UNCLASSIFIED
127772
N IA 5287
EMPLOYER IS UNABLE TO CONTINUE WITH THE CONTRACT BECAUSE OF EXTERNAL TRANSFER, DEATH OR FOR FINANCIAL REASONS, OR WHERE THERE IS EVIDENCE TO SHOW THAT THE EMPLOYER HAS ABUSED THE HELPER. PERMISSION TO CHANGE EMPLOYERS IS NORMALLY GIVEN IN SUCH CASES.
7. BECAUSE OF THE LARGE NUMBER OF FILIPINO DOMESTIC HELPERS IN HONG KONG (SOME 53,000), THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT HAS MAINTAINED CLOSE LIAISON WITH THE HKG THROUGH REGULAR MEETINGS, VISITS AND EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION. THE PHILIPPINE LABOUR SECRETARY, AFTER VISITING HONG KONG TO GET FIRST-HAND INFORMATION ABOUT HKG'S POLICY ON FOREIGN DOMESTIC HELPERS, ANNOUNCED IN MARCH 1988 THAT HE WAS SATISFIED WITH THE LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE MEASURES HONG KONG HAD ADOPTED TO PROTECT THESE WORKERS.
8. FOR MAY FILIPINO DOMESTIC HELPERS, HONG KONG IS ONE OF THE BEST PLACES FOR EMPLOYMENT. THIS IS REFLECTED BY A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF SUCH HELPERS IN HONG KONG OVER THE PAST EIGHT YEARS, I.E. FROM 20120 AT THE END OF 1982 TO 52868 AT THE END OF
1989.
9. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT DOES NOT CONDONE ANY ABUSE OR MALTREATMENT OF IMPORTED WORKERS. IT ENCOURAGES SUCH WORKERS TO COME FORWARD TO REPORT ANY SUCH VIOLATIONS TO THE POLICE FOR POSSIBLE LEGAL ACTIONS AGAINST THE EMPLOYERS. IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, ABOUT 60 SUCH CASES HAVE COME TO THE NOTICE OF THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT. THE WORKERS HAVE ALL BEEN GRANTED PERMISSION TO WORK FOR A NEW EMPLOYER.
WILSON
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
23
MINIMAL
HKD
NNNN
DISTRIBUTION
23
NEWS
PAGE
2
UNCLASSIFIED