Research Summary

With funding support from the Early Career Scheme provided by the Research Grants Council, the research project titled "Strangers/Helpers at Home: Hong Kong Families Employing Foreign Domestic Workers" has published seven academic journal articles. These articles examine various issues related to families hiring migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong. They discuss factors that influence the initiation and cessation of employment, as well as family experiences and their impacts on time allocation, marital relations, and fertility. In this section, we provide summaries of these articles along with links to the original texts for public reference.

In Hong Kong, do only middle-class families employ migrant domestic workers?

The phenomenon of employing foreign domestic workers extends beyond the middle class and reaches families with a lower socio-economic status (SES) background.

How long does the employment of a foreign domestic worker typically last, and what factors influence this duration?

Families hiring domestic workers in Hong Kong often keep the practice for more than ten years. Couples who married more recently tend to maintain this practice for longer periods.

What factors affect employers' experiences in hiring foreign domestic workers?

Whether employers have a positive experience hiring foreign domestic workers, as well as the frequency of needing to change workers, is influenced by the resources available to the employer's household.

Is domestic outsourcing effective in reducing the amount of unpaid household labor for married couples?

Overall, families that hire domestic workers do not reduce their overall unpaid labor time. While it reduces time spent on housework, parents shift their time to managing the domestic worker and engaging in intensive parenting.

Does employing domestic workers help increase the fertility rate in Hong Kong?

Our research found a correlation between hiring migrant domestic workers and couples' decisions to have their first two children. Families hiring migrant domestic workers do indeed have more children compared to families that do not employ migrant domestic workers.

Is there a relationship between spousal household participation and fertility intentions?

Even though contemporary women are working outside the home, their housework burden is still heavy. Having difficulties in managing work and family demands, women reduce their desire to have children. Improving gender equality within the family can increase fertility intentions.

Can hiring domestic workers and seeking parental assistance in performing housework reduce marital conflict among married couples?

Neither hiring migrant domestic workers nor seeking parental assistance significantly reduces overall marital conflict. Statistical analysis reveals that both forms of outsourcing generate positive and negative effects that offset each other.

In Hong Kong, do only middle-class families employ migrant domestic workers?

The phenomenon of employing foreign domestic workers extends beyond the middle class and reaches families with a lower socio-economic status (SES) background.

How long will hiring a foreign domestic worker typically last, and what factors influence this duration?

Families hiring domestic workers in Hong Kong often keep the practice for more than ten years. Couples who married more recently tend to maintain this practice for longer periods.

What factors affect employers' experiences in hiring foreign domestic workers?

Whether employers have a positive experience hiring foreign domestic workers, as well as the frequency of needing to change workers, is influenced by the resources available to the employer's household.

Is domestic outsourcing effective in reducing the amount of unpaid household labor for married couples?

Overall, families that hire domestic workers do not reduce their overall unpaid labor time. While it reduces time spent on housework, parents shift their time to managing the domestic worker and engaging in intensive parenting.

Does employing domestic workers help increase the fertility rate in Hong Kong?

Our research found a correlation between hiring migrant domestic workers and couples' decisions to have their first two children. Families hiring migrant domestic workers do indeed have more children compared to families that do not employ migrant domestic workers.

Is there a relationship between spousal household participation and fertility intentions?

Even though contemporary women are working outside the home, their housework burden is still heavy. Having difficulties in managing work and family demands, women reduce their desire to have children. Improving gender equality within the family can increase fertility intentions.

Can hiring domestic workers and seeking parental assistance in performing housework reduce marital conflict among married couples?

Neither hiring migrant domestic workers nor seeking parental assistance significantly reduces overall marital conflict. Statistical analysis reveals that both forms of outsourcing generate positive and negative effects that offset each other.