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| Law says HK is limiting the number of migrant workers entering HK during the pandemic |
Hong Kong’s Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Law
Chi-kwong, has said the government wants to restrict the entry of foreign
domestic workers into Hong Kong in the time of the pandemic.
Law made the statement in response to questions from
reporters as to why the government does not want to provide quarantine facilities
for FDWs arriving in Hong Kong, or help employers pay for the cost of an alternative
place for them to stay.
“I can say that we really want to help, but any way which
would encourage directly or indirectly the movement of domestic helpers from
Hong Kong to their homeland or from their homeland back to Hong Kong is not
consistent with our policy to restrict such movement to reduce the risk of
spread of the virus,” said Law.
His statement doused the hopes of about 10,000
Filipino migrant workers who have been on standby in the Philippines for months,
hoping for a signal that the Hong Kong government would help ease their
re-entry into the city.
The biggest hindrance is the high cost of the 14-day
quarantine that they would be required to undergo on their arrival in Hong Kong.
Many employers balk at allowing them to spend the
quarantine in their tiny homes, but are unwilling to pay for the cost of
alternative accommodation and food during the quarantine. Estimates of a hotel
quarantine, without the food, range between $4,000 and $8,000.
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| More than 100 OFWs flew out of HK earlier this month. Will they be able to come back? |
Employment agencies have urged the government to set
up a centralized quarantine facility for all incoming FDHs, while New Party
legislator Eunice Yung has asked for subsidy to be extended to employers who
put up their maids in hotels.
It now appears the government is not keen to adopt
either option because it does not want the usual number of FDWs to enter Hong
Kong while it is still dealing with the coronavirus contagion.
Law said that what the government has done so far, in fact,
is to minimize the entry of FDWs into the city. This was the reason it has
allowed those who are already in Hong Kong to extend their contracts, those who
have finished their contracts to find new a new employer without leaving the
city, or extend the visa of those who are in-between contracts.
“These are the policy strategies that try to restrict the
movement of domestic helpers from Hong Kong to and from their homeland,” he
added. “Any other measures, although we would like to help, if that
would encourage such movement, that would be inconsistent with our
anti-epidemic measures.
Instead, he said employers should consider helping FDWs who are already in Hong Kong to continue to stay by extending their contract. Employment agencies could also help by securing new employment for those who have completed their previous contract.
But it would appear the more relaxed visa policy does not extend
to those who have been terminated or have broken their contracts, except those
who fall under exceptional circumstances, like if the reason is due to the
employer’s relocation, or financial difficulty.
Those who are terminated for other reasons will be allowed to
extend their stay while looking for new employment, but will still have to
return home and wait for their new visa there.
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| Secretary Law and Congen Tejada in a meeting last February |
This was despite an appeal made by Consul General Raly Tejada
last Wednesday, June 24, for the more relaxed visa policy to extend to all
whose contracts have been prematurely cut for whatever reason.
According to Congen Tejada, Immigration only assured him that
those who finished their contracts and have changed employers will be
allowed to stay and take up their new employment.
“What they said it that they will consider requests by
employees who have finished their contracts and transferring to new employers
to remain in Hong Kong on a ‘case to case basis,”, said Congen Tejada.
“It is imperative that they present themselves to Immigration
accompanied by their new employers so that they may present their case. I
believe the commitment of the employer to take responsibility will be crucial
here as determined by immigration officials.”
Congen said he realized the commitment does not differ
much from the existing policy, but said it was “better than nothing.” He also
pledged to continue discussing with Immigration further on the issue, as these
are “unprecedented times.”
During his interview, Law said that during normal
times, around 500 FDWs come into Hong Kong on a daily basis. But because of the
entry restrictions taken by the government, the number of Filipino DHs who have
entered Hong Kong in the past month had been reduced to only 1,7000.
He added: “But if we provide such facilitation that directly
or indirectly encourages them to come, that number will jump up very quickly.
Every day we will have about two to three flights from Manila. We would expect
500 of them every day. Within 14 days, we would have 7,000. That is a very
large number. We would not have sufficient quarantine facilities to house this
group of people just from the Philippines. This is the concern. The primary
consideration is our anti-epidemic strategies to help or protect our citizens
in Hong Kong.”
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