Immigration officials in Hong Kong must improve quota system for helpers

Domestic helpers may have to wait overnight, on the pavement outside the Immigration Department and with no access to toilet facilities, just to secure a place in the line to have their contracts processed the next day.

I attempted to get an online appointment for my helper one month before his contract was due to expire, but there were no available dates.

Without an appointment, my helper waited from 10pm until 8.45am the following day, an astonishing 10 hours and 45 minutes, to see an immigration officer. Others who had joined the queue after 1am were told the next morning that the quota was full for the day. This is an unbelievable situation; improving the current quota system is absolutely necessary.

I agree with the suggestion that sufficient staffing is needed to ensure that applications can be processed during normal office working hours. There is also merit in the suggestion that the length of contracts be extended to three years to alleviate the high demand.

Immigration officials are aware that this unacceptable situation exists. Those who are given a quota chip the following morning are asked what time they had arrived.