Hiring a helper through direct employment

[rani]

$5K is way tooo high! Call a few other agencies and see if you can get a better price.

This company is charging $1.8K

http://www.igoodlink.com/all service.htm

 

[mamaS]

Hi Rani and to all who is planning to get a direct hire helper.....

The agency fee ranges from 1,600-2,000 dollars, BUT this is just the fee that we should pay in Hk. The poor helper also has to pay another 20,000 pesos in Manila, so it turns out to be expensive too.

What i did is find an agency that i pay all the expenses here, around $3,200, the helper won't pay anything in Manila anymore.

The processing takes 4-6 weeks.

 

[rani]

Thanks MamaS for the update.

 

[jessieywl]

hi all,

i didn't do it thr any agency. but my helper used to work in hk before. maybe that was why they didnt need me to do it thr an agency?

 

[mamaS]

hi all,

i didn't do it thr any agency. but my helper used to work in hk before. maybe that was why they didnt need me to do it thr an agency?

You are absolutely right, jessie. Mine is a first timer so she has to have an agency. I didn't know that until the last minute, it's good i called the Phil. consulate to verify if i can do the leg work. :burnout:

 

[hunhun]

First Timer

Me and my friends have all managed to hire first timer helpers (never worked in HK before) by ourselves. Didn't have any problems. Just have to beat around the bush a bit. It can be done for sure.

 

[mamaS]

Hi Hermoine,

When was that? i have a friend too who insisted that it can be done, then i found out that it happened a year ago, rules of consulate changes. THE ONLY excemption is if the helper has work with your family before.

 

[hunhun]

A month ago

Hi MamaS, my friend's helper arrived just shy of a month ago. Her helper has not worked in Hong Kong, nor any of her family members before. Please don't be offended, I mean well, but sometimes, with SE Asian consulates, you have to be prepared with the mentality that their rules can sometimes be different (or bent) from staff to staff, and from occassion to occassion. They can be a lot more flexible than say, US or UK consulates. And so, the way you enquire or present your case may result in the differing level of flexibility. Maybe there are other reasons, but that's just what I think. In any case, as long as your helper doesn't need to pay anything whatsoever in the Phillipines, I think HK$3200 is about right.

 

[cyberyoda]

Hi Hun Hun,

Would you let me know the contact of your agent please?? Thanks a bunch.

 

[sophwillsmum]

Hi,
We are moving to Hongkong in June and I will be interested in getting a helper. I just assumed I would be able to pick one up who already worked in the country when I arrived to save any hassles. From what I am reading it seems like they are hard to come by. Am I correct? Also i just want to clarify if it is true that they have to be full time and live in your home?
Thanks,
Sally.