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Who pays for a domestic helper’s flights to go home?

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For each employment contract, employers are responsible to cover the travel expenses for one round trip from domestic helper’s place of origin to Hong Kong. This includes:

• One way flight from domestic helper’s place of origin to Hong Kong when the domestic helper is starting the contract. Or, if the domestic helper was able to process locally at the start of employment and has deferred home leave – when they are coming back from their home leave.
• And another one-way flight from Hong Kong to domestic helper’s place of origin upon contract termination or expiry.
• Any domestic travel by the most direct route from and to the domestic helper’s place of origin.
• A food and travel allowance of HK$100 per day (refer to employment contract clause 7b).

Travel expenses come out to approximately HK$2,000-HK$5,000 depending on the place of origin.

Travel expenses outside of this, such as for holiday visits back home, are not under the responsibility of employers. However, it could be considered as a gift for holidays such as Christmas, which is a popular time for families to get together, and widely celebrated in the Philippines.

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