How to Apply for a Domestic Helper Visa in Hong Kong?

Hong Kong families often hire foreign domestic helpers for household chores due to the fast-paced city and the need for reliable help. These helpers come from Indonesia and the Philippines, but employers must follow government rules and immigration department formalities. Hiring a foreign domestic helper requires time and effort but is common for new hires.

What are the steps you need to follow to process your helper’s visa?

There are two steps involved in visa processing

• Employment contract notarization. This has to be made at the Consulate.
• Submitting the visa application to the Immigration Department of Hong Kong.

Steps for Applying for a Domestic Helper Visa in Hong Kong

Sign the contract

You and your helper should sign 4 copies of the employment contract; one copy will be held by you, one by your helper, one is for the helper’s embassy and the other one for the department of immigration.

Contract notarization at the Consulate

If your helper’s existing contract expires within 30 days, either you or your employee can visit the POLO- Philippine Overseas Labour Office and apply for the notarization. This costs HK$476 which includes Overseas Workers Welfare Administration membership, Philippine Consulate General fee and verification fee. The following documents are required for the process:

• Signed original copy of the standard employment contract
• A copy of the helper’s existing contract
• Information sheet with complete and relevant details
• Helper’s passport copy
• Domestic helper’s existing visa copy
• Your Hong Kong Identity Card copy
• Your helper’s Hong Kong Identity card copy
• A copy of your employee’s immigration appointment letter

Generally, it takes 6 working days for contract notarization. Once it is approved, you can collect the notarized contract by submitting the receipt issued by the POLO. Your helper can apply for her visa after this procedure.

Submit the visa application to the Department of Immigration

Your domestic helper will be required to complete the ID 998A form while you will need to fill up the ID 998B form from the Immigration department. Your domestic helper should submit the following documents along with the above-mentioned forms:

• Notarized employment contract
• Her passport, along with a photocopy of the pages that disclose her personal particulars, date of passport expiration, photo, latest visa label, and the latest landing slip/stay extension label.
• Her Hong Kong ID card
• A copy of your ID card along with a copy of your passport pages in case you are a non-permanent resident.
• A copy that provides proof that your earning is at least $15000/month or have assets with which you can support your helper through the contract period.
• Your residential address proof
• A release letter from your helper’s existing employer

Upon visa approval, you will be required to pay HK$230. Visa processing takes around 2-4 weeks if your helper is already in Hong Kong however if she needs to come from her country, it will take around 8 weeks. The domestic helper cannot work for you during the visa application processing period. Domestic workers looking to renew their contract with their existing employer must submit a visa application 8 weeks prior to their stay limit expiry. Such workers can receive their visas on the same day of visa application. Domestic workers looking to change employers should submit their visa application 4 weeks prior to the contract expiry.

Application status inquiry

You can learn about the status of your domestic helper’s visa application online or call support for the same. You might be required to attend an interview with the immigration department after which you will be notified about the application via letter. If the application is successful, the helper should bring the letter and her travel document to the Foreign Domestic Helpers section to collect the visa label. The visa fee should be paid to the HKSAR government.

Helper Insurance

You should buy insurance to cover your liability for your domestic helper when she is on the job. You can also take medical insurance since you are responsible for her medical expenses. Some employers also insist their helpers to undergo a medical check-up before starting with their work. Keep checking for any changes in the rules and ensure you follow them for smooth visa processing.

What do you need to do before you apply for the visa?

Once the immigration department receives the notarized employment contract from the Filipino or Indonesian Government, they begin the visa application procedure. It might take around 4-8 weeks and upon approval, your helper will get a label which she will be required to attach to her travel document. If you are looking to hire a helper who is already in Hong Kong but basically from the Philippines or if you want to renew your existing helper’s contract, you can do it all by yourself. Yes, you can submit the relevant documents without the help of any agency to the concerned at immigration department. Otherwise, you will have to go through a licensed agency.

Find a reliable agency

There are several agencies that offer to help you with the visa application paperwork but be careful; some of the employment agencies charge exorbitant fees from the domestic helpers. However, agencies in Hong Kong can charge only 10% of the domestic helper’s first month's pay as a fee.

Medical test and training

The domestic helper looking to work abroad needs to pass a medical test after which she will be considered fit. The employment agency will start further processing after this procedure. If the helper you are considering does not come with any previous experience, she will be required to undergo compulsory training in order to abide by her country's rules. Moreover, she should bear the cost of training.

Applying for a domestic helper visa is time-consuming and often confusing since there are several rules and regulations. Seek the help of a licensed employment agency if you find it difficult to complete the process. However, doing it by yourself might cost you less, around HK$1000, which includes embassy notarization fees as well as visa fees.