Maids’ contracts to be automatically renewed

In response to growing demand for migrant domestic workers in local households, the government has decided to simplify the visa renewal procedures for domestic helpers who work for permanent residents.
Starting this month, permanent residents who have hired a domestic helper from abroad no longer need to go to the Human Resources Office to apply for an employment permit renewal for their employee. Instead, they can go directly to the Immigration Service to renew the employee’s “blue card [work permit]” without having to regain approval with the former entity.
Nevertheless, current employers still need to apply for a final permit renewal with the Human Resources Office, 30 to 45 days prior to the expiration date of the employment permit they currently hold. Future permits will be renewed automatically.
The new policy also applies to new applications for local households to import migrant domestic workers, whose employment permits will be automatically renewed in the following years, once the initial application is approved.
The Human Resources Office explained that the simplified measure will streamline the administration process and make it more convenient for residents.
“Along with the increasing number of dual-earner families in Macau, there is a bigger and bigger demand for hiring non-
resident domestic workers to assist in looking after the elderly and the young, in taking care of the sick or disabled, as well as with housework,” it stated. BY