work visa for FDH - How long does it REALLY take?

I hired a FDH back in October through posting Ads and interviews. We then hired an agency to process the work visa while the FDH went back to the Phillippines to wait. It's been almost 7 weeks and I am starting to get worried. The agency told us it takes 4-6 weeks but a friend of mine told me it never took them less than 3 months. I am giving birth in less than 2 months and I would really like to have my DH start early December so we can both adjust since this will be my first DH experience. Can anyone offer any insight? Thanks.

you need to call your agency and tell them that you need your maid very urgent... thats what i did when i hired my FDH from philippines .... it takes 1 month only my processing

I called but the agency gave me this BCA number and told me to call HK immigration myself. When I asked them to call for me, they said HK immigration does not entertain inquiries from agencies. When I called the immigration, the mailbox was full and I couldn't even leave a message.

no thats imposible, so why my agency can do that for me before? what is the name of your agency?

It's called Emry's Employment Agency. The FDH took us there after we hired her.

thats very bad, emry's are always like that. if other agency can do the follow up in the immigration why emry's cant? so something wrong with that ageny ....

I also used Emry's, and they have already made 2 major errors that has cost me 3-4 additional weeks. They are driving me crazy with these clerical errors.


I don't know how we found them (forget if they were recommended by someone on the board), but my only advice at this point is to avoid them for anything else in the future.


I wish I had seen this thread earlier.

Same with my case with the same employment agencies


Here is my situation, I need to hire a helper which to take care of my kids, because they already here in HK to take up their studies. We choose EMRYs Employment Agency to take care of our application and to ease our burden for our chosen helper (We gave our documents last 1 JULY 2011).


Since one of the basic requirement is MEDICAL CLEARANCE (Philippines) we have no choice but to follow their instruction. She undergo all medical procedure/requirements but until now (more than a month) the helper have not yet received the so called MEDICAL CLEARANCE (FIT TO WORK) from their agency and not yet even file our Helper’s application to Philippines Consulate or HK Immigration. We follow their instruction from the start but they always insist THAT she need to go to medical clearance, even though we want to sign a waiver.

Also, as per my understanding and informed them that The HK Government policies (Part XII of the Employment Ordinance) contradicts with their company policy as stated in their receipt (see attach) that the helper will be the one who will shoulder other medical expenses such as her ultrasound showing negative results (but on their Physical Examination she has a bilateral cysts), eyeglasses, tooth extraction etc. which all of this directly cost her about Php 25,000 ($4,700 approximate) to fulfill her medical requirement. We also mention in our previous email that we are willing to have her medical examination here in HK(as their findings she has a bilateral cyst). But instead they want me to sign a waiver to clear Emrys and All pro staffing (I don't know WHY?).

As the result of these (me, my family and my helper) having many difficulties, frustration in transacting with that agency. We are mentally tortured that AFFECTS my working efficiency. Which I’m always asking WHY?, what’s the problem and what went wrong? May be, it is because she did not choose their accredited Medical Clinic that from the start they didn’t inform her to go on your affiliated clinics. As the result they didn’t gain profits from her medical examination that’s why they don’t want to give her a FIT TO WORK Status? Also, we force to cancel her application due to her medical clearance FIT TO WORK status, because we know they have no plan to gave her medical clearance.


Do you think that I can file a case against employment agency since their policy is contradict with the HK Labor Ordinance? Because in my mind their policy is the can manipulate everybody who want to seek for a job here in HK and it root of corruption, since they always insist that the helper is the one who shoulder extra expenses.


Hope I can hear from your good office regarding my situation.


Emrys Information:


Agency : Emry's Employment Agency

Address : Shop 355, 3/F World Wide Plaza

19 Des Voeux Road, Central,

Hong Kong

Fax : 25459155

Tel: 28156060 , 28154114

Contract # H865411