Hong Kong widens search for domestic helpers to Bangladesh
Agency association boss says agreement with Bangladesh is close, but Myanmar, Vietnam and mainland stay off-limits as curbs begin to bite
As the main sources of overseas domestic helpers look at curbing the flow of their citizens to Hong Kong, the government and employment agencies are searching further afield, according to the head of an agency association.
Joe Chow Kui-kuen said the government had been in talks with the Bangladeshi government about allowing its people to work in Hong Kong as helpers and "as far as I know, success is near".
Agencies had also been in talks with the government about opening the door to helpers from countries such as Myanmar and Vietnam but without success, the chairman of the Asosiasi PPTKI Hong Kong said.
The government, meanwhile is maintaining a ban on employment of mainland maids - despite language and cultural advantages - because of concerns it would be too easy for them to blend into the local population and abuse the system.
Chow said Bangladeshi officials met Labour Department officials in Hong Kong about six months ago.
But even if these talks are eventually successful, he said, it would not solve a looming shortage of maids because Filipino and Indonesian domestic helpers make up almost the entire helper workforce in Hong Kong.