Hiring a domestic helper for elderly care: costs and arrangements

Roughly how much per month?

Main costs include: the statutory Minimum Allowable Wage (currently about HK$5,000/month, per the Labour Department), food or a food allowance, employees' compensation and medical insurance, and the monthly-apportioned Employees Retraining Levy. With one-off agency fees and the helper's airfare, the real monthly total is usually higher than the minimum wage itself. It helps to split costs into recurring monthly items (predictable, budget them) and one-off items (which arise at hiring or renewal and are easily overlooked). Placing these figures into your retirement cash flow gives a truer picture of what home care really costs.

• Minimum Allowable Wage: currently about HK$5,000/month (per the Labour Department).
• Food: provide meals or a food allowance.
• Insurance: employees' compensation and medical.
• Levy and agency: Employees Retraining Levy, agency and arrival costs.

The table lists common items only; amounts and the levy follow the Labour Department and are adjusted from time to time. This section is not personalised financial advice.

What level of care suits a helper?

A helper suits elders who are fairly self-caring and mainly need daily-living support (cooking, cleaning, escorting to appointments, basic care). If an elder needs professional nursing (tube feeding, complex medication, severe dementia), extra professional care or a care home may be needed. Before deciding, assess the elder's self-care ability, chronic conditions and rehab needs, and factor in foreseeable change (such as gradual decline) so the arrangement does not have to be reshuffled hastily once needs outgrow it. For related home and community care options, see long-term care arrangements.

Matching the care level matters; consult medical or social-work advice if needed. This is not medical advice.

What does the hiring process look like?

1. Assess care needsClarify what support the elder needs, daily care hours and any night care, as the basis for choosing a helper and writing the duties. See the direction in planning parents' healthcare.
2. Choose a hiring routeVia an agency or direct hire; compare scope, fees and after-service, and keep written quotes and receipts.
3. Sign the standard employment contractSet out wages, food, accommodation, rest days and duties on the Immigration Department standard contract, each party keeping a copy.
4. Arrange visa and insuranceSubmit the Immigration application, buy employees' compensation and medical insurance, and arrange the medical check and arrival.
5. Arrival and settling inHelp the helper adapt to the home and the elder's routines; early on, family should guide care details and communication.

The above is a general outline; actual procedures and documents follow Labour Department and Immigration Department guidance.

What to note before hiring

• Contract and duties: clearly set out the scope of work, rest days and accommodation.
• Care skills: for elderly care, prefer helpers with relevant experience or training.
• Communication and adjustment: language and cultural differences take time — family should support.
• Backup arrangements: cover for when the helper is on leave or resigns.
• The carer too: the family member who leads care also needs rest and support — see caregiver support.

Hiring a helper carries statutory employer duties; refer to Labour Department and Immigration Department guidance.

Fold care costs into retirement planning

Whether a home helper or a care home, long-term care is an ongoing cost to budget for. Folding your parents' (or your own) potential care needs and costs into retirement cash-flow and cover planning early reduces sudden financial pressure later. For example (a teaching illustration, not a guarantee): if you treat the monthly care cost as a fixed outgoing and keep a few years' buffer, the family has more flexibility when a helper changes or a condition shifts — the actual amount needed depends on each family's situation. See long-term care arrangements and planning for parents.

General education only, not personalised advice; costs and rules follow official sources. For anything touching tax, cover or benefits, rely on the relevant official information.