No additional fees for hiring Indo DHs, HK assured

The Indonesian government has belied claims by a group of employment agencies that Hong Kong employers will have to pay around $5,000 more when hiring its nationals to work as domestic helpers in the city.

This was according to Hong Kong’s Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Chris Sun, after meeting with the Acting Indonesian Consul General, Slamet Noegroho today.

In a statement, Sun said, “The Acting Consul-General clarified at the meeting that there is no change to the cost structure of fees for arranging IDHs to work in Hong Kong. As to the information communicated by the Indonesian Manpower Placement Agency Association (Aspataki) with employment agencies in Hong Kong last week, the Acting Consul-General also stated that the Aspataki does not represent the Indonesian Government.”

Sun also said Noegroho assured him that the Indonesian government’s policies and regulations remain the same, and issues concerning the employment of Indonesian DHs in Hong Kong will continuously be discussed by the two sides as before.

The assurance was made after Sun told the Acting Consul General that to maintain the cordial and mutually beneficial relationship between Hong Kong and Jakarta, the Indonesian side should not unilaterally introduce changes that would increase the burden on the city’s employers and affect the employment opportunities of its nationals here.

Sun sought the meeting after a delegation from Aspataki said at a news conference last week that because of Jakarta’s implementation of a no-placement fee policy for Indonesian domestic helpers, the fee previously charged to the workers would be passed on to employers.

The Aspataki members also said they had the blessing of the Indonesian government in announcing the policy change.

Meanwhile, Sun also met with the top officials of Cambodia and Bangladesh in Hong Kong, to discuss the government’s plan to widen the sources of FDHs in Hong Kong.

Sun told Israt Ara and Pech Puthisathbopeaneaky, Consuls General of Bangladesh and Cambodia, respectively, that their nationals are welcome to work in Hong Kong.

Source: The SUN HK : No additional fees for hiring Indo DHs, HK assured (sunwebhk.com)