- Agency fees are regulated by the Labour Department — always obtain a written fee breakdown before signing your domestic helper contract.
- Domestic helper insurance is legally mandatory and must be purchased before submitting the Immigration application.
- The full domestic helper hiring process typically takes 6–12 weeks — plan ahead to avoid rushed decisions you may regret.
- Your helper must report to the Wan Chai Immigration Tower within 7 days of arrival to complete registration.
Hiring a foreign domestic helper for the first time can feel overwhelming. Between government forms, insurance requirements, Immigration approvals, and contract signing, it's hard to know where to begin. DuckDuckDay has put together this comprehensive seven-step guide covering the entire domestic helper hiring process — from choosing a licensed agency and shortlisting candidates, right through to your helper's first day of work in Hong Kong.
Step 1: Choose a Licensed Employment Agency
The first step is finding a reputable, licensed employment agency. Under Cap. 57A of the Hong Kong Laws, any agency that charges fees for placing domestic helpers must hold a valid licence issued by the Labour Department. When evaluating agencies, always verify the licence number on the Labour Department's online register. Agency fees typically range from HK$12,000 to HK$18,000 depending on the scope of services provided, which generally includes document preparation, insurance assistance, and post-placement follow-up. DuckDuckDay's licence number is 80734 — you are welcome to verify this directly with the Labour Department.
Step 2: Complete Your Employer Profile
Once you have chosen an agency, your consultant will ask you to complete an employer profile and hiring requirements form. This covers your household size, the size of your home, the specific duties you need your helper to perform (cooking, childcare, elderly care, and so on), your language preferences (Cantonese, English, Mandarin), and your preferred helper nationality — Filipino or Indonesian. The more detail you can provide at this stage, the more precisely your consultant can match you with suitable candidates.
Step 3: Review Domestic Helper Profiles and Conduct Interviews
Your agency will present a selection of domestic helper bio-data profiles based on your requirements. Each profile includes work history, skills, previous employer references, and a photograph. When reviewing profiles, pay particular attention to the stability of their employment history (frequent job changes can be a warning sign), whether they have relevant experience with children or elderly dependants of similar ages, and whether any allergies or health conditions are disclosed. After shortlisting your preferred candidates, you can arrange a video or phone interview to get a direct sense of their personality and communication style.
Step 4: Submit Your Application to the Immigration Department
Once both parties have agreed to proceed, your agency will help prepare and submit the following documents to the Hong Kong Immigration Department:
- ID 969 form (Application for employment of a Foreign Domestic Helper)
- Employer's HKID card copy and proof of address
- Helper's passport copy and current visa details
- Standard Employment Contract (FDEC) — original signed copy
- Foreign domestic helper insurance policy (must be purchased before application)
Helper insurance is a legal requirement. The policy must cover medical expenses, work-related accidents, and repatriation costs for the duration of employment in Hong Kong. Annual premiums from most insurers range from approximately HK$800 to HK$1,500.
Step 5: Wait for Approval (Approximately 4–8 Weeks)
The Immigration Department's processing time is generally four to eight weeks, depending on the complexity of the application and current caseload volumes. For Filipino helpers, additional approval from the Philippines' Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE/POEA) is also required, which can add further processing time. During this period, your agency will monitor the application's progress and notify you of any requests for supplementary documents.
Cost overview: Agency fee HK$12,000–18,000 / Helper insurance HK$800–1,500 / Airfare from helper's home country (in some cases paid by the employer) approximately HK$2,000–4,000 / Food and accommodation costs as specified in the employment contract.
Step 6: Arrange Insurance and Confirm the Work Visa
Once the Immigration Department issues an approval letter, your helper will receive her work visa authorisation. At this point, confirm that your insurance policy is in place, arrange your helper's flight from her home country to Hong Kong (for first-time hires, the employer typically bears this cost), and finalise your home accommodation arrangements. Under Hong Kong law, employers are required to provide free accommodation for their domestic helper — this "free accommodation" term must be stated in the contract.
Step 7: Your Domestic Helper Arrives and Reports to the Immigration Tower
Within seven days of arriving in Hong Kong, your domestic helper must attend the Immigration Tower in Wan Chai (7 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai) in person to complete her entry formalities and provide biometric data. It is advisable for you or your agency consultant to accompany her. Bring the following documents: the helper's original passport, her work visa approval letter, the original signed Standard Employment Contract, and your own HKID card. After this registration, your helper officially begins employment, with the contract start date as agreed.
From start to finish, the entire process typically takes six to twelve weeks. Planning ahead avoids the pressure of rushing into a decision. If you have any questions at any stage, the DuckDuckDay team is available on WhatsApp for a free consultation — just message us and we will get back to you promptly.