Foreign carer scheme may drive up wages, leave poor without help, employers warn

A new pilot scheme to bring in foreign domestic carers for the elderly to deal with an ageing population could disrupt Hong Kong’s existing helper market, driving up wages and putting care beyond the reach of low-income older residents, some employers and agencies have warned.
They said the measure, announced by Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu in his policy address on Wednesday, was likely to prompt existing helpers to demand higher pay or quit to take up the new employment opportunity, adding...