Hong Kong must address the social costs of hiring domestic helpers

The number of foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong has risen since the 1980s, and has coincided with the city's economic growth. According to the Immigration Department, more than 310,000 were in Hong Kong as of May last year, mostly from the Philippines and Indonesia. On average, one in eight households now has a maid; the figure is one in three for households with children.

The support provided by these workers has played an important part in releasing women into the workforce, especially those with higher education, and this has contributed significantly to the city's economic growth. The female labour force participation rate has increased continuously, from 47.5 per cent in 1982 to 54.7 per cent at the end of last year. Meanwhile, the male labour force participation rate has dropped, from 81.3 per cent to 69 per cent over the same period.

Given the lack of childcare facilities in the community plus the unfeasibility of living on one income, most families have little choice but to employ some help. Furthermore, with an ageing society and insufficient elderly care home places, domestic helpers are needed to take care of the older members in our community.

The situation in Hong Kong is quite different from that in Western nations, where only the very wealthy can afford a full-time domestic helper, who is protected by that country's minimum wage laws, and not forced to live with her employer.

If our foreign domestic workers were paid the minimum wage, their salary would escalate from the present HK$4,010 to more than HK$6,000. And that's if they worked only eight hours a day and had one day off a week; the reality is that most work longer hours, have limited living space and a heavy workload, making their lives pretty demanding.

Perhaps some of us have become too lazy to do our own household chores and take for granted the service they provide.