Govt to introduce foreign domestic carers by next year

The Policy Address has proposed importing foreign domestic carers specialising in elder care.

Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun says the scheme will launch as early as the second half of next year.

The preliminary plan requires potential carers to complete a new training course and assessment in their home countries.

The situation of "elderly taking care of the elderly" is not uncommon in Hong Kong.

The situation is far from ideal, and the Policy Address proposes introducing foreign domestic carers to help lessen the problem.

Speaking on a TVB programme, Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun says the scheme will launch in the second half of next year at the earliest.

Our reporter Gigi Ho asks 'When is the exact timetable and quota for this scheme? '

Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun says "The scheme will be run on a very limited scale, so we expect starting next year, maybe will be targeting to a few hundreds coming into Hong Kong. "

Meanwhile, to become a carer, the applicant must complete a government-recognised training course in their home country.

The government will also appoint local institutions as agents to ensure all candidates meet standard.

Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun says " Number one, we will appoint a local institution to be our agent, that agent will be responsible for crediting and making sure the course is up to our requirement, and also to make sure those running through to the exam they meet all the requirements. So we are going to be very stringent, making sure that only those who go through the training, and they get the meet our standards will be eligible to be considered as FDC in the future."

Sun stresses the foreign domestic carer still needs to do household chores.

With a mothly salary 10% to 20% higher than regular domestic helpers,

Sun believes the scheme remains attractive.

However, the scheme raises concern among workers' unions, questioning the training arrangements.

PIPIT DWI PANGESTUTI,Chairperson of Union of United Domestic Workers :" Domestic helper needs come back to Indonesia first, and then do the training and then come back to Hong Kong again. I think this one is so cumbersome. We have so many experience in Hong Kong to take care of elderly we also do good with the employers and elderly why need to get the certificate to get this salary? We have the experience already for many years."

Panfestuti fears the training fees might deter workers from joining the scheme.

She urges the government to allow domestic helpers to receive training in Hong Kong instead of going back to their home countries.