The Government today announced that the flexibility arrangements to assist foreign domestic helpers and their employers to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic will be discontinued on May 1, 2023.

In order to assist helpers and their employers to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government has since early 2020 implemented a series of facilitation measures for helpers and their employers, including the flexibility arrangements of allowing an extension of the validity period of existing employment contracts and a deferral of helpers' return to their places of origin.

Taking into account that flights between Hong Kong and major helper-sending countries have gradually resumed after the lifting of the place-specific and route-specific flight suspension mechanisms on April 1 and July 7 respectively this year, the lifting of the compulsory quarantine requirement on arrival in Hong Kong with effect from September 26, as well as the gradual relaxation of inbound control measures, the Government has reviewed the situation and decided to discontinue the flexibility arrangements from May 1, 2023.

For all helper contracts expiring on or before April 30, 2023, employers may apply for extending the validity period of the existing contracts with their outgoing helpers for a maximum period of six months. However, applications for further extension of contracts which have already been extended under the previously announced flexibility arrangements will not be considered.

Regarding the deferral of return to place of origin, helpers may apply to the Immigration Department for deferring their return to the place of origin for not more than one year after the existing contract ends. If the one-year period expires on or before April 30, 2023, the helpers may submit such an application to the department within eight weeks prior to the expiry of the existing limit of stay to further extend the limit of stay.

All applications should reach the Immigration Department on or before April 30, 2023.

The Government reminds employers and helpers to discuss matters relating to employment, contract renewals or the return to helpers' places of origin as soon as possible to avoid breaching the requirements.