Government may introduce foreign home carers to Hong Kong

Sources say the government plans to introduce foreign home carers to Hong Kong, as part of the latest Policy Address and the city's first Five-Year Plan blueprint set to be announced Wednesday. Individuals wishing to provide home care must first complete the government's recognised training courses.

Mr Ng's home has different tools for peritoneal dialysis. His wife, who suffers from kidney failure, requires the home-based treatment every day. While Ng hired a foreign domestic helper, he remains the main carer for his wife. He thought about recruiting a local care worker but dropped the idea after calculating that it would cost him about 40,000 dollars a month.

The situation of "elderly taking care of the elderly"is not uncommon in Hong Kong, causing concern in society. It is understood the government plans to introduce foreign home carers to Hong Kong as a new policy in the upcoming Policy Address. But individuals must first complete relevant training courses recognised by Hong Kong authorities at home. And its operational system will take reference from the foreign domestic helper mechanism.

A lawmaker says the new measure will be helpful for elderly carers,

but they worry the hiring costs for a foreign carer would be even more higher than a local person, meaning the mechanism is unlikely to benefit low-income households. The legislator also notes recruiting qualified carers may be challenging if their salaries are no different from that of domestic helpers.