'Maids Can't Be Turned Into Elderly Home Carers'

The labour and welfare secretary, Law Chi-kwong, said the government has no plans to allow domestic helpers to work in subsidised care homes for the elderly.

The Elderly Commission had said earlier this week that the administration was planning a training programme to prepare helpers to care for elderly people in homes, and that the scheme could be in place as early as this year.

But speaking to reporters after an event on Saturday, Law clarified that existing regulations prevented domestic workers from working anywhere other than in private homes, and it would therefore be impossible to switch them into imported foreign workers.

But he said the government may look to import workers to overcome a chronic staff shortage in care homes, and that people who had worked as domestic helpers in the past might be considered.