“We are just asking for a living wage. It’s not a wage that will make the worker rich or the employer poor. Just enough to have a decent life in Hong Kong,” said Eman Villanueva, spokesman for the Asian Migrants Coordinating Body, an advocacy group.

“We hope the government will give it to us. Otherwise, we appeal to the kind-hearted employers to pay their workers accordingly.”

Diamond Hill in Kowloon, Shau Kei Wan in northeastern Hong Kong Island, Yau Tong in Kowloon and Sheung Shui in the New Territories rounded out the areas where helpers were paid the least. Salaries ranged from HK$4,325 to HK$4,345 a month.

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Overall, the lowest average salaries were in North district in the northwestern New Territories, where the average rate was HK$4,371 – just HK$61 above the minimum salary.

Similar to last year, the study showed that domestic helpers tended to earn more on Hong Kong Island and on the outlying islands than elsewhere in the city.

After Sheung Wan, the next best rate was paid on Lantau Island, where helpers were offered HK$5,185 on average, followed by Stanley, Repulse Bay and Clear Water Bay.

Last year Stanley saw the best salaries but it now ranks third, while Victoria Peak, previously second best, fell to 12th position.

Domestic helpers’ experience affected their earning power. According to the study, the average salary was about HK$4,600 for three years of experience and HK$4,400 for two years.

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HelperChoice founder Laurence Fauchon said other factors led employers to pay a higher salary, such as “the number of children to look after, the types of household chores or the types of care duties for elderly people”.

“Specialised skills also play a big role in determining the salary,” she added. “For instance, drivers in Hong Kong are paid more than HK$7,570 on average as they are able to take on extra errands and duties such as taking the kids to school.”

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The best offer in the adverts analysed came from an employer living in Happy Valley, at HK$10,000.

Employers in Hong Kong must provide accommodation for their foreign domestic helpers, medical benefits as well as free food or a food allowance of HK$1,037 per month.

And they work hard too

“This has been the overwhelming condition for most domestic workers,” Villanueva said, referring to the long working hours.

“Without proper working hours regulations and with workers forced to live in [with employers], domestic workers will always be overworked, underpaid and treated like modern-day slaves.”

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Villanueva said the workers “were angered and furious” about the exclusion. He argued the plans were motivated by “the prevalence of excessive working hours” in the city.

“It’s ridiculous to exclude one of the most exploited groups in Hong Kong,” he said.

The study showed 13 per cent of the helpers who were interviewed worked for more than a year with no holidays.

And only 4 per cent said they worked eight hours a day.

A Labour Department spokesman said domestic helpers had not been included in the government’s working hours proposals due to “the distinct working pattern and nature of live-in domestic workers, the potential socio-economic ramifications and the long-established policy for foreign domestic helpers”.