Before moving to Vancouver, I had been living in Hong Kong for thirteen years. During the thirteen years, there was always a domestic helper in my house since my parents both had to work and there was nobody else who could take care of me and my sister. We were very close together and I’m very glad that the Hong Kong’s High Court finally passed the law that the domestic workers from the Philippines are allowed to apply for permanent residency in the city.
Although I certainly understand that giving the domestic workers a permanent residency would cause the government a lot more money on education, public housing and health care, having basic human ethical rights are even more important. If these domestic workers are working for the Hong Kong citizens and contributing to the city, they should definitely deserve the permission to stay in the city permanently.
Moreover, this is only a small step that Hong Kong has taken to improve its worker’s conditions. To further develop it in a long-term run, a higher minimum wage, better work benefits and shorter mandatory working hours will have to be accomplished to reach the ultimate goal.
Article: Philippine immigrant maid wins landmark Hong Kong case (BBC)
Comments on Piper Hoekstra’s Blog and Nadia Gunderson’s Blog