Residence for FDH

I have just had a helper give me less than a month's notice as she got permanent residency through marriage (albeit she was suppose to be married when signed her contract!).

I have interviewed some other FDH who have been here over 7 years which I would like to employ. However, with the pending possibility of FDH getting permanent residency, I'm concerned that once this legislation is passed, I expect a lot of FDH will walk out of their current domestic jobs. When is this likely to happen i.e. within the next 6 months or a couple of years?


Is it risky to sign a contract with a FDH more than 7 years in HK if I'm looking for someone to stay at least 2 years?

It's not a question of legislation. It is a court case which they are quite unlikely to win. Even if they were to win the court case it is likely the government will ask Beijing to 'interpret' the law and thus overrule any decision in favor of permanent residence for helpers. The fears of helpers receiving PR have been tremendously exaggerated in rags like The Standard.

Is your other FDH a Bigamist?, the one we used to have 'Good Catholic?', was/is still married, husband and 5 kids back in the Pines. A few years ago she met a Brit, while she was 'working' giving comfort to men in the Hotels in her spare time, whilst still being officially an FDH.

Silly woman went to UK with this old man, thinking she could marry him there, despite already being married!!, she thought it would be OK marrying in another country, anyway UK Imm caught up with her and she ended up with an involuntary exit, or be arrested. I must add that this incident with her happened before we employed her, didn't know about either, till she almost bragged about nearly staying the UK all those years back, and saw nothing wrong in marrying 2 men to suit her needs.

I wouldn't worry too much about FDH's of any nationality getting permanent residency, it will cause a big uproar if they did, too much of a drain on HK.

In Fridays Standard 5th August it says, the courts will deal with foreign maids right of abode issue before the government asks Beijing for an interpretation of the basic law,

It also says in the article, that before passing any law to allow the odd FDH to stay as PR If it ever did!!, that it would introduce a NEW rule where any FDH could only come here for 2 contracts Total, so that would mean a max of 6 years in HK, then they would have to go home for good. NO more long stays! no more hope of earning in HK for longer than 6 years of their working lives, and prevent any FDH from becomming even eligable for PR.This is a quote from the Standard Newspaper.

Yes ...Chances of permant residency for FDH on fixed term contracts is vastly over exaggerated and with the friends I have spoken to in the Department of Industry tell me that the only discussions presently on this topic are done by civilians and FDHs and none at all within the Department . It is a "non issue" as far as they are concerned . Even less in the Department of Immigration .