What is the minimum wage for a domestic helper in Hong Kong?

Overview

The Minimum Allowable Wage (MAW) is the floor the Government sets for what a domestic helper must be paid each month. It is separate from Hong Kong's statutory minimum wage, which covers local workers on an hourly basis — two different systems, two different figures.

The MAW that applies to a contract is the one in force on the day that contract is signed, not the day the helper starts work and not the day the visa is issued. That single detail settles most of the confusion around wage rates.

Current and Recent MAW Rates

Contract signed	MAW (per month)
On or after 30 Sep 2025	HK$5,100
28 Sep 2024 – 29 Sep 2025	HK$4,990
30 Sep 2023 – 27 Sep 2024	HK$4,870

A note on the dates: in recent years each revision has been announced in late September, taking effect the following day. The 2025 revision was announced on 29 September and applies to contracts signed from 30 September onwards. The announcement date is not the effective date.

There is no fixed review cycle in law. The Government reviews the MAW regularly, taking account of Hong Kong's general economic and employment conditions alongside the needs of employers and helpers.

Which Contracts Are Affected

A new rate applies to contracts signed on or after its effective date. A contract already signed continues at the rate agreed when it was signed, right through to expiry — a rise in the MAW does not change an existing contract mid-term. The new rate then applies at the next renewal, when a fresh contract is signed.

Food, or a Food Allowance

The Standard Employment Contract gives the employer two options, and one of them must be met:

• Provide free food — meals of a reasonable quantity and quality, throughout the contract, or
• Pay a food allowance of at least HK$1,236 per month, on top of the wage

The food allowance is a separate figure from the MAW and was last revised on 30 September 2023; the 2024 and 2025 wage revisions left it unchanged. More detail on how this works in practice is in our food allowance FAQ.

When Wages Must Be Paid

Wages are payable at least once a month, and in any case no later than seven days after the end of each wage period (Employment Ordinance, s.23–25).

Receipts Must Match What Was Paid

A wage receipt records what was actually handed over. A receipt signed for the full MAW where a smaller sum was paid does not make the lower payment lawful — the underpayment stands as an offence, and the receipt does not evidence compliance. Keeping a straightforward monthly wage record, signed by both parties for the amount genuinely paid, is the simplest way for an employer to be able to show what was paid and when.

What May Lawfully Be Deducted

Of the deductions the Employment Ordinance allows, two come up in domestic helper employment:

• Damage to or loss of the employer's goods or property caused by the helper's neglect or default — limited to the value of the damage and capped at HK$300 in any one case
• Absence from work — a proportional deduction for time not worked

Two further limits apply. Total deductions in any one wage period must not exceed one quarter of the wages payable for that period. And deductions as a disciplinary measure, or for work considered unsatisfactory, are not permitted at all.

If a Helper Is Paid Less Than the MAW

Non-payment or underpayment of wages is an offence under the Employment Ordinance (Cap. 57), carrying a maximum fine of HK$350,000 and three years' imprisonment. Where a wage is understated in order to obtain the employment visa, separate offences can also arise — making a false representation to an Immigration Officer (maximum fine HK$150,000 and 14 years' imprisonment) and conspiracy to defraud (up to 14 years).

A private side agreement to pay less does not change any of this. Once a contract is signed at or above the MAW, the parties cannot subsequently agree a lower figure. The Labour Department handles wage complaints and offers conciliation to both parties.

What a Helper Costs Each Month

The MAW is the largest recurring cost but not the only one. Domestic helper insurance is a legal requirement for every employer, and the food allowance applies wherever meals are not provided. Insurance premiums are set by the market, not by the Government, so they vary between insurers.

One point that still causes budgeting errors: the employer levy of HK$400 per month no longer exists. Its collection was abolished in 2013 and no levy is payable by domestic helper employers today. Any cost estimate that still includes it is out of date by roughly HK$4,800 a year.

For the full picture — one-off costs at the start, recurring monthly costs, and what falls due at the end of a contract — see the total cost of hiring a domestic helper.

Two Things the MAW Does Not Cover

The MAW sets the wage and nothing else. Statutory entitlements such as annual leave and rest days are governed separately by the Employment Ordinance.

It also does not set what an agency may charge. An employment agency may receive a commission from the helper of no more than 10% of the helper's first month's wages once the placement is made, and nothing further. There is no statutory cap on what an agency charges the employer.

Budgeting for a Helper?

Knowing the wage is the easy part; knowing the total is what makes a household budget work. GMA sets out the full monthly and one-off cost of employing a helper before you commit — the wage, the allowances, and our own fee, with nothing added later. See GMA's fee schedule.