How long does the employment of a foreign domestic worker typically last, and what factors influence this duration?
Previous research has rarely considered the duration of hiring domestic workers in typical households. We found that hiring domestic workers in Hong Kong is a relatively stable practice that often lasts for more than ten years. There is also a trend towards longer durations, where couples who married more recently tend to consider hiring domestic workers earlier and maintain this practice for longer periods. Live-in migrant domestic workers are not only a significant part of family life in Hong Kong but also play a crucial role in raising many children in these households throughout their childhood. The long-term presence of migrant domestic workers may influence children's perceptions of parent-child relationships and impact interactions between spouses.
(b) Cumulative incidence rate for the end of employing live-in domestic helpers.
This study identifies three categories of factors that may impact the duration of employing migrant domestic workers: "need-based," "resource-based," and "preference-based" factors.
Several interesting findings emerge by separately analyzing the effects of these three categories of factors on the decision to start hiring and stop hiring a domestic worker.
Need-based Factors
Most need-based factors that lead families to hire domestic workers do not influence the duration of their employment. Yet, whether the wife has full-time employment or a professional job significantly affects the decision to start hiring and stop hiring a domestic worker. This suggests that the wife's employment status significantly influences the decision to outsource household chores, reflecting the persistent gender inequality in domestic work in Hong Kong. Regardless of the husband's employment status, the burden of household chores in Hong Kong continues to fall predominantly on women. Furthermore, living with older parents is negatively correlated with the decision to hire a domestic helper, indicating that living with parents in Hong Kong means having access to their assistance with household tasks rather than increasing the family burden to most families.
Resource-based Factors
In terms of resource-based factors, contrary to most previous studies, this research finds that the income level of couples at the time of marriage does not influence their decision to start hiring a domestic worker. However, it does impact the duration of employing migrant domestic workers, with only higher-income families being able to sustain this practice for longer periods. Consequently, wealthier families can better manage work-family conflicts, while families with fewer resources cannot afford to outsource household tasks for extended periods.
Preference-based Factors
Regarding preference-based factors, the data shows that growing up in a household with a domestic worker increases the likelihood of hiring one in adulthood. Similarly, having more people in one's social circle who hire domestic workers also increases the likelihood of hiring one. These two factors make families more familiar with the practice of hiring domestic workers and provide access to more relevant information. Additionally, as the prevalence of hiring domestic helpers in society increases, more free information becomes available to families considering this option. The decrease in information costs may explain why hiring domestic workers has become more common in Hong Kong. However, these factors are not related to the long-term employment of domestic workers. It appears that the duration of hiring a domestic worker is more directly related to needs and resources.
Research Findings
Policymakers can draw various insights from these research findings. First, the increase in outsourcing household chores in Hong Kong is closely related to whether women have full-time jobs, indicating that they need additional assistance. Providing more support and resources to help women balance work and family demands, as well as encouragement for men to share household responsibilities, can reduce local families' reliance on migrant domestic workers.
Second, for low-income families, policymakers should consider offering more alternative options to assist them, as these families may not be able to sustain long-term outsourcing of household tasks.
Finally, there could be an enhancement in the dissemination of information regarding the hiring of foreign domestic workers. The growing prevalence of hiring foreign domestic workers largely benefits from existing information resources. Those who are unfamiliar with hiring foreign domestic workers may hesitate due to a lack of reliable information. Therefore, providing more information about hiring foreign domestic workers will help interested families make better informed decisions.
