Dawn raids in Ma Wan village this morning saw four foreign domestic helpers arrested for not living in their employers’ homes.
An employer and his wife were also arrested but released on bail. The man apparently told the SCMP he wanted to see fair conditions for the workers.
At 7am, minibuses packed with dozens of immigration offices descended on the village to arrest those suspected of breaking the “live in” immigration law.
It stipulates that all domestic helpers must live with their employers unless they have been continuously working for the same family since 2003.
Domestic workers found guilty of breaking the clause in their immigration contracts can be deported from Hong Kong and blacklisted from working here.
Employers letting helpers live out can be jailed for 14 years and fined up to HKD150,000.
Local rights groups say foreign domestic workers should have the freedom to choose where they live as some are subjected to physical and sexual abuse at the hand of their employers.
