Indonesia to enforce no-placement fee rule for FDWs
A group of recruiters from Indonesia has arrived in Hong Kong to ensure a new regulation mandating employers to pay agency fees currently shouldered by Indonesian workers amounting to nearly $9,000 is being implemented.
The recruiters’ group known as Aspataki, said Wednesday that it has been authorized by Indonesian authorities to conduct the check.
The new rule set by the government in Jakarta will increase the cost of hiring a helper from Indonesia to well over $20,000 as agencies already charge around $12,000 to $18,000.
Previously, the Indonesian government allowed Hong Kong-bound workers to pay up to IDR15,550,000, which is equivalent to HK$8,600, for the costs of transportation, medical checks and training.
According to the group’s secretary general, Filius Yandono, the rule took effect last year, but Hong Kong employers are just starting to comply with it.
“That’s why we want to come to Hong Kong to address this regulation. We hope that all the employers … [will work] together for the protection of the migrant workers,” said Yandono.
Agencies that place Indonesian domestic workers in Hong Kong say the new regulation could make employers shift to hiring helpers from other places, primarily the Philippines.
The Philippine government has long ago mandated that no agency fees should be charged to Filipino domestic workers bound for abroad, but this is rarely, if at all, followed.
The prevailing practice is for the worker to pay the cost of training and medical fees, which amount to roughly the equivalent of their monthly salary.
Agencies also charge employers the hefty recruitment fee of around $12,000 – or more.
The Labour Department said it has reached out to the Indonesian Consulate General in Hong Kong regarding the matter.
It also said that the government has previously told the consulate that any change in policies on deploying Indonesian domestic helpers should not provide a significant increase in the cost of hiring them.
Source: The SUN HK : Indonesia to enforce no-placement fee rule for FDWs (sunwebhk.com)