Are women from the Philippines being employed on the mainland as domestic helpers or not?
According to the central government, it is forbidden. According to employment agencies, it is happening.
Indeed, despite the central government's ban on recruiting foreigners as domestic helpers, two agencies contacted by the South China Morning Post claimed to have obtained approval from the Guangzhou government to process the maids' work and residence permits.
A reporter who approached the agencies as a customer was told that they could legally arrange Filipinos to work as domestic helpers on the mainland.
An official at Guangzhou-based agency Jinhan House Marking Services offered to provide Filipino maids complete with permits in return for a lump-sum fee of 2,500 yuan (HK$2,360).
In most cases, a contract has to be signed for at least two years of employment at 2,400 yuan per month.
