[Dunsterville]

I will need a full time domestic helper at the end of the year to look after our newborn baby and do the usual household chores. However I do not have a maid's room and would prefer not to give up our spare bedroom. Is it possible to have a full time helper who lives out? Is this legal? Does it cost more etc? Any help would be appreciated.
Thank you

[LLL_Sarah]

Is it possible to have a full time helper who lives out?
Yes it is possible to arrange a contact where the helper lives out but the government are trying to discourage it. The guidelines about this changed on 1st April 2003 and it became much harder.

The contract between my helper and me was OKed in April 2003 and she started work in May. I was asked lots of questions about the number of people living at my home and bedrooms available. I was able to satisfy the government official that I really couldn’t accommodated an extra person at my home (we already have six in just three rooms) and that if it wasn’t approved I would have to do without a helper.

Is this legal?
It is legal if it states that the helper is to live out in the contract. Some people let the helper live out even though the contract says she lives in – this isn’t legal.

Does it cost more etc?
Yes you have to provide a food allowance (about $35-$50 a day) and rent ($1,500 plus depending where).

Hope this helps,
SARAH

[maryann]

Just FYI, when I took my maid in Feb 2005 I was trying her arrange her her to live-out at my brother's apartment where he has an extra bedroom, but the immigration was now very strict (they say it's in order to protect the local labors) and did not approve our live out request, despite the fact that my husband was recovering from an accident and we was in need of domestic help urgently with little time to make room for her living space... finally we had convert my study area into a maid's quarter and move away some books/furnitures to my brother's place...