What is happening to the domestic helper employment mess ?

I was on the Advice - Domestic Help site, and can only find 1 entry from the Ed. Almost all other entries are related to the daily lives of the actual management of helpers.


So, I am trying to post it on the General Advice section here, since a proportion of readers may know the answer.


What is happening to the situation about hiring of domestic helpers ?


I was shocked to hear from a well established helper agency in Central that hiring a potential candidate from the Philippines now costs over HK$11,000 before landing.


The traditional "handling fee" from the profit-making Philippines agencies which HK has no control over, amounting to sth like HK$6,000 is now passed onto HK employers. Additional to that which HK employer has to pay to the HK agencies ranging from HK$3000-4000 per contract. Plus the Philippines Medical Insurance fee (coverage for the helper when she visits Philippines while being a contracted worker in HK. That is separate and additional to the mandatory medical insurance for her when she works HK.) Plus the inbound plane ticket to HK. All that BEFORE the UNPROVEN candidate arrives. Total is approx $11,000 up.


Once she arrives, if she resigns to return to the Philippines or switch employers, then, who will pay back the employer the part which was paid to the greedy Philippines agency ?


Additionally, there is this moratorium hold for an indefinite period due to the issues still being debated in the Philippines.


Was told too that there may still be more steep increase ahead, which, anytime before the helper leaves the Philippines, may be an additional fee. At which point, the employer will have no resources for that Unkown amount, but to pay the entirety. No refund from the HK agency. Being that it is an unknown amount, being that it is difficult to budget for, the agency will not allow the hirer to backout even though the candidate has not boarded the plane. Or refund part thereof.


Meanwhile, I heard there is a hiring freeze from Indonesian govt for domestic helpers to HK bcoz of local industries booming, presuming they need that labor force.


To augment, HK govt is allowing a large number of Sri Lankan helpers imported labor.


Not sure if the info above is entirely correct, can anyone point me to some in print info. OR, if anyone have more info from their own experience/interactions with their helper agency that they can share ?


Just wondering if anyone is also considering what route to take, if still planning to hire from the Philippines.


Indonesians - not always able to speak, write, English. Hard to write down what needs be done, even if they can speak well enough. Most of them can speak very basic household Cantonese.


I think I have captured the details correctly from the one agency in Central that I have been going to. But because it sounds so ridiculous, just wondering if anyone else can beam me up with any better news from their agencies ?

Would you expect an employment agency to operate free of charge? What do you think is a fair fee for the agency's work?