What is the minimum wage for a foreign domestic helper in Hong Kong now?
For a contract signed on or after 3 October 2026, you must pay your helper at least HK$5,220 a month, the Government’s Minimum Allowable Wage (it was HK$5,100). If you do not provide free food, you must also pay a food allowance of at least HK$1,236 a month, which has not changed.
Checked on 23 October 2026 against the Government’s announcement of 2 October 2026 and the Labour Department and Immigration Department websites.
What changed on 2 October 2026?
The Government raised the Minimum Allowable Wage by 2.35%, from HK$5,100 to HK$5,220 a month, for all foreign domestic helper contracts signed from Saturday 3 October 2026. The food allowance stays at not less than HK$1,236 a month, the same level as for contracts signed since 30 September 2023.
| Per month | Contracts signed 30 September 2025 to 2 October 2026 | Contracts signed on or after 3 October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Allowable Wage | HK$5,100 | HK$5,220 |
| Food allowance, if you do not provide free food | At least HK$1,236 | At least HK$1,236 (unchanged) |
Source: Government press release, 2 October 2026; Labour Department, Foreign Domestic Helpers Portal and information for employers.
What is the least I must pay each month?
If you pay a food allowance instead of providing food: HK$5,220 wage + HK$1,236 food allowance = HK$6,456 a month. This is our arithmetic, not a figure the Government publishes.
If you provide free food, the minimum is the HK$5,220 wage. The wage and the food allowance are two separate minimums: a helper who receives a food allowance must still be paid a wage of at least HK$5,220.
These are the minimum monthly payments to your helper, not the full cost of employing one. You must also take out employees’ compensation insurance (required by law), provide free medical treatment and suitable accommodation, and pay the helper’s passage to Hong Kong and back home at the end of the contract.
Source: GovHK, Hiring Foreign Domestic Helpers; Labour Department, Standard Employment Contract (ID 407) specimen, clauses 5, 7 and 9.
I signed a contract before 3 October. Can I still use it?
Yes, if the application reaches the Immigration Department in time. The Government says contracts signed on or before 2 October 2026 at a wage of at least HK$5,100 will still be processed, provided the application reaches the Immigration Department on or before Friday 30 October 2026.
The deadline is Friday 30 October 2026. Allow time for delivery so the application arrives by then. An application that reaches the department after that date is not covered by this arrangement: ask the Immigration Department before you rely on that contract. Our reading is that you may need to sign a new contract at HK$5,220 or more.
Source: Government press release, 2 October 2026; Immigration Department, Foreign Domestic Helpers FAQ, question 12.
What if I am renewing my helper’s contract?
A renewal is a new contract, so its signing date decides. A renewal contract signed on or after 3 October 2026 must pay at least HK$5,220 a month, even if the current contract pays HK$5,100 or less. The current contract keeps its agreed wage until it ends.
The Immigration Department normally accepts a renewal application within eight weeks before the current contract ends. So if you signed a renewal on or before 2 October at HK$5,100 and the current contract ends after Friday 25 December 2026, the application may not be accepted before the 30 October deadline. Ask the Immigration Department how to proceed. This combines two official rules; it is our reading, not a published ruling.
Source: Labour Department, Standard Employment Contract (ID 407) specimen, clause 5(a) (the wage must not be less than the minimum “prevailing at the date of this contract”) and clause 13 (renewal means entering into a new contract); Immigration Department, Foreign Domestic Helpers (renewal timing).
Is the minimum the same for Filipino, Indonesian and other helpers?
Yes. There is one Minimum Allowable Wage for all foreign domestic helper contracts, whatever the helper’s nationality. It is a minimum, not a fixed rate: you may agree to pay more.
Is this the same as Hong Kong’s Statutory Minimum Wage?
No. The Labour Department states that “the Minimum Wage Ordinance does not apply to live-in domestic workers”. For a foreign domestic helper, the floor is the Minimum Allowable Wage, which the Government announces and the Standard Employment Contract refers to.
Source: Labour Department, handbook for employers of foreign domestic helpers (2026 edition); Statutory Minimum Wage.
Sources
- Hong Kong Government press release, 2 October 2026: Increase in Minimum Allowable Wage and no change in food allowance for foreign domestic helpers
- Labour Department: Foreign Domestic Helpers Portal and information for employers
- Immigration Department: Foreign Domestic Helpers FAQ and Foreign Domestic Helpers
- GovHK: Hiring Foreign Domestic Helpers
- Labour Department: Standard Employment Contract (ID 407) specimen
Questions about your own case: Labour Department enquiry line 2717 1771.
Related
- Statutory holidays for domestic helpers in 2027: the 15 days off your helper is entitled to next year, with dates and weekdays.
- Labour Department information for employers: the official summary of an employer’s duties.
Overseas Employment Centre Ltd. can help you renew your helper’s contract or hire a new helper: contact us.
