The revised regulation would require employers to shoulder the full recruitment cost of up to HK$20,000 (US$2,558), an increase from the current HK$7,000 to HK$13,000. Aspataki, meanwhile, put the current fee at HK$16,000.

Placement fees vary depending on the agency, according to local representatives.

But the consulate on Friday stressed that the placement of Indonesian domestic helpers in the city was governed by a government-to-government framework.

“Any endeavours related to the issue shall only be communicated through the official channels of both governments,” a spokesman said. “The consulate shares the concern over the extensive media coverage related to the issue of placement fee for the Indonesian domestic helpers in [Hong Kong].

“At the moment, both governments’ policies and regulations related to the issue are consistent and remain the same, including on the issue of placement fee.”

But it did not clarify whether Hong Kong employers would indeed be required to pay extra as suggested by the revised rules.

No rule change for Hongkongers hiring Indonesian domestic helpers: labour chief

During an online media conference on Friday, Aspataki said it “did not mean” to put pressure on Hong Kong employers, and it was unaware they were required to pay about HK$16,000 to hire a worker before announcing the higher fee.

“We are not asking for more cost [added to the existing fees], but what we want is transparency of Hong Kong agencies,” said chairman Saiful Mashud.

Indonesian agencies only received about HK$2,000 to HK$3,000 for placing each worker, but according to contracts with their Hong Kong counterparts, they were entitled to receive a month’s salary, or about HK$5,000, he explained.

The chairman added he met two Hong Kong agency associations last week to discuss the issue but no progress was made.

The head of the Hong Kong Union of Employment Agencies, Thomas Chan Tung-fung, said agencies in both Hong Kong and Indonesia were now “wrestling” with the matter of who should be responsible for any higher fee.

“It is impossible to ask the Hong Kong agencies to bear the operational cost,” he said.

Hong Kong employers should not be required to pay any additional fee when they had already paid a fair amount, he argued.

Describing the exchanges as “chaos”, Chan said that if Jakarta failed to budge, Hong Kong agencies might have no choice but to pass the added cost on to employers.

Betty Yung Ma Shan-yee, chairwoman of the Hong Kong Employers of Overseas Domestic Helpers Association, labelled any additional cost as “unfair” to bosses given they had paid enough to cover the recruitment fee.

The Indonesian government should better monitor its hiring agencies and ensure transparency of fees, she said.

Hong Kong’s Indonesian domestic helpers in training call to ease fee fears

The chairman of the Hong Kong Employment Agencies Association, Cheung Kit-man, said Aspataki was encountering problems with certain agencies in the city, which failed to pay the proper amount, and the higher fee request should not apply to all employers.

The chairwoman of the Indonesian Migrant Workers’ Union, Sringatin, agreed that “it would not be ideal” for Hong Kong employers to pay more.

The recent confusion had left Indonesians worried about their job prospects in Hong Kong, she added.

Aspataki had said many employers and businesses in Hong Kong were unaware of the policy change, while only some experienced helpers knew about it.

Earlier on Thursday, labour minister Sun addressed the public concern by saying the policy for hiring Indonesian helpers remained unchanged, following a meeting with the country’s acting consul general in the city.

He also quoted Indonesian officials as saying that the claims made by Aspataki last week did not represent Jakarta.

Without addressing the association’s remarks directly, the Indonesian consulate last week said the revised rules were aimed at better protecting workers.