A Hong Kong high court ruling stating that it is unconstitutional to deny domestic workers permanent residence after several years of uninterrupted residency is being challenged by the government. BBC reports:
Hong Kong’s High Court has ruled that a domestic helper from the Philippines should be allowed to apply for permanent residency in the city…
The ruling follows a landmark judicial review and could lead to more than 100,000 other foreign maids winning rights to residency.
The government has said that it will appeal against the ruling.
There are approximately 300,000 domestic workers residing in Hong Kong, and a majority of them come from the Philippines and Indonesia. Claiming permanent residence would allow domestic workers to vote, change jobs, and access public services, such as health care. The China Post adds,
Evangeline Banao Vallejos, a foreign domestic helper who has worked in the city since 1986, launched the judicial review last year after her bid for permanent residency was rejected.
© Melissa M. Chan for China Digital Times (CDT), 2011. |
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