What salary should I pay a domestic helper?

Minimum salary and food allowance

For contracts signed on or after 1 October 2022, the minimum domestic helper salary is HK$4,730 per month. On top of this, domestic helpers are entitled to a food allowance of HK$1,196 per month or the employer must provide food.

This is the minimum domestic helper salary, employers must pay at least this amount. Employers might find that they need to pay a higher salary to hire and retain a more experienced domestic helper.

When should the domestic helper salary and food allowance be paid?

Domestic helpers should be paid monthly, within 7 days of the end of the wage period. If you are paying a food allowance, we recommend this be paid at the start of the month.

Paying by bank transfer is strongly encouraged as both the employer and the domestic helper will have a record of payments. However, many domestic helpers do not have a bank account and/or may prefer being paid in cash. If this is the case, you should both sign a salary receipt every month and both keep a copy of this. A sample salary receipt can be found in the Hong Kong Labour Department’s Practical Guide for Employment of Foreign Domestic Helpers.

See also requirements for bank accounts in Hong Kong by Enrich.