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The Immigration Department today (Monday, August 11) reminded employers who wished to apply for Advanced Contract Renewal with their foreign domestic helpers (FDHs) that an undertaking has to be signed to protect the rights of both parties.
The signed undertaking and other necessary supporting documents must be furnished upon submission of the application for Advanced Contract Renewal or the application will not be accepted.
A spokesman for the Immigration Department said that a special arrangement had been put in place from August 1 to allow employers and their foreign domestic helpers to terminate the existing employment contracts and enter into new contracts immediately between the same contractual parties under mutual agreement despite the existing contracts have not run their full two-year course.
The specified written undertaking (SF/IM/1607) aims to confirm the termination of the existing contract and the effective date of the termination, and to commit on the continuity of employment relationship under the new and old contracts.
The sole purpose of signing the undertaking is to ensure that the length of service of the helpers will not be affected or curtailed by the Advanced Contract Renewal. After having signed the undertaking, the employer is not required to take up extra responsibilities apart from those stipulated under the Employment Ordinance and the employment contract. The helper is also required to sign the undertaking to indicate acceptance of arrangement.
The application procedures and required supporting documents for Advanced Contract Renewal are available in the information leaflet SF/IM/1606(E). The leaflet and the blank form of the undertaking (SF/IM/1607) can be downloaded from the Immigration Department's website at www.immd.gov.hk. They can also be obtained from Information and Liaison Section at Immigration Headquarters or the Immigration Branch Offices.
For further enquiries, please call Immigration Department Hotline at 2824 6111 or by fax to 2877 7711.
Ends/Monday, August 11, 2008
Issued at HKT 18:54
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