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Requirements for domestic helpers arriving to Hong Kong

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What are the Boarding & Quarantine requirements for domestic helpers arriving from the Philippines and Indonesia?

Boarding requirements:

Please FIRST read boarding and entry requirements carefully in this article: Can domestic helpers from the Philippines and Indonesia travel to Hong Kong? 

1. Fully vaccinated and hold a recognized vaccination record; and
2. Present a negative rapid antigen test (RAT) within 24 hours of flight departure*. Retain the photo showing the RAT result or the PCR test report for 90 days
3. They may also voluntarily declare the test result via the Department of Health’s electronic health declaration form (www.chp.gov.hk/hdf/) prior to their arrival at Hong Kong. For arrival via Hong Kong International Airport, the health declaration is valid for 96 hours; for arrival via land control points, the health declaration is valid for 24 hours.
4. All inbound persons must pass temperature checks upon arrival. Those found with symptoms will be referred to the Department of Health for further handling.
5. For other most updated information, please also refer to daily press releases.

Replacement of Compulsory quarantine to 5 days of medical surveillance:

1. Undergo 5 days of medical surveillance (either at employer’s residence or at a licensed hotel or guesthouse)
2. The Government recommends all inbound persons to conduct daily RATs using self-arranged rapid antigen test (RAT) kits during the period between the day of arrival (i.e. Day 0) and Day 5 after arrival at Hong Kong.
   They voluntarily report their RAT results and health status via the Electronic COVID-19 Monitoring & Surveillance System (eCMSS)
   

Medical Surveillance Period Arrangements
If you wish your worker to undergo 5 days medical surveillance period at a licensed hotel or guesthouse, please check with your agency to confirm if there is flight availability on the preferred date before making a booking. Your helper would also need to fulfil all of  the following requirements

• Holds a valid employment entry visa 
• Holds a valid medical certificate 
• Filipino Workers – Holds an Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC), Indonesian workers- Hold a KTKLN ID Card
• Be fully vaccinated (14 days after all doses are administered) with one of the Hong Kong’s government recognised vaccines 
• Has a valid vaccination record recognized by the Hong Kong government
• Obtains a negative rapid antigen test (RAT) within 24 hours  prior to flight to Hong Kong

Advisory to Employers

• The Labour Department has issued an advisory on the responsibilities for employers to bear the cost of the test and the cost of food and accommodation while the domestic helper they hired is in a 5-day medical surveillance period (even if the helper stays in a licensed hotel or guesthouse during those 5 days). Employers applying to the Immigration Department (ImmD) to employ domestic helpers will be required to sign an undertaking to the Government, indicating that they will comply with the relevant specifications and bear the relevant costs (info.gov.hk, 11 Dec 2020)
• Also see: FAQ on domestic helper’s salary while on unable to work due to COVID-19 Quarantine

Resources

• Centre for Health Protection Hotline: 2125 1122 (8 am to 12 midnight)
• Home Affairs Department Hotline: 2835 1473 (24 hours)
• HK Government website on Coronavirus: www.coronavirus.com.hk

If you begin to experience any symptoms of the COVID-19,  call the CHP Hotline.

Can domestic helpers quarantine in hotels beyond the 5 day medical surveillance period or voluntarily before joining a new family?

According to the Labour Department’s response to our phone enquiry, domestic helpers cannot extend their hotel stay beyond the requirements by the HK government. Nor can domestic helpers who are processed locally do a voluntary hotel quarantine after their new visa has been picked up. This is because these two scenarios would violate the live-in requirement for domestic helpers.

You may also like:

• What happens if a domestic helper tests positive for COVID-19?
• FAQ on domestic helper’s salary while on unable to work due to COVID-19 Quarantine
• COVID-19 updates affecting domestic helpers & employers
• What does domestic helper hiring look like now with the impact of COVID-19?

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