Revealed: the areas where Hong Kong employers pay domestic helpers the least

Those living in Ma On Shan pay a mere HK$27 above minimum wage, followed by employers in other parts of New Territories, like Tsuen Wan and Tuen Mun

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HelperChoice founder Laurence Fauchon, a French expat, started the company in 2012. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Published: 5:00pm, 10 Sep 2016Updated: 4:06pm, 13 Sep 2016

Employers who live in Ma On Shan, in the New Territories, are paying their domestic helpers the least. The average salary was HK$4,237 – just HK$27 above the legal minimum of HK$4,210, according to a survey conducted by HelperChoice.

The online platform, which matches employers with domestic workers at no cost to helpers, analysed data from 2,000 recent job ads posted by its users. The study comes as the government is due to announce a review of foreign domestic workers’ wages this month.

After Ma On Shan, the areas (with at least 50 hires) where employers pay helpers the least are Tsuen Wan (HK$4,265); Tuen Mun (HK$4,266); Tseung Kwan O/Hang Hau (HK$4,289); and Yuen Long (HK$4,292) – all in the New Territories.

Overall, according to the study, the mean salary offered to helpers across Hong Kong, including the New Territories, was HK$4,397 – HK$187 more than the current minimum wage.

The survey found that employers on Hong Kong Island offered 4.4 per cent more than the minimum required rate on average.

Domestic helpers tend to earn more on Hong Kong Island, especially in places such as Stanley, Victoria Peak and Deep Water Bay. Image: SCMP

“Unsurprisingly, our data shows that domestic helpers tend to earn more in Hong Kong’s affluent areas – including coastal towns and the island’s central district,” said HelperChoice founder Laurence Fauchon, a French expat who started the company in 2012.

Revealed: the areas where Hong Kong employers pay domestic helpers the least

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Those living in Ma On Shan pay a mere HK$27 above minimum wage, followed by employers in other parts of New Territories, like Tsuen Wan and Tuen Mun

Those living in Ma On Shan pay a mere HK$27 above minimum wage, followed by employers in other parts of New Territories, like Tsuen Wan and Tuen Mun