Families hope in vain to hire domestic helpers from abroad

Local households are facing a predicament in hiring overseas domestic helpers due to a double whammy of border closures and the new labor regulation imposed in October, which bars foreigners on tourist visas from taking jobs in Macau without an entry certificate.
Since March 25, the SAR government has kept the border closed to foreigners, with exceptions only available for residents of China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Added to the complication is the new legislation, which came into effect on October 6, and stipulates that all foreign workers must possess an ‘entry certificate’ for employment purposes before entering Macau.
Lawmaker Agnes Lam deemed it impossible for local families to hire household workers from outside of the mainland and Macau.
“The two aforementioned restrictions have made it totally impossible now for households to hire any domestic helpers abroad. Those who are desperate for a helper at home are really up the creek,” Lawmaker Agnes Lam told the Times.
In general, families in Macau have opted for helpers predominantly from Southeast Asia, Lam adds.
The figures from the Labour Affairs Bureau echo Lam’s remarks. As of end-September this year, domestic helpers from the Philippines accounted for the lion’s share of domestic workers, making up around 56% of the total number of employed household helpers (29,218). This was followed by 6,289 from Vietnam, 4,217 from Indonesia and 1,593 from Myanmar.
Despite the status quo, locals rarely turn to domestic helpers hailing from China, often considered as the last resort, as the cost of hiring a mainland domestic helper is significantly higher, ranging from MOP6,000-8,000 monthly compared to an average of MOP3,800 incurred in hiring one from Southeast Asia, Lam pointed out.
In 2013, the SAR Government rolled out a trial scheme to allow locals to hire domestic workers from Guangdong and Fujian provinces. The move, the government said, was to meet the needs of local families and bring in more diverse options. Years later, in November 2018, seven more mainland provinces, including Guangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Anhui, Sichuan and Guizhou were added to the list of the places of origin for sourcing domestic workers.
Seven years after its introduction, the number of mainland domestic helpers stood at only 510 in September this year, up a scant 5.3% from 484 in the same period last year, according to the official figures.
By comparison, families with domestic helpers from China are more affluent, can afford the higher cost, and are relatively more partial to Chinese culture, Lam said.
According to political and social scientist Larry So, the length of time it takes to acquire a working visa for foreign domestic helpers renders the hiring process not feasible.
Foreign domestic helpers have played crucial roles both from societal and economic perspectives. They have not only helped reduce household pressures by taking care of children and chores, but also helped release parents back into Macau’s job market, So explained.
“As local families are left with no choice, I know some parents who have even had to drop out of employment, just to tend to their kids at home,” So said.
Seeing there is a pressing demand for foreign domestic helpers, Lam has called on the SAR Government to loosen entry restrictions, allowing domestic helpers of other nationalities to enter Macau on a weekly or monthly quota basis.
In the short term, So also suggested that the SAR Government reduce the red tape on issuing work visas for domestic helpers and collaborate closely with local nurseries to roll out remedies, with a focus on alleviating the household strain associated with childcare.
The shortage of domestic helpers is also a problem expressed on social medial platforms. The Times has found that several users have posted on Facebook groups and asked for means to hire domestic helpers in Macau. Staff Reporter