[Filipino, Indonesian, or Bangladeshi Domestic Helpers: Which is Better?] Comparing Characteristics and Costs of Helpers from Three Regions | Choosing the Right Helper for Families with Elderly or Children

Filipino maids - highly educated and easy to communicate with

Filipino domestic helpers, who make up 56% of all domestic helpers in Hong Kong, are also the most familiar to Hong Kong employers. Many Filipino domestic helpers have university or college degrees and have a high level of knowledge, making them suitable for families with children and also helping them learn English. However, the English accent of Filipino domestic helpers is a little different from the British or American accents that Hong Kong people are accustomed to. Employers who have requirements for this need to pay attention. If you hire a domestic helper to help take care of the elderly at home, you need to consider the communication issues with the elderly.

According to the "Standard Employment Contract", the employer must arrange one holiday for the domestic helper every 7 days. Since most Filipino maids are Catholics, most of them will request to have Sundays off so that they can attend church gatherings. For some employers, this may not be suitable for their family environment.

In addition, since Filipino domestic helpers have higher education than domestic helpers from other countries, although they have stronger work abilities, some of them are prone to complacency and lack of motivation, which affects their work performance.

Indian maids - pure character, hardworking and persevering

Indonesian maids generally give people the impression of being pure and well-behaved, and are easy to accept new things and have a good work attitude. However, the adjustment period with the employer may be longer, which takes about 3 to 6 months. However, domestic workers from different regions of Indonesia have slightly different personalities and can be roughly divided into the following two categories:

• Semarang- High obedience and learning ability, efficient in work.
• Surabaya and Ponorogo - Both are rural areas, with purer character and hardworking, but require more time to teach.

In terms of communication, Indonesian maids generally have a secondary school education and can speak simple English, but many of them also know a little Cantonese, so communication is easier for the elderly who do not speak English. In addition, since 2021, the Indonesian government has required all Indonesian domestic workers to receive professional training at government-run institutions and pass more stringent domestic worker work ability assessments before leaving the local area to work. Therefore, the language skills of Indian domestic workers coming to Hong Kong, including their English proficiency, have improved.

Since most Indian maids are Muslims, it is well known that Muslims not only do not eat pork, but some even require separate handling of cooking utensils that have come into contact with pork. In addition, the 9th month of the Islamic calendar (approximately March in the Gregorian calendar) is the month of Ramadan, which requires fasting and regular prayers. Employers are advised to first understand the Indonesian maid’s religious background and whether she needs to fast so as to make appropriate living and work arrangements.

Meng Yong - Positive attitude and willingness to learn

As a new force in the local foreign domestic worker market, the biggest attraction for Hong Kong employers may be the lower agency fees for Bangladeshi domestic workers, which are nearly 40% cheaper than those for Filipino and Indian domestic workers. Another advantage of Bangladeshi domestic helpers is that they have a shorter waiting time. Since the exit procedures for Bangladesh are simple, Bangladeshi domestic helpers can arrive in Hong Kong and start working in about two months. This is extremely important for families who are eager to find domestic helpers.

Compared to the Philippines and Indonesia, Bangladesh's economy is still in the developing stage. Many Bangladeshis are willing to work as domestic workers abroad to earn higher wages, similar to the situation of Filipino domestic workers who came to Hong Kong in the 1980s and 1990s. Therefore, Meng Yong has a more positive attitude towards work, is willing to learn new things, and has a simpler personality.

Although maids generally have a secondary school education, their English proficiency is not high, but they are willing to learn Cantonese or Mandarin. At the same time, Mengyong have lower requirements for the working environment and are more likely to accept unpleasant work, which makes them particularly suitable for taking care of the daily living of the elderly, such as going to the toilet, taking a bath, and even cleaning up excrement. In addition, the passports of all Bangladeshi domestic helpers coming to Hong Kong are kept by the consulate, eliminating the problem of foreign domestic helpers borrowing money.

Comparison of agency fees for Filipino, Indian and Bangladeshi maids (in Hong Kong dollars)

*The final fee is subject to the announcement of the employment center

Sources

Sunlight Maid

An Le Wu Employment Centre

Easy Hire Employment Centre