OFW Guide — Hong Kong
Hong Kong hosts about 200,000 Filipino workers, the vast majority employed as domestic helpers under the Standard Employment Contract. With Sunday as the statutory rest day, Central district transforms into a Filipino community hub every weekend. This guide covers everything specific to Hong Kong: HKD remittance corridors, the lack of salaries tax for domestic helpers, statutory holidays you should never be denied, and common pitfalls around contract substitution and illegal padala couriers.
OFW population
~200,000 OFWs (mostly domestic workers)
Time zone
HKT · Same time as Manila
Currency
HK$ HKD · Hong Kong Dollar
Remittance corridor
#5 · ~3% of total OFW remittance
Sending money home from Hong Kong
Send on Sundays — most domestic helpers have their statutory rest day on Sunday and queue at remittance shops in Central. Skip the queue by sending digitally via Wise or GCash international before Sunday morning HK time.
Common sending channels
- Wise
- Remitly
- GCash international
- WorldRemit
- MoneyGram
- Cebuana Lhuillier (HK branches)
Taxation
Domestic workers in HK are exempt from HK salaries tax. Other OFWs pay HK salaries tax (max 17%). Remittances to PH are not taxed by either side.
Public holidays in Hong Kong
Hong Kong observes 17 public holidays in 2026, including Chinese New Year (Feb 17–19), Easter, and the National Day (Oct 1). Domestic helpers are statutorily entitled to all of these as rest days.
For Philippine holidays, see the full 2026 calendar. If you plan a trip home, also check the long weekends list to maximize your time off.
Common popular jobs
- Domestic helper (kasambahay)
- Caregiver
- Retail
- Hospitality
- Healthcare
Pitfalls to avoid
- Beware unregistered 'padala' couriers offering better rates — they are illegal and your money is unprotected.
- PH banks may delay HK remittances during Chinese New Year (Feb 17–19) and Easter weekends. Send 5 days before.
- Your HK employer cannot legally hold your passport. Report violations to the Philippine Consulate General.
Best time to send money home →
Time your remittance around Philippine holidays, 13th month, and back-to-school.
13th month pay rules →
Understand the mandatory year-end bonus your family back home is entitled to.
Official sources for Hong Kong
Information on this page is sourced from the host country's official government channels and the Philippine government's consular and migrant worker agencies. Verify on the source URLs above for any payroll, taxation, or legal decisions.
- Hong Kong Inland Revenue Department — Salaries Tax— HK IRD
- Standard Employment Contract for Foreign Domestic Helpers— HK Immigration Department
- Hong Kong Labour Department — Rights of foreign helpers— HK Labour Department
- Philippine Consulate General — Hong Kong— Department of Foreign Affairs (PH)
Learn how we verify and update this data — Methodology & Sources