A new opportunity may be coming for foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong who already have experience caring for elderly people or persons with disabilities.
But there is an important point that every helper should understand:
Hong Kong has NOT announced that existing domestic helper visas will automatically be converted into caregiver visas.
Instead, the Government has announced several measures that could create new opportunities for trained foreign carers.
What did the Hong Kong Government announce?
In the 2026 Policy Address, the Government announced that it will regularise the Pilot Scheme on Training for Foreign Domestic Helpers in Elderly Care and the Pilot Scheme on Training for Foreign Domestic Helpers in Care for Persons with Disabilities, starting from April 2027.
The Government also announced that, with reference to the existing system for admitting foreign domestic helpers, it will admit foreign domestic carers with more advanced training and experience in elderly care on a pilot basis to help meet the home-care needs of elderly people.
The Government’s 2026–2030 development plan also says it will admit foreign domestic carers with better elderly-care skills as part of its response to an ageing population and home-care needs.
However, the detailed rules for this new pilot have not yet been announced.
That means helpers should prepare now, but should not assume that they already have a new caregiver visa or that their current visa will automatically change.
How can domestic helpers prepare?
1. Get proper elderly-care training
This is one of the most practical things an FDH can do now.
Hong Kong’s Social Welfare Department already operates a Pilot Scheme on Training for Foreign Domestic Helpers in Elderly Care.
The existing training covers subjects such as:
– Feeding and assisting with medicines
– Fall prevention
– First aid
– Food hygiene and healthy meal preparation
– Mental health and warning signs
– Bathing and oral care
– Checking vital signs such as blood pressure, temperature and blood sugar
– Helping elderly people with mild mobility problems to transfer safely
There are also elective modules covering dementia and stroke care.
The existing SWD elderly-care training is free of charge.
Helpers should keep any certificate, confirmation of completion or other official record they receive.
2. Ask the employer before joining training
This is important.
The existing SWD training scheme is intended for FDHs who are or will be caring for frail elderly persons, and participating FDHs require their employer’s recommendation or permission.
Therefore, helpers should not simply leave their employer’s home or stop their duties to attend an outside course without making the proper arrangements.
A good approach is to discuss the training with the employer and contact the participating District Elderly Community Centre about the available schedule.
3. Build real caregiving experience
The Government specifically referred to foreign domestic carers with more advanced training and experience in elderly care when announcing the future pilot.
Therefore, helpers who genuinely care for elderly family members as part of their lawful domestic duties should keep a record of their relevant experience.
For example, you can keep a personal record of experience involving:
– Elderly meal preparation
– Mobility assistance
– Personal hygiene assistance
– Dementia-related care
– Stroke-related care
– Medication assistance
– Fall prevention
– Monitoring basic vital signs
– Communication with elderly persons
– Accompanying elderly persons to medical appointments
This does not mean these items are already official eligibility requirements for the 2027 pilot. The Government has not published the final eligibility criteria yet.
The purpose is simply to be prepared if these types of training and experience become relevant to the future application system.
4. Keep your documents and certificates
Helpers should keep copies of:
– Passport
– Hong Kong identity documents
– Current employment visa information
– Standard Employment Contract (ID407)
– Training certificates
– First-aid certificates, if obtained
– Other recognised caregiving certificates
– Employment records
– Evidence of relevant caregiving experience, where appropriate and lawful
Do not create or buy fake certificates or experience letters.
Only genuine qualifications and genuine work experience should be used in any future application.
5. Do not start working as a caregiver for another person
This is extremely important.
An FDH’s current employment visa is tied to the employer and the conditions of the Standard Employment Contract.
Under current Immigration Department rules, an FDH may only perform domestic duties for the employer named in the contract and at the specified residence. An FDH cannot take another job, including part-time work for another person.
For example, an FDH should not:
– Work as a private caregiver for another family
– Work part-time in an elderly person’s home
– Work in a residential care home
– Advertise herself as an independent caregiver and accept paid clients
– Leave her employer’s home to perform caregiver work for another person
Doing this can amount to illegal employment and can lead to prosecution and removal from Hong Kong.
6. Caring for your employer’s elderly family member is different
An FDH can perform lawful domestic duties for members of the employer’s household according to the employment contract.
However, there are important limits.
For example, the Immigration Department specifically states that an FDH cannot be deployed to work in an elderly home where the employer’s elderly parent is staying full-time. That is not considered genuine domestic work under the FDH contract.
Therefore, helpers should not assume that because they have caregiving skills they can work anywhere as a caregiver.
7. Do not pay anyone who promises a guaranteed 2027 caregiver visa
This is another major warning.
At present, the Government has announced the direction of the policy, but the detailed rules for the new foreign domestic carer pilot have not yet been published.
Therefore, be careful if an agency or individual says:
“Pay us now and we will convert your FDH visa into a caregiver visa in 2027.”
That is not something that has been officially guaranteed.
Do not pay large sums simply for a promise of visa conversion.
Wait for the official eligibility requirements and application procedures to be announced by the Hong Kong Government.
What should helpers do during 2026 and early 2027?
A sensible preparation plan is:
Now
→ Continue working legally under your existing FDH contract.
Step 1
→ Ask your employer about participating in recognised elderly-care or disability-care training.
Step 2
→ Complete legitimate training that is available to you.
Step 3
→ Keep your genuine certificates and training records.
Step 4
→ Continue gaining genuine caregiving experience within the lawful scope of your current employment.
Step 5
→ Keep your immigration and employment documents properly organised.
Step 6
→ Watch for the Government’s official announcement of the 2027 foreign domestic carer pilot and its eligibility requirements.
What about the residential-care-home caregiver scheme?
This is a separate pathway.
Hong Kong already has a Special Scheme to Import Care Workers for Residential Care Homes. It is for eligible residential care homes and is separate from the normal FDH arrangement.
The Social Welfare Department says the 11th round of applications is scheduled for January 2027, with details to be announced in December 2026.
This should not be confused with automatically converting an existing FDH visa into a residential-care-home work visa.
The important message for FDHs
The 2027 changes could create new opportunities for foreign carers, but the safest strategy is preparation rather than assuming the rules before they are published.
If you are already legally working as an FDH and caring for an elderly person, this may be a good time to strengthen your genuine caregiving skills and keep proper records.
But do not leave your current employment to work for another person as a caregiver unless and until you have the appropriate legal permission and employment status.
Training now can help you prepare. It does not itself give you permission to work as a caregiver for another employer.
The final eligibility requirements, application procedure and immigration arrangements for the new foreign domestic carer pilot should be checked against the official Hong Kong Government announcement when they are released.
