Sun calls pay rise for domestic helpers reasonable

Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun expressed satisfaction on Saturday with the government's decision to increase the minimum wage for foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong by 2.35 percent. The wage hike, announced on Friday, will see the monthly minimum rise from HK$4,920 to HK$5,220. Sun stated that the adjustment was based on a thorough evaluation of Hong Kong's economic performance, employer incomes, and inflation rates.

If the economy were to enter a downturn, such as during an economic winter, the government would take appropriate action, he added. Conversely, if the economy continued to perform well, the government would adopt a measured approach to maintain stability. Sun noted that the average annual salary increase for domestic helpers has consistently been between 2 percent and 2.5 percent over recent years.

Given Hong Kong's current economic performance surpassing last year's, the wage increase was deemed a balanced and well-considered approach. Additionally, Sun highlighted the upcoming welfare data sharing platform, which will be integrated into the city's first Five-Year Plan. This platform will consolidate data from various departments and organizations to better identify high-risk individuals.

The data will initially come from the Social Welfare Department, Housing Authority, and Hospital Authority, with contributions from non-governmental organizations to follow. Strict privacy protection measures will be implemented throughout the process, and participation in the platform will be voluntary. Sun expressed confidence that the social welfare sector would be willing to collaborate with the government in this initiative.