A union of recruiters from Indonesia on Wednesday said the cost of hiring an Indonesian domestic helper to work in Hong Kong will rise by about HK$5,000 after the government in Jakarta set new rules.

Representatives of the group, known as Aspataki, was authorised by Indonesian authorities to visit the SAR to set out the new regulations.

Under the new rules, employers rather than workers must pay the local agency fee, which is equivalent to a month’s pay for helpers.

The rules took effect last year, but the group's secretary general, Filius Yandono, said employers here are only just starting to comply.

“That’s why we want to come to Hong Kong to address this regulation. We hope that all the employers … [will work] together for the protection of the migrant workers.”

McLean Ng, who runs a domestic helper employment agency in Hong Kong, said the Labour Department should explain the regulation clearly to employers.

He noted that many employers are now looking to hire helpers from other places, like the Philippines.

But Ng said Indonesian domestic helpers still have an edge as many of them speak Cantonese and can communicate with the elderly.

“In Hong Kong, most of the people hire Indonesian [helpers] because they need to care for the elderly. Because most of the elderly in Hong Kong can’t speak English well, maybe they would have problems with daily communication with the domestic helper,” he said.

The Labour Department said it has reached out to the Indonesian Consulate General in Hong Kong regarding the matter.

It also said that officials have previously made it clear to the consulate that any adjustment to policies on exporting Indonesian domestic helpers should avoid significantly increasing the cost of hiring them or reducing their employment opportunities in Hong Kong.
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Last updated: 2023-08-02 HKT 21:35