[Slee]

After having forms go missing in the post twice during my quest to bring a maid over from the Phillipines (sister of a friend's fantastic maid) I've decided to seek an agency's help with the paper work. Can anybody recommend an agency that they have used themselves which will not defraud my maid or myself! I've got to know my friend's helper very well during playdates, so I don't want to give up just yet but am getting really fed up with trying to find babysitters that my daughter knows!

[rani]

According to the Consulate only Filipino nationals are permitted to hire direct from the Philippines and everyone else has to go through an Agency. I'll PM you the name of the agency we used. Most agencies have an office in Manila and getting the paperwork from there is quick. Agencies are responsible for submitting the paperwork to the Consulate (takes 2 days) here and then Immigration.

Immigration normally takes 4-6 weeks. You'll receive a letter from them acknowledging your application and the case number. Its up to you to follow up with immigration as the agencies can't be bothered. Have heard people have gotten visas approved within a week. Once we picked up the visa we couriered it to the Philippines and I called the agency in Manila to book my helper's flight (also included in agency fee). We got the visa on a Tues and by Saturday our helper was in HK. While you helper is waiting make sure she gets her medical and PDOS done.

[Slee]

Thank you Rani, that would be fantastic

My best friend did a direct hire from the Philipines (consulate here stamped it) so it apparently is possible but I love the idea of only one week for a visa. We've had so many delays and although they have all been for legitimate reasons (e.g. she didn't have a passport) we keep thinking 'she better not be a lemon'!

[rani]

Originally posted by Slee
Thank you Rani, that would be fantastic

My best friend did a direct hire from the Philipines (consulate here stamped it) so it apparently is possible

That was before, but they changed recently as its an election year and all ;-)

more info here:
http://philcongen-hk.com/labor/g8.htm

PMed you the info.

Rani

[Slee]

OMG! If I had found that out in two week's time when I walked into the Embassy I would have been devistated (?sp).

Thank you so much Rani, you really are a fountain of knowledge :-) Hopefully now we'll have someone by Christmas!!!!!

[Ratio3533]

My wife is going crazy with our current helper and was wondering if someone could give me the name of a GOOD agency that they have used (Rani, I notice that you PMed one to another reader - could you do the same for me?) as we need to replace our helper whose contract terminates in 5 weeks' time.

Thanks in advance.

[rani]

Hi Ratio,

Have PMed you # of a helper looking for work.

Have heard good things about Josie James.
http://www.geoexpat.com/resources/se...onnel/details/

The agency I used just did the paperwork for me. I found our helper through a friend.

[aussiegal]

We just used Josie James and have to say we were very disappointed. It's almost impossible to get them on the phone and they did little to help speed up the processing of the papers. In the end we had to call immigration ourselves quite a few times as it turns out the paperwork was 'lost' or something. I could go on, things were pretty bad!