ENG-2003 — Page 188

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EMPLOYMENT

and that the employers are willing to provide for the maintenance of the helpers in Hong Kong as well as to meet the costs of repatriation of the helpers to their country of origin. Employers must also satisfy requirements on income and assets.

In general, demand for FDHs has increased over the past two decades but the number decreased in 2003. By year-end, there were 216 863 such helpers in Hong Kong, a decrease of 8.5 per cent compared with the number of 237 104 in 2002. About 58.4 per cent of the FDHS in Hong Kong were from the Philippines and 37.4 per cent from Indonesia.

Following a review of the policy on FDHS in the context of formulating a population policy, the Government has imposed an Employees Retraining Levy of $400 per month for the contract period on the employers of FDHs to generate funds for training and retraining the local workforce. The levy, imposed under the Employees Retraining Ordinance, took effect on October 1, 2003.

Home Pages

Economic Development and Labour Bureau: http://www.edlb.gov.hk Education and Manpower Bureau: http://www.emb.gov.hk

Security Bureau: http://www.gov.hk/sb

Labour Department: http://www.labour.gov.hk

Occupational Safety and Health Council: http://www.oshc.org.hk

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