Why are Domestic Helpers so Common in Hong Kong?

1 in 10 households in Hong Kong have a domestic helper. Altogether, helpers make up 5% of Hong Kong’s population. 400,000 scattered throughout the bustling streets, purchasing groceries, cooking meals, and folding laundry; an all-in-one housekeeper, caretaker, and personal chef. Every stroll through the neighbourhoods will guarantee that you see children clutching the arms of helpers. But why don’t we see this in other countries?

Who are these Helpers?

The majority of Hong Kong’s domestic helpers are women, as young as 23 years from the Philippines and Indonesia. As foreigners, they are required to depart from their families and live under the same roof as their employers.

Studies show that approximately 25% of foreign helpers attended university. So the question becomes, why do domestic helpers do what they do? If they are educated to a fair degree, why work a low-skill job? While in theory, helpers do have other career options, economic incentives are the primary driving factor for such women. 

In most Filipino and Indonesian families, access and resources to pursue further education towards white collar jobs are purely unreasonable and inconvenient. Thus, Indonesia struggles with a shortage of doctors, with the ration being four doctors per 10,000 citizens. Furthermore, wages in Hong Kong are significantly more stable with an average monthly salary of HKD$5,310, in comparison to an average of HKD$2,298 in the Philippines and HKD$3,620 in Indonesia.

As a result, many resort to working abroad in order to support their families, and lessen the overall economic burden on their family’s daily resources. On their days off, it is extremely common to notice domestic helpers packing large boxes filled with goods that are then sent to their families.

Why are Domestic Helpers specifically popular in Hong Kong?

In the early 1970s, Hong Kong faced rapid economic development, with more women entering the workforce. As a result, labour was in increasing demand. Families needed assistance in housekeeping, and didn’t have the time to worry about what to eat for dinner or how their kids are doing. Thus, the government passed a policy that allowed those from the Philippines to work overseas due to their previous struggles caused by the global oil crisis. Many Filipinas have also found it convenient to travel from and back, therefore creating a solid option for those wanting to achieve financial stability. Over the years, domestic helpers has now become an extremely common career in both nations. 

The Struggles of a Domestic Helper

There is this facade that domestic helpers spend their lives, happy in the comfort of their employer’s home. Unfortunately, it is a utopia, not reality. Due to a helper’s living conditions, for the case of most, the line between work and rest is so fine that it’s practically indistinguishable. We must recognize that employers hold significant power over domestic helpers — if employers are unsatisfied with the helper’s work, their contract could be immediately terminated. If another job is not found within 2 weeks, they would be required to depart the country. Consequently, many choose to obey the orders of employers, no matter how absurd, in order to protect their income. Domestic helpers in Hong Kong have reportedly been living in cramped conditions without an inch of privacy, and have experienced physical and sexual assaults from families.

You’re probably thinking, this policy is so unreasonable, surely people are protesting against it? However, only a minority of Hong Kong citizens, as well as domestic helpers, have stood up against the outrageous law, and not much progress has been made. Erwiana Sullistyaningsih, a former Indonesian domestic worker in Hong Kong, has filed a lawsuit in 2015 in an attempt to ensure all helpers would not be required to live in the houses of their employers. However, the government argued that would “strain the city’s housing and public transit systems”, causing a threat towards the Hong Kong population.

These workers are not robots, nor items. They, too, are human beings, and in no circumstance should they feel uncomfortable, threatened, or unsafe in the workplace.

Works Cited

Cavan, Fredmoore. “Calabarzon Kasambahays to Receive Higher Pay Starting March - Philippine Information Agency.” Philippine Information Agency, 26 Feb. 2025, pia.gov.ph/calabarzon-kasambahays-to-receive-higher-pay-starting-march/. Accessed 23 Aug. 2025.

Hong, in. “Arrow Employment Services.” Arrow Employment Services, 2019, www.arrowes.hk/qualifications. Accessed 23 Aug. 2025.

Immigration Department. “Foreign Domestic Helpers | Immigration Department.” Www.immd.gov.hk, www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services/visas/foreign_domestic_helpers.html. Accessed 28 Aug. 2025.

Legislative Council Secretariat. “Foreign Domestic Helpers in Hong Kong.” Manpower, Statistical Highlights, Feb. 2025, app7.legco.gov.hk/rpdb/en/uploads/2025/ISSH/ISSH02_2025_20250224_en.pdf. Accessed 23 Aug. 2025.

Legislative Council Secretiat. Foreign Domestic Helpers and Evolving Care Duties in Hong Kong. 2016.

Lok-Hei, Sum. “SCMP.” South China Morning Post, 13 Feb. 2019, www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/2185976/more-70-cent-foreign-domestic-helpers-hong-kong-work-over-13. Accessed 23 Aug. 2025.

Sutrisno, MD, PhD, OG (REI). “Shortages of Medical Doctors in Indonesia, Is It True?” Asian Journal of Health Research, vol. 2, no. 2, 11 Aug. 2023, https://doi.org/10.55561/ajhr.v2i2.121. Accessed 23 Aug. 2025.

Yeung, Jessie. “Imagine Being Forced to Live with Your Boss. That’s the Case for Nearly 400,000 Women in Hong Kong.” CNN, 10 July 2020, edition.cnn.com/2020/07/09/asia/hong-kong-helper-live-in-rule-intl-hnk. Accessed 28 Aug. 2025.

Yung, Aubrey. “Salary of Domestic Helper in Hong Kong 2022: Your Guide.” Wise, 11 Apr. 2021, wise.com/hk/blog/domestic-helper-salary-in-hong-kong. Accessed 23 Aug. 2025.