provided that your new helper has gone home at least once in the past 2 years, she does not need to return before commencing employment for you. the rule is that she needs to go home once every 2 years. also, if the matter is urgent, you can write a letter to HK Immigration asking for an exception and allowing your new helper to commence employment immediately.
Terminating Domestic Helper
- Thread starter Jenny
- Start date
I have always hired maids who either finished or terminated from their contracts. They were all being exempt from going home prior to the new contracts. The rule of thumb is to write to the Immigration about your needs and they will consider exempting the 14 days home return policy.
I am recently interviewing for a new maid too, anyone else in the same situation? I have 3 kids (1 in secondary and 2 in primary, all full day schools) and living with my mother in law (but she is traveling a lot of times, only in Hong Kong for 3 - 4 months per year, but we have a room for her still). As soon as they know I have 3 kids + MIL, they almost hung up on me immediately or tell me they are busy for interviews... :barf: Any tips from anyone who could get a good maid? I am hesitant in going thru agencies because of some horrible experiences before hand... like the maid back out after 2 months of waiting, maid vanished without a trace after arriving, maid's neglience and burnt my boy's hand (he was still a toddler then).... these are all different maids hired from agencies!
I am recently interviewing for a new maid too, anyone else in the same situation? I have 3 kids (1 in secondary and 2 in primary, all full day schools) and living with my mother in law (but she is traveling a lot of times, only in Hong Kong for 3 - 4 months per year, but we have a room for her still). As soon as they know I have 3 kids + MIL, they almost hung up on me immediately or tell me they are busy for interviews... :barf: Any tips from anyone who could get a good maid? I am hesitant in going thru agencies because of some horrible experiences before hand... like the maid back out after 2 months of waiting, maid vanished without a trace after arriving, maid's neglience and burnt my boy's hand (he was still a toddler then).... these are all different maids hired from agencies!
armstroe
Registered User
Were the maids you hired direct from the Philippines or already working in Hong Kong - they sound like some terrible experiences.
I have just used an agency, and thanks to the good advice shared on the help with your helper thread here on geobaby I was able to spell out my conditions (including candidates that had finished their contracts and had good releases/references and employer phone numbers to call) and was very pleased with the calibre of helpers they sent to be interviewed.
I have just used an agency, and thanks to the good advice shared on the help with your helper thread here on geobaby I was able to spell out my conditions (including candidates that had finished their contracts and had good releases/references and employer phone numbers to call) and was very pleased with the calibre of helpers they sent to be interviewed.
The ones I had to write letters for exemptions are already in Hong Kong.
Which agency did you use? I've interviewed another one today, she didnt' want to work for me cos I have asked her to share the room with my daughter. I really have no faith on these girls anymore...
Which agency did you use? I've interviewed another one today, she didnt' want to work for me cos I have asked her to share the room with my daughter. I really have no faith on these girls anymore...
Left in the lurch
I too am interviewing for a helper on an urgent basis. We just found out on Tuesday that the helper we have been waiting for, for two months, has decided to stay in the Philippines after really stringing us along, including paying for insurance, the levy, etc. I am pretty stressed because I just had my first baby who will be one month old on Friday. I should of recognised the signs that this helper was unreliable including she kept delaying her return and asking for more time. She did however come highly reccomended so I didn't want to believe my initial instincts.
In any case, I would be grateful for any advice on where to find a new helper - QUICK! I am not very familiar with the agencies here.
On a side note - how can I put my baby's picture onto the site??
I too am interviewing for a helper on an urgent basis. We just found out on Tuesday that the helper we have been waiting for, for two months, has decided to stay in the Philippines after really stringing us along, including paying for insurance, the levy, etc. I am pretty stressed because I just had my first baby who will be one month old on Friday. I should of recognised the signs that this helper was unreliable including she kept delaying her return and asking for more time. She did however come highly reccomended so I didn't want to believe my initial instincts.
In any case, I would be grateful for any advice on where to find a new helper - QUICK! I am not very familiar with the agencies here.
On a side note - how can I put my baby's picture onto the site??
Hi Kim,
So sorry to hear this. I have had the same experiences too, 1 backed out after 2 months and 1 disappeared after a day of arrival...
God Bless Me, I found THE perfect maid yesterday and I am going to sign the contract with her.. I hope she will come (the other one I confirmed disappeared on me too.. sigh). I had been interviewing maids from asiaxpat.com, they are already in Hong Kong and you can meet them in person. However, you might get some horrid ones who will demand a lot of things and basically 'interview' you before you get a chance to interview them and what have you, but there are still good ones out there, I found mine on asiaxpat too.
And I have found out that some maids might take advantage of you (if you are expat) becaues they assume you do not know the policies very well. My colleague (American) had got maids asking for more than $4500 salary. If you are ok, then that's fine but some of the expats in HK do not know what the right salary is. By law, you are required to give at least $32X0 (sorry, cannot remember down to the exact dollar) and then you've to pay $400 per month to Gov't as tax. However, we usually pay them $36X0 (the maid I was going to fire gets $38X0 per month) excluding tax cos we do not want them to have to bare the tax cos they've got family to support. I sometimes might also offer a probation period too which will be the basic salary for 3 months and then an increment after 3 months if she is up to our standard.
I hope the perfect one will come along soon for you.
Good luck!
PS. If you want to post a picture, you will fin 'attach file' after the "your reply". Press Browse and then put in the path for your doc (ie. jpeg, gif etc).
So sorry to hear this. I have had the same experiences too, 1 backed out after 2 months and 1 disappeared after a day of arrival...
God Bless Me, I found THE perfect maid yesterday and I am going to sign the contract with her.. I hope she will come (the other one I confirmed disappeared on me too.. sigh). I had been interviewing maids from asiaxpat.com, they are already in Hong Kong and you can meet them in person. However, you might get some horrid ones who will demand a lot of things and basically 'interview' you before you get a chance to interview them and what have you, but there are still good ones out there, I found mine on asiaxpat too.
And I have found out that some maids might take advantage of you (if you are expat) becaues they assume you do not know the policies very well. My colleague (American) had got maids asking for more than $4500 salary. If you are ok, then that's fine but some of the expats in HK do not know what the right salary is. By law, you are required to give at least $32X0 (sorry, cannot remember down to the exact dollar) and then you've to pay $400 per month to Gov't as tax. However, we usually pay them $36X0 (the maid I was going to fire gets $38X0 per month) excluding tax cos we do not want them to have to bare the tax cos they've got family to support. I sometimes might also offer a probation period too which will be the basic salary for 3 months and then an increment after 3 months if she is up to our standard.
I hope the perfect one will come along soon for you.
Good luck!
PS. If you want to post a picture, you will fin 'attach file' after the "your reply". Press Browse and then put in the path for your doc (ie. jpeg, gif etc).
Thanks!
Thanks Michelef - for the words of commiseration!
I interviewed two ladies yesterday and one I liked very much. Not loads of experience with newborns but some and a very lovely and kind person. Hopefully my judgement will be better this time, I don't trust myself anymore!
Your stories of having one disapear after the first day are scary! The lady that I liked, her visa expires on Saturday so I guess she will have to go back if she doesn't come with me or finds someone else. I am having her back for a second interview tonight, with my husband. If all goes well, we will make her an offer.
I think I have been an easy person to take advantage of as the last time I relied on the helpers to inform me of the policies - I thought wrongly that I knew what was what. I have now downloaded the Guidebook for Employment of Domestic Helpers from Immigration and am going to study it thorougly today - and probably give them a call as well!
Anyway, thank you very much for your kind words and all the advice - I will take a look at asiaexpat.
All the best,
Kim
ps And thanks for telling me how to add the photo! Here's a picture of my daughter Holly, born February 27.
Thanks Michelef - for the words of commiseration!
I interviewed two ladies yesterday and one I liked very much. Not loads of experience with newborns but some and a very lovely and kind person. Hopefully my judgement will be better this time, I don't trust myself anymore!
Your stories of having one disapear after the first day are scary! The lady that I liked, her visa expires on Saturday so I guess she will have to go back if she doesn't come with me or finds someone else. I am having her back for a second interview tonight, with my husband. If all goes well, we will make her an offer.
I think I have been an easy person to take advantage of as the last time I relied on the helpers to inform me of the policies - I thought wrongly that I knew what was what. I have now downloaded the Guidebook for Employment of Domestic Helpers from Immigration and am going to study it thorougly today - and probably give them a call as well!
Anyway, thank you very much for your kind words and all the advice - I will take a look at asiaexpat.
All the best,
Kim
ps And thanks for telling me how to add the photo! Here's a picture of my daughter Holly, born February 27.
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Hi Kim,
Holly is absolutely beautiful!!!! :bluebaby:
If you don't mind, I would like to give you some of my advises too.
I generally prefer helpers who are above 30, married with kids cos they will have financial burden back in the Philippines and hence will work harder. Other thing is you will need to stand firm (not mean, but firm) to them in the first couple of months. I always wanted to treat them like a family but they always ended up abusing our relationship so stand firm at first and be friends later. You will also have to make a list of the daily chores and ask her to follow it. However, I always tell them to make sure they come back to me if I have overloaded them with work but a list is essential and also you should setup a time that they could leave and be back by on Sundays, these are basic disciplines. Thirdly, if you see something you are uncomfortable with, tell her right away (politely of course), do not hold it back and hoping it might go away. They usually will think that they got away with it and hence keep doing it.
BTW, your maid might not need to go back to the Philippines to wait for her visa, you can write a letter addressed to Immigration Dept stating that due to you having a newborn at home, you desparately need a maid on board asap and therefore hoping they could expedite this application. They will usually grant this quickly without having her to go back and wait.
Lastly, do not forget to ask her to go for a bodycheck (at your cost), you can call the labs in HK, they generally provide bodychecks for Hep A/B, Aids etc. Afterall, she is so close to your family and you will need her to be healthy to take care of a newborn! You should ask her to go tomorrow if you find her suitable at her 2nd interview.
If there is anything else you need to know or just a chat, you can email me at [email protected]
Take care!
PS. The one in the picture is my youngest, her name is Britney.
Holly is absolutely beautiful!!!! :bluebaby:
If you don't mind, I would like to give you some of my advises too.
I generally prefer helpers who are above 30, married with kids cos they will have financial burden back in the Philippines and hence will work harder. Other thing is you will need to stand firm (not mean, but firm) to them in the first couple of months. I always wanted to treat them like a family but they always ended up abusing our relationship so stand firm at first and be friends later. You will also have to make a list of the daily chores and ask her to follow it. However, I always tell them to make sure they come back to me if I have overloaded them with work but a list is essential and also you should setup a time that they could leave and be back by on Sundays, these are basic disciplines. Thirdly, if you see something you are uncomfortable with, tell her right away (politely of course), do not hold it back and hoping it might go away. They usually will think that they got away with it and hence keep doing it.
BTW, your maid might not need to go back to the Philippines to wait for her visa, you can write a letter addressed to Immigration Dept stating that due to you having a newborn at home, you desparately need a maid on board asap and therefore hoping they could expedite this application. They will usually grant this quickly without having her to go back and wait.
Lastly, do not forget to ask her to go for a bodycheck (at your cost), you can call the labs in HK, they generally provide bodychecks for Hep A/B, Aids etc. Afterall, she is so close to your family and you will need her to be healthy to take care of a newborn! You should ask her to go tomorrow if you find her suitable at her 2nd interview.
If there is anything else you need to know or just a chat, you can email me at [email protected]
Take care!
PS. The one in the picture is my youngest, her name is Britney.
