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Blog · Salary · 3 min read

Why your contract date — not today — decides your minimum wage

Two helpers on the same street can have different legal minimums. The reason is the date on their contracts.

The rule

The Minimum Allowable Wage that applies to you is the one in force on the day your contract was signed. It stays the same for the whole two-year contract, even if the minimum goes up in the meantime.

What this means at renewal

When you sign a new contract — with the same family or a new one — the minimum in force on that day applies. Renewal is when your wage catches up with the latest figure.

Signing date, not arrival date

Use the date printed on your contract, not the day you arrived in Hong Kong or started work. They can be months apart, and a review can fall in between.

Check yours

Our salary check asks for your contract date and does the rest. Nothing you type leaves your phone.

This explains the law in plain words. It is not legal advice — confirm with the Labour Department, 2717 1771.

Sources

Updated 18 September 2026

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