Hong Kong has a rapidly ageing population, with experts predicting that one in every three people would be 60 years old and above by 2046. Seeing the need for greater elderly care in the future, the government has announced a pilot scheme: employing foreign domestic carers.
Set to be launched next year, the new scheme intends to hire foreign domestic carers to look after elderly people at home. This presents a promising opportunity for migrant workers, including Filipino foreign domestic workers who are already based in Hong Kong.
What We Know About Hong Kong’s Domestic Carers Scheme
Hong Kong’s domestic carers scheme is expected to begin on the second half of 2027. During the initial phase, only 500 workers would be employed, to avoid disrupting the current domestic helper market. There are about 380,000 foreign domestic helpers in the city today, many of which come from the Philippines, Indonesia, and other Southeast Asian countries.
Under the scheme, foreign domestic carers will be tasked with specialized elderly care, along with other household duties, like cooking and cleaning. They will be hired on two-year contracts, with one day off per week. Since they are live-in workers, they are not allowed to accept other jobs or do business.
As for the salary, Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun said that foreign domestic carers could earn 10 to 20 percent more than the standard rate for domestic helpers. The minimum wage for domestic helpers these days is HK$ 5,220 per month.
Training and Experience Requirements for Domestic Carers
To be eligible for the new scheme, foreign domestic carers must have at least three years of experience in elderly care. Moreover, they must have completed at least a 150-hour training course in their home country before getting hired in Hong Kong. In relation to this, the government has begun setting up a verification mechanism to make sure that the certification of foreign domestic carers would match the city’s standards.
Notably, the structure of the scheme will be similar to the existing system for hiring foreign domestic helpers. The main difference is that the new scheme combines general domestic duties with specialized elderly care.
Opportunities for Filipino Domestic Workers in Hong Kong
As early as June 2026, Philippine and Hong Kong officials have been discussing possible collaborations on the upskilling, reskilling, and certification of OFWs in the city. Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Chief Patricia Yvonne Caunan mentioned the Philippine government’s plan to provide onsite training for Filipino domestic helpers, while officials from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) presented their training and accreditation programs.
These plans may soon become a reality, with Labor Attaché Cesar Chavez Jr. saying recently that Filipino workers who want to become caregivers may soon receive training without having to leave Hong Kong. Still, he clarified that while domestic helpers may be allowed to undergo training, they must finish their current contracts before applying for new jobs.
Given the right training and experience, Filipino domestic helpers in Hong Kong could “upskill” to become domestic carers. As we wait for more updates and announcements regarding the new scheme, we should also watch out for training opportunities from the Philippine government.