Every country usually retains the right and power to regulate how people get in and out of their borders. You need special permission and document called a visa in order to gain legal entry into another country other than your own. If you want to work in a different country, you will need a work permit to do that. Similarly, if you want to bring over a foreign domestic worker, you will need to apply for a work permit and failure to do so can always attract very severe consequences from the government. It is your responsibility as an employer to apply a work permit for the employee you want to bring over. For instance, if you are looking to hire a 菲傭, you will have to process a work permit for them and this will always cost you money.
Eligibility requirements for work permits for maids
The thing is, you can’t just bring over anybody to work as an FDW. The individual must meet certain requirements, which include being a female of a certain age. There is usually a certain age bracket for minimum and maximum. The age bracket will usually vary with the country. The female person you want to employ as an FDW must also be from certain approved countries. In most Asian countries, approved countries include the Philippines, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Macau, South Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Taiwan.
The maid must also have a certain minimum number of years of education. On arrival, some countries require FDWs to undergo certain training. This training is usually paid for by the helper. Here are certain things that you should keep in mind when you are hiring an FDW to avoid potential troubles.
Never hire maids who are on tourist visas
You may be tempted to take a shortcut and employ someone who is on a tourist visa to make things easier for yourself and potentially avoid paying certain expenses such as airfare and agency fees. Whereas that may work in certain countries, it doesn’t work in all countries. There are countries that prohibit their citizens from hiring domestic workers who are present in their countries on tourist visas. Similarly, such countries do not allow the employment of domestic workers who are present in the country on work permits that were sponsored by other employers.
Going against these requirements could lead to huge fines and possible imprisonment. First time offenders may only have to pay the fine, but repeat offenders face automatic jail sentence.
Never hire an over-stayer
It is possible that a maid may over-stay in the country when their work permit expires and instead look to be hired by another employer. This is a common scenario that happens often, but as an employer, you are better off not falling for it. If you are caught with an FDW who has absconded or overstayed beyond the expiry date of their work permit, you may be held liable and face severe punishment under the law.