HK online poll shows some Pinoy maids got pay hike amid pandemic

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, some of the Filipino household service workers (HSWs) in Hong Kong have actually gotten monthly pay raise, a recent online survey of HelperPlace-HK shows.

About 92% of the 12,501 foreign HSWs interviewed from January 2021 to December 2021 were Filipinos, the HelperPlace a job  placement firm for HSWs.

"In 2021, the average actual monthly salary for a foreign domestic helper is HK$5,288 (P34,132.96). The average monthly salary for 2019 and 2020 are $4,765 (P30,757.10) and $4,825 (P31,144.39), respectively. It reveals a significant annual increase of 9.60% from 2020 to 2021 compared to only 1.26% from 2019 to 2020," community head Mark Silva of HelperPlace said in an email on December 9.

This has happened, despite the government freezing the minimum monthly salary at HK$4,630 (P29,885.70), because of the travel restrictions leading to the shortage of overseas helpers.

"The struggle to book quarantine rooms for helpers due to its limited number, the long process, and the fees for quarantine hotel and food of HK$15,000 (P96,821.92) to hire an overseas helper push employers to find other solutions. As a result, employers have a preference for hiring foreign domestic helpers who are already settled in Hong Kong."

The online survey found out, among others, too, that (1) the average salary increases with the number of years of experience of the HSWs; (2) majority of them work over 12 hours a day; (3) majority were provided with free food; and (4) there are still HSWs who live-out even though the law in the country forbids it.

“Based on the survey, the hiring channel is one of the important factors for salary. The average salary ranks lowest for the agency ($4,683 or P30,227.80), then online platform ($5,393 or P34,810.71), and highest for employer referral with $5,418 (P34,972.08).” —LBG, GMA News