Hong Kong Districts With Lowest, Highest Domestic Helper Pay

Domestic helpers moving to new employers in Hong Kong might want to avoid certain districts especially if they’re looking to maintain or improve their wage levels, based on results of an analysis by HelperChoice.

The online platform that helps connect employers and helpers at no cost to the latter had analyzed more than 3,000 job postings between January and August this year. Its findings indicated that employers based in Siu Sai Wan, located further east of Chai Wan in Hong Kong island’s northeast side pay the lowest salary, with an average rate of HK$4,315, to domestic helpers.

While such average wage rate is still above (by HK$5) the minimum wage imposed by Hong Kong’s Labor Department, all the other districts have higher rates, making Siu Sai Wan the least desirable district for those who wish to get a pay rise.

To those looking at the most generous bosses, go West, literally. Employers based in Hong Kong island’s Sheung Wan neighborhood, appeared to be the most generous, with domestic workers receiving an average of HK$5,195 — or HK$885 higher than the mandated minimum wage.

Related: Common Violations Committed by Employers of Domestic Workers

Of the 3,000 job placements, 59 per cent were posted by locals while the remaining 41 per cent were by expats. HelperChoice’s study was timely released as the government is expected to announce a review of helpers’ salary by end of the month.

Groups advocating helpers have called on an increase of more than a quarter of their current wages, from HK$4,310 to HK$5,500 a month.

In the past two years, the government set a 2.4 per cent raise in minimum wage for foreign domestic workers for the past two years.

List of worst paying districts

List of best paying districts

Source: HelperChoice