The Government today announced that the measures to assist foreign domestic helpers and their employers to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic will be extended with immediate effect.

It explained that it will continue to implement the previous measure to enable employers to extend the validity period of the existing contracts with their outgoing helpers.

For all helper contracts that will expire on or before September 30 this year, the Commissioner for Labour has given in-principle consent for extending the employment period for a maximum period of three months, on the basis that it is mutually agreed upon by both the employer and the helper.

Under the prevailing mechanism, a helper on a renewed contract with the same employer, or due to start a new contract with a new employer upon the expiry of an existing contract, may apply to the Immigration Department for deferring return to the place of origin for not more than one year after the existing contract ends.

The Government said it will further extend the relevant flexibility arrangement announced on December 30 last year.

It added that if a helper is unable to return to his or her place of origin within the aforementioned one-year period, he or she may apply to the Immigration Department for a further extension of limit of stay until the end of his or her contract.

The above flexibility arrangement must be mutually agreed upon between the employer and the helper, and employers should arrange for their helpers to return to the place of origin within the extended limit of stay.