Minimum wage review for Hong Kong foreign domestic workers coming ‘shortly’

The Hong Kong government has announced that it will soon reveal the results of a review of the minimum wage and food allowance for the approximately 380,000 foreign domestic workers in the city. On Monday, the Labour and Welfare Bureau stated that any adjustments to the minimum wage must balance the interests of both domestic workers and employers, but did not provide a timeline for the announcement of the review outcomes. Typically, such announcements occur in September each year.

Last year, the minimum wage for domestic workers was raised by 2.2%, increasing from HK$4,990 to HK$5,100 per month. In a recent post on social media, the bureau mentioned that they have already collected views from both domestic workers and employers through various channels. They emphasized that their decision will be "prudent, objective, and balanced," considering objective economic data and all relevant factors to ensure that any adjustment is appropriate for the current circumstances.

The Asian Migrants Coordinating Body (AMCB), which represents domestic workers, recently organized a rally outside the Labour Department, demanding an increase in the minimum wage to HK$6,172, representing a 21% hike. The group also requested that the monthly food allowance be more than doubled, from HK$1,236 to HK$3,123. Currently, HK$1,236 is roughly equivalent to HK$41 per day, while the AMCB's suggested amount is approximately HK$100 per day.

Most employers in Hong Kong provide free meals for their domestic workers, as required by the government. However, those who do not need to pay the mandatory food allowance. In reviewing the minimum wage for domestic workers, the government considered various factors, including Hong Kong's economic performance, employment situation, changes in price levels, earnings of grassroots workers, and household incomes of those employing domestic workers.