Indonesian domestic workers in Hong Kong call for standardised training to minimise potential disputes with employers paying higher fees

Indonesian domestic workers have urged the Jakarta and Hong Kong governments to standardise training for helpers to minimise potential disputes with employers, saying bosses might have higher expectations after being asked to pay increased fees under a revised policy.

More than a dozen representatives of the Indonesian Migrant Workers’ Union gathered outside the country’s consulate in Causeway Bay on Sunday to express concern over the enforcement of a “zero placement fees” policy for domestic helpers, saying the change was “good on paper” but might not be implemented well in reality.

Hong Kong labour chief to voice concerns over Indonesia’s domestic helper fee rise

The updated policy, which Jakarta revised in 2020 and again last year, requires employers to shoulder the full recruitment cost of up to HK$20,000 (US$2,560) – several thousand dollars more than the present HK$7,000 to HK$13,000 charge, agencies and helpers’ unions in the city said.

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Workers would only need to pay their own training fee.

Indonesia last week announced that it would enforce the policy in full, after many Hong Kong agencies and employers were said to be unaware of the changes.

“We are happy with the policy but not the implementation,” Indonesian Migrant Workers’ Union chairwoman Sringatin said.

She said workers were concerned there would be “no transparency” over the placement fee between agencies in both Hong Kong and Indonesia and that information on the charge for training was unclear.

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Sringatin also said she was worried employers would mistakenly think the extra money they had paid also covered the training fee and would expect more from the workers, when the helpers had shouldered the cost.

While Indonesian authorities meant well with their efforts to ease workers’ financial burden, she said, helpers were concerned it could lead to exploitation if they failed to meet employers’ expected work standards.

She urged authorities to standardise training for workers so employers knew clearly what they could expect.

The group also called on the Indonesian government to set up a proper channel to handle workers’ complaints.

Representatives from Indonesian recruitment association Aspataki visited the city last week to announce Jakarta’s intention to enforce the revised policy.

Association secretary general Filius Yandono said the rules had been updated in Indonesia for some time, but few Hong Kong employers and agencies were made aware of them.

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Although there was no penalty for non-compliance, Indonesian authorities had the right to stop sending domestic workers to the city, he said.

The Post earlier learned that the head of the National Board for the Placement and Protection of Indonesian Overseas Workers was expected to visit Hong Kong on August 8 to discuss Jakarta’s commitment to implementing the new fee system.

Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han on Friday vowed to defend residents’ rights and meet the Indonesian consul general, saying any changes in the policy should not increase the burden on Hong Kong employers or affect the job opportunities of domestic workers from Indonesia.

He said authorities would also approach the Cambodian and Bangladeshi consulates in Hong Kong as the city explored importing workers from other countries.

More from South China Morning Post:

• Hong Kong labour chief vows to ‘defend rights’, meet Indonesian consul general over rules requiring residents to pay more for domestic helpers
• Hong Kong residents must pay thousands of dollars more to hire domestic helpers from Indonesia as Jakarta enforces new rules

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