Finding a helper

[sethgrossman]

We need to find an Amah. We do not want a live-in for a variety of reasons. We have a 2 1/2 year old girl who's active and needs attention but we really need someone to cook, clean, wash, etc. How do we go about finding a suitable person? What are the going rates for compensation?

And, my wife is from Mainland China and would love to have a Mainland Chinese woman to help that speaks Mandarin as her native language. Is it common to have such a person as an Amah and how do people find them?

 

[Lai San]

You might want to try the recruitment services provided by the Labor Department (visit http://www.jobs.gov.hk). I believe the going rate for a part time maid is $50/hour. You can, however, negotiate a monthly rate if she comes more than 3 times a week.

I believe you can get Mandarin speaking helpers but you have to make sure they have valid HK ID cards (thus safer to go through the Labor Department). I understand there are a lot of Mainland China maids working illegally in HK.

Hope this helps.