in response to elle, these are obviously cultural differences and no one's right or wrong. from my own experience though, helpers in hong kong do expect to answer these types of question in an interview. i only feel that it's important (and many employers feel the same) because distractions back home can affect their performance dramatically on the job and whether or not they would consider staying in hong kong to work for a longer period of time. a helper who does not have sufficient support back home from family (especially when children are involved) is not as likely to be a dependable employee. it's not a determining factor, but it can throw up some red flags if you're planning to sponsor a 2-year visa for someone living in your home.