Domestic helpers based in Stanley, Victoria Peak and Deep Water Bay receive the highest average wage, while those in Ma On Shan, Tsuen Wan and Tuen Mun are paid less.
According to a survey by HelperChoice, employers who live in Ma On Shan pay an average of HK$4,237, or just HK$27 above the mandated HK$4,210 monthly minimum wage for domestic workers. The minimum allowable wage has since been increased to HK$4,310 as of October 2016.
HelperChoice, whose platform matches employers and domestic workers based on skills and requirements at no cost to the helpers, came up with the result based on the 2,000 job ads posted by its users.
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Should workplace be an indicator of level of pay, domestic worker applicants might prefer the following areas given their average salaries:
- Stanley – HK$5,081
- Victoria Peak – HK$4,986
- Deep Water Bay – HK$4,934
- Repulse Bay – HK$4,719
- Clear Water Bay – HK$4,661
And on the lower end of the salary table:
- Ma On Shan – HK$4,237
- Tsuen Wan – HK$4,265
- Tuen Mun – HK$4,266
- Tseung Kwan O / Hang Hau – HK$4,289
- Yuen Long – HK$4,292
“Our data shows that domestic helpers tend to earn more in Hong Kong’s affluent areas,” HelperChoice founder Laurence Fauchon said. Three of top four highest paying areas are located at the southern coast of Hong Kong island.
Fifty-eight percent of the ads analyzed were from local families while 42 per cent were posted by expatriates in the first half of 2016.
The highest salary offered was from an employer based in Mid-Levels while the next highest offers at HK$6,500 came from employers in Happy Valley, Sai Kung, Tai Po, Pok Fu Lam and North Point.
While affluence of areas can determine how much helpers are paid, better offers are given to those with specialized skills such as possession of driver’s license and experience with infant or pet care, Fauchon said.
The government is set to review wages of domestic workers later this month.
Recently, a group of 1,000 domestic helpers staged a protest calling for a HK$790 wage hike which would bring the monthly salary for domestic helpers to HK$5,000.
By comparison, helpers in Hong Kong earn higher than their counterparts in Singapore (HK$3,148) and Taiwan (HK$4,186).
