Part-time work: while it should be more difficult for FDHS to obtain part-time work in the face of increased publicity against it, it would be unrealistic to expect part-time employment to cease completely. The Immigration Department will have to prosecute some cases to press home the message. Gathering of evidence would not be easy, particularly when both employers and employees are "satisfied customers";
(c) Other employment: will be even
(d)
more
difficult to detect than (b) if the employer is in fact a fictitious one invented specifically to get the FDH into Hong Kong for illegal work - and often it is not easy to prove to the satisfaction of the courts that "FDHs" in bars and clubs are in fact under employment there. The publicity to the effect that so to employ FDHs is against the law will have some deterrent effect. FDHS working as prostitutes in bars will also continue to be difficult to detect;
Congregation in public places: will not be affected except in so far that there is an overall limitation on numbers. In fact a Working Group of representatives from the Poice, Urban Services and City and New Territories Administration has advised that the congregating of FDHs in public places does not cause any particular problems;
(e) Wages: increases are expected to be quite regular and in line with the increases for local domestic helpers;
(£)
Conditions of employment: will be totally restrictive in respect of FDHS wanting to change jobs while in Hong Kong. On the other hand, the likely difficulties when it comes to trying to find a replacement should provide an incentive for employers to keep their FDHS in reasonable conditions of employment. In respect of medical treatment, given Hong Kong's virtually free medical services, it would seem that the FDHS have little cause to complain.
FINANCIAL AND STAFF IMPLICATIONS
16
There will be staffing and financial implications for both the Immigration Department and the Labour Department. The extent to which both will be involved cannot be quantified at
CONFIDENTIAL