Anyone Hire a Filipino Helper Recently?

I have a friend who has just got her helper and the training is only 3 days but you then have to wait for a certificate before they can book a flight.

It took me 3 months to get my helper here and it has taken my other 2 friends this long as well. We all found that immigration was 4-6 weeks but it was the phillippine consulate and other things like this course that held up getting the helper here.
 
my agency said a way to expedite the approval process is to show proof that you are expecting a baby or need help urgently. I didn't provide any proof but my helper's visa was approved within 4 weeks after I submitted all paperwork.
 
Urgent application

In response to ELT, recently I left it a bit late to start the visa applications for my new helper (4 weeks prior to when we needed her to start). The agency supplied me with the form to ask for a speedier consideration as we have 1 child who needs care during the day when I was at work and I was also 6 months pregnant and could really do with the help. The request was totally ignored and it took 8 weeks to get my new helper back from the Philippines...thank goodness for grandparents to bridge the gap!
 
kellyst, can you pm me the details of your maid agency. seems like they have pretty reliable and good maids since you have been using them for ages.
 
RE: Hire a Filipino Helper Recently?

Our helper says that this programme is basically a scam designed to make money for the Philipino government as the course fees go straight to the government. She said that the Philipino helpers in HK have been protesting this corruption.

Given the corrupt state of government affairs in the Phillipines, this wouldn't surprise me.
 
the training is only 3 days and only mandatory for helpers coming to hk for the first time. for those helpers returning to the philippines for their home leave, they will need to take an assessment test (hk$160) which will be valid for 5 yrs. if they fail, they can take the test repeatedly until they pass. this will be enforced from 1 March so if your helpers are expected to arrive before 1/3, they should be exempt from this. we got this info from a man who answered the phone at the philippines consulate in hk this friday afternoon. (we called because we finished processing a visa for our new helper (who had just finished a contract in hk, and returned to manila for her home leave on thursday. we are expecting her to come back and start work with us on 13 feb. her visa only took 9 days to process in hk.)

hope this helps!
 
Grizzy,

Thanks for the update. Did you helper pass the assessment test? Are they forcing the helpers to take the language tests too?
 
Grizzy

Going a bit off topic - how did you manage to get your maid's visa processed in 9 days? I've been waiting since 22nd Jan and my agent told me I cannot contact immigration until a file number is issued. Would be grateful if you could share your experience. Thx in advance.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

About this archive

This is an archive of over 20 years of GeoBaby and GeoSchools knowledge and discussions, kept online as a read-only reference.

Back
Top