The minimum wage for foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong raised by 2.5%

Hong Kong domestic helpers at Tamar Park and Garden, Hong Kong. File photo/AfriHKanews.com

Hong Kong has added to the foreign domestic helper's minimum wage by 2.5 per cent, the last increment was in September 2023 at 3 per cent with food allowance raised by HK$40.

Meanwhile, the food allowance remains the same this time.

The announcement was made on Friday by the authority that the minimum wage for foreign domestic helpers would be increased by 2.5 per cent which is from HK$4,870 to HK$4,990 and this new amount would legally commence for those that sign contracts on or after Saturday.

“In this year’s review, we have carefully considered Hong Kong’s general economic and labour market conditions over the past year, as well as Hong Kong’s near-term economic outlook,” a government spokesperson said,

He added that the government had also taken into consideration employers’ affordability and their livelihoods before making the change in domestic helpers' minimum wage.

However, the allowance for those helpers who do not choose to take free food from their employers remains the same at HK$1,236 per month.

“The government has also reviewed the level of food allowance and, having taken into account the relevant consumer price indices, decided that the level should remain unchanged,” the spokesperson for the authority said.

香港外籍家庭傭工最低工資調高2.5%

香港已將外籍家庭傭工的最低工資提高了 2.5%，上次調高是在 2023 年 9 月，調高了 3%，食品津貼提高了 40 港元。

同時，這次的伙食補貼仍維持不變。

週五宣布，外籍家庭傭工的最低工資將增加2.5%，從4,870港元增至4,990港元，而周六或之後簽訂合約的外籍家庭傭工的最低工資將合法開始計算。

政府發言人表示：“在今年的回顧中，我們仔細考慮了過去一年香港的整體經濟和勞動力市場狀況，以及香港的近期經濟前景。”

他補充，政府在調整家傭最低工資時，也考慮了雇主的負擔能力和生計。

不過，不選擇向雇主領取免費食物的外傭的津貼則維持每月港幣1,236元。

該局發言人表示：“政府還審查了食品補貼水平，並考慮了相關消費價格指數，決定維持水平不變。”