffed at the Christmas bonus of half a month's pay. She expected to be sent home once a year for 2 weeks and expected about 8 weeks off in the summer (flights for this trip at her expense) and spending money, or she'd just about have a tantrum, and wouldn't speak to me, etc. She also needed to sleep in the day and had a lot of health problems. She's no longer with us. Our new helper is paid $3,800/month, but is not as experienced and hadn't worked with foreigners. It is really just a hugee amount of work training her. I've spent many months trying to get her to cook Western food, learn our ways and I feel like I should've hired someone more experienced, but I didn't want someone who'd been here so long that she just couldn't be satisfied. Anyway, my new helper is more pleasant and although she can't cook, and isn't working as many hours as I'd like, I just gave her $1,500 for Christmas. Many of my friends who are foreigners give a month's pay. Some people give half a month or a gift or less money. It's up to you, but be careful to find out what she was paid at her last job and how often she was sent home and if she was ever given bonuses before you hire her.

PS...don't forget giving anything now or at Chinese New Year's is a gift so give what you feel comfortable giving and consider how many children she has.

we pay $3,600 plus $500 food allowance. We just gave our's $500 extra for xmas, plus 4 days off.