Foreign domestic carers could earn 10 to 20 percent more than existing helpers under a new pilot scheme for elderly care, Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun said on Friday.

The initiative, announced in the Policy Address delivered on Wednesday, will allow carers with advanced training and experience in elderly care to enter Hong Kong on a pilot basis to look after elderly people living at home.

It will be launched next year and modelled on the existing regime for admitting foreign domestic helpers.

Speaking at a press conference, Sun cited Hong Kong’s ageing population and growing demand from employers for more capable helpers to care for elderly relatives.

"It gives the public a choice. If you only need a foreign domestic helper, then you continue to hire in the foreign domestic helper market," he said.

"But if you need someone with high ability, who can be certified and can provide elderly care services, you can pay a bit more to hire a foreign domestic carer."

Sun said the carers would receive certified elderly-care training that the government intends to be broadly equivalent to the level of a health worker in a residential care home.

Applicants would need at least three years of experience in elderly care, creating what Sun described as a relatively clear certified training framework.

Sun played down concerns that the new system would disrupt the existing foreign domestic helper market.

He said current helpers who wish to become foreign domestic carers would first have to return to their home countries, complete the required training and meet the qualifications before returning to work in Hong Kong.

The labour minister added that discussions with source countries showed there are many young, capable people who may be reluctant to work as foreign domestic helpers, and offering them a role with a professional title and higher pay could be more attractive.

Under the proposed system, foreign domestic carers would still be allowed to perform household duties such as cooking.

Sun said the government does not intend to impose a quota for the pilot scheme.


Edited by Edmond Fong