How can I help?

My helper has recently expressed a desire to live in HK forever. She is from indonesia. How can I help to make her dream come true? To be a true resident with an independent life...like mine? As I sit in my beautiful apartment with my charmed life I feel so bad that I have every opportunity ahead of me and I can't think of one way to create opportunities for her - I don't know what options this girl has in HK. What kind of education can she receive in hk to help her become independent? I sometimes get the feeling marriage to someone with money is the only 'way out' of an impoverished lifestyle... Excuse my ignorance, but is there anything I can do?

Marry her, that is the only course of action. Even if you find a sponsor for a proper work visa, she has to go back to Indonesia and wait, and Immigration might not approve as the employer has to prove that he/she has done everything to find someone to fill in that post locally and cannot, and this person is his/her best choice.

why do you think she wants to be a permanent resident in hk? because she wants to pay tax? or she wants to use the wellfare? before you pretending to be nice to someone, think of your actions first, you "helping" this girl means putting more pressure on the shoulders of many tax payers in hk

What nonsense you spout, wing412! Take a moment or two to imagine the positive in people's dreams. You come across as a very bitter and presumptuous person.

before i dream to move to another country, i would ask myself "why would they consider letting me stay in this country? how much would i have to put in, buying property? paying tax?


yes, bitter is the word to describe all honkies who have to pay tax so that we DONT get to stay in public estates, no rent free periods, no travel subsidies, and make sure the money is spent on mainland chinese who come and pop out numerous kids they cant remember and so that domestic helpers can have a permanent residency for their GREAT effort to this city. what a lovely scene going through central and victoria park on sundays

wing412, first of all you are lumping two different issues (Mainland Chinese taxing HK resources) and FDH seeking permanent residency into one, when they are quite different.


FDH do have a part in keeping this city going, seeing as they free up other people to join the workforce. In my opinion, and more importantly according to the Basic Law (the relevant passage is clear and unambiguous), they have the same rights as any other foreign worker. In other words permanent residency after seven years.


Yes, some FDH want to settle here. I hardly think they want to move here and be on the dole... Far better to have a low income in The Philippines or Indonesia than the same income here, where it will not go nearly as far.


Alarmists like you have failed to make a cogent argument for why FDH with seven years residency should not be allowed to settle in Hong Kong. Even the press, which tends to be the most alarmist, has had to make an about face on the issue.



On the Victoria Park or Central on Sundays thing, you can't just point the finger at the helpers. I bet far fewer FDH would spend their free days in these places if so many employers didn't force their helpers to stay out of the house on Sundays.

If the helper has excellent qualifications, to compete against local Hk people for a specialist type job, and has been in HK for over 7 years, then there is no reason they shouldn't try to get residency. They must realise they are then liable to pay taxes, find their own accommodation, and pay rents, household bills, food, medical bills, their own air fares to visit their home country, etc etc.

Employers of FDH's with permanent residency, would have to pay much higher hourly rates for their cleaning services, if employers were unwilling to do because they can't afford it, this then FDH's would become a burden on Hk's economy as they would be unemployed,they couldn't even afford rents, let alone food.

If employers on on a relatively low wage loose their 'live in' FDH on a contract, they themselves won't be able to work, as they will loose the child care these helpers give.

Also by becoming a permanent resident they would effectively 'cut themselves off' from their own families at home, because they would not be granted residency to join them in Hk.

There is lots of scenarios to think about when helpers apply for permanent residency, if they qualify and get it!. They have a dream of being like Sir or Madam but it won't always have a happy ending, unless they meet Prince Charming.

Well yeah I havent thought about that myself! I mean the taxes, renting, getting unemployed because you rate is higher and stuff. I am a domestic helper although I have totally NO intentions of getting a residency here in hongkong(i mean, why hongkong when there's A LOT of other countries out there who could offer much more benefits AND salaries??) I honestly think its a waste of time trying to get a residency here in hong kong if you're a domestic helper from phils or indonesia. Even if you become a resident, then what? In the eyes of the hong kongers you are still THAT domestic helper, you know what i mean? But hey, different people have different reasons. I also think its fair to give the hardworking helpers what they're due. Its our right, anyway. Yeah might turn out to be a burden to the government but it is the helper who would eventually suffer the most, isn't she? And Prince Charming is not always the solution.

"When FDH arrive in Hong Kong, they do so knowing that the option of PR is NOT available to them and thus cannot meet the immigration criteria required that is, truthfully answering whether HK has been made the permanent place of residence. Simple as that. I don't agree that a person should be allowed to arrive in a country with prior knowledge of the immigration policy and then 'demand' what they knew they were not entitled to. "


If the rule is unconstitutional, and the helper finds out about this after living in HK for a decade, she can certainly make the argument she has been treated in an illegal manner, and has not received the privileges that the Basic law clearly specified.


"Is the application of the law wrong? Who is to say! Should it be changed? Again, who is to say!"


The highest court will probably decide that. But it doesn't take a legal expert to read the Basic Law and see that it is very clear on the matter.



Let's assume FDH are allowed to apply for permanent residency. How is this a bad thing? The trickle of people moving here will hardly be a burden.

Its very nice of the OP to try and help her FDH. In a way, i agree that legally FDH should have the same rights as others to get residency. But i can sympathise with some of the remarks against it. Although Chinese Mainlanders and FDH are two separate issues, i can see where the connection (and resentment) comes from for local HK people.


HK's resources in many sectors are already at their limits, and with new policies allowing even easier acces for mainlanders into HK, there are a plethora of reasons to be concerned for FDH's and mainlanders (or others) seeking PR when there are reasons to believe that they would consume resources rather than add to the economy. Regarding FDH's of course there are exceptions. But many FDH's without other qualifications would most likely end up in public housing and put further strain on resources. I believe this is what local Honkies are concerned about and where the bitterness stems from. A trickle of people moving to HK could hardly be a burden? Yes, perhaps for some (including myself), but if you asked the same question of those living in cage housing, partitioned units in industrial buildings, and those on 5 year waiting lists for public housing, i believe you will get a different answer.


OP, i dont completely agree that the only way out of an impoverished life is marriage to someone wealthy. Perhaps for some it is, but with hard work and setting realistic goals many people can find a better way of life, hence your DH who is doing just that by coming to work in HK. If/when she returns to Indonesia she will alreayd be able to provide a better life for herself (within reason). Ofcourse we woould all love to live on top of HK Peak... but most of us set realistc goals for ourselves and end up satisfied. Anyway, all the best for your helper to fulfill her dreams of achieving all of that in HK!