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| FDHs who wish to become carers will have to go home first and get trained, says Sun |
Foreign workers who will be allowed to enter Hong Kong from next year to look after elderly people staying at home can expect salaries that are 10 to 20 percent more than the current minimum allowable wage of $5,100 for foreign domestic helpers.
Secretary for Labor and Welfare Chris Sun said this in
a press conference on Friday, but did not give an exact salary range for the
foreign domestic carers.
But he said only those with advanced training and experience
in elderly care will be hired under the pilot scheme, which will be modeled on
the existing regime for admitting FDHs.
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| DETAILS HERE |
This means, they will be live-in workers and cannot
take on any other job, or engage in business. They will also be hired on
two-year contracts, with a day off each week, apart from statutory holidays.
It is not clear, however, if they will be working exclusively
as carers, and would not be required to do housework on top of their stipulated
job.
Sun also allayed fears that the new scheme would
disrupt the hiring of FDHs, emphasizing that applicants for the foreign carers
posts would have to be certified as having at least three years of experience
in elderly care.
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| Basahin ang detalye! |
Moreover, those currently working as FDHs will need to
first return to their home countries to complete the required training and meet
the qualifications before being allowed to return as carers.
Asked if the Philippine government has started
preparing for the new scheme that could open the doors to more highly skilled and
better-paid workers, Consul General Romulo Israel, Jr. said they have had talks
with the Hong Kong Labour Department on this.
“We’re ready to take it to the next level,” Congen
Israel said.
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| It's estimated that in 20 years, seniors will comprise about a third of all people in HK |
Sun said Hong Kong’s ageing
population and the growing demand for more capable helpers to care for elderly
relatives at home sparked the decision to open a new category of imported
workers.
"It gives the public a choice. If you only
need a foreign domestic helper, then you continue to hire in the foreign
domestic helper market," he said.
"But if you need someone with high ability,
who can be certified and can provide elderly care services, you can pay a bit
more to hire a foreign domestic carer."
The pilot scheme was announced by Chief Executive John Lee in his Policy Address on Wednesday as part of the government’s response to Hong Kong’s rapidly ageing population.
Government experts predict that in 2046, one in every
three people in Hong Kong will be aged 60 and above.
