Hong Kong has raised the minimum allowable wage for foreign domestic helpers (FDHs) by 2.35% to HK$5,220 (US$665.22) per month, while keeping the minimum food allowance unchanged, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government said.
The new wage floor applies to all employment contracts signed on or after Oct 3. Contracts signed on or before Oct 2 at the existing minimum wage of HK$5,100 will still be processed by the Immigration Department, provided applications are submitted by Oct 30 this year, according to the government announcement.
A government spokesman said the latest review followed the established mechanism and took into account a range of socio-economic factors, including Hong Kong's overall economic performance and labor market conditions over the past year, the near-term outlook, employers' affordability, and domestic helpers' basic living needs. The government also said it consulted both employers and domestic helpers to better understand their views before reaching the decision.
While the wage level was adjusted upward, the government decided to keep the minimum food allowance—paid in lieu of free meals—unchanged at no less than HK$1,236 per month. Under the standard FDH employment contract, employers must provide free food, though they may opt to pay a food allowance instead.
The government last adjusted the food allowance in September 2023, raising it by HK$40. Over recent years, the FDH minimum wage has been increased in stages: to HK$4,870 (from HK$4,730) alongside the 2023 review, then to HK$4,990 in September 2024, and to HK$5,100 last year, when the food allowance remained unchanged.
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