800 quarantine units set for foreign helpers, booking starts Tuesday

The government on Friday (Sept. 10) announced that 800 units at the Penny's Bay Quarantine Centre will be made available for foreign domestic helpers (FDHs) arriving from Group A specified places to undergo quarantine from September 20.

The arrangement will be applicable to incoming helpers who were vaccinated in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates.

On a cost-recovery basis, the Government will charge $480 per night per unit for the 800 units at Phases 1 and 2 of the Lantau quarantine facility, covering three meals and all fees.

Employers and employment agencies may apply for a room reservation through the booking system on the Labour Department's FDH Portal from 9am on September 14. The system will show the rooms available for booking in the coming 30 days.

In order to arrange for helpers to come to Hong Kong in a gradual and orderly manner while guarding against imported COVID-19 cases, the quarantine center will receive at most 50 FDHs every day, the Government said.

The department will process the applications in order of submission, and acknowledge receipt of the application within one or two days. The applicant should then provide a copy of the helper's passport, a valid employment visa and a recognized vaccination record.

After verifying the relevant documents, a demand note will be issued to the applicant for settling payment. A payment receipt should be produced within the specified period of time. The booking process will be completed upon issuance of booking confirmation by the department.

If an applicant does not submit the documents required, settle the payment or produce a payment receipt on time, the booking may be canceled, the Government noted.

Payment will be refunded if a helper tests positive for COVID-19 before check-in, or if a change or cancellation of booking is required due to a change or cancellation of flights by the airline or due to a lockdown, provided that supporting documents are submitted in advance. Nevertheless, the department will exercise flexibility having regard to the individual merits of each case.