By law, employment agencies in Hong Kong are only allowed to charge foreign domestic helpers no more than 10% of their first month wage as placement fees. However, some agencies charge the domestic helpers illegal fees directly, and many employers have a limited knowledge of such practice because it causes no additional costs to them.
Such practices place domestic helpers at risk of debt bondage and forced labour. While the Hong Kong Government, trade unions and civil society have been working to address the practice of charging illegal fees, employers could contribute to reducing the illegal practices as they are the ones who select the agencies they work with.
In 2017, the International Labor Organization (ILO) developed an intervention in partnership with HelperChoice to increase employers’ awareness of illegal fees which are charged by intermediaries to foreign domestic helpers. The results of the campaign show that there is much more work to be done besides raising employers’ awareness if we want to have them more engaged in fighting against employment agencies’ illegal practices. Good intentions are not enough to see this action through.
To encourage fair domestic helper recruitment, you can
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