The application process for the Macau government’s pilot programme of granting Philippine domestic helpers an exemption from its current entry ban on foreign nationals without a Macau ID card started yesterday.
The respective employers or employment agencies can submit an application at: https://www.ssm.gov.mo/faen/ph-houseworker
Details of the programme are available on the application website, in the Chinese, Portuguese and English languages.
The Macau government also published yesterday details of the programme’s application process on its COVID-19 website. The details, which were only available in the Chinese language as of last night, can be checked at: https://www.ssm.gov.mo/docs/22668/22668_35eab0e9a46943aea79d7f174c0685a7_000_.pdf
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, foreign nationals without a Macau ID card have, in general, been barred from entering Macau since March 2020, regardless of whether they are willing to undergo hotel quarantine. However, foreigners currently can apply to enter Macau from the mainland or Hong Kong under certain, special circumstances. Exceptions to the entry ban have been granted to foreigners entering from foreign countries or Taiwan in only a few, very special cases.
The Macau government announced earlier this month that it will once again allow Philippine nationals who have been hired by families in Macau as domestic helpers to enter the city.
According to the details published yesterday, the pilot programme only covers Philippine domestic helpers who have been hired to look after senior citizens, toddlers, or those with chronic diseases.
Those who are looked after by the domestic helpers, and those living with them – except those aged below three, must have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, or they must hold a doctor’s certificate confirming that their condition is unsuitable to be inoculated against the novel coronavirus for a period of over two months.
Currently, those aged below three are not covered by the Macau government’s COVID-19 vaccination programme.
Normally those vaccinated against COVID-19 require two jabs to develop basic full immunity, i.e., if they receive a two-dose vaccine.
Many of the COVID-19 vaccines that are being used worldwide are two-dose vaccines. Some COVID-19 vaccines are single or three-dose vaccines.
As all other arrivals from foreign countries, the Philippine domestic helpers must have been fully inoculated against COVID-19 at least 14 days prior, i.e., having developed basic full immunity. Those who received the last required shot of their basic-full-immunity COVID-19 vaccinations over seven months ago will also have to present a certificate confirming that they have received at least one COVID-19 booster jab, when boarding their Macau-bound flight.
As all other arrivals from foreign countries, the Philippine domestic helpers who have been granted permission to enter Macau will also be subject to the Macau government’s current requirement of 14 days in hotel quarantine plus seven days of “self-health management” upon their arrival here.
Currently, only Macau residents, including foreign nationals holding a local ID card, are allowed to return to Macau from a foreign country.
When submitting an application, employers must promise that in case their domestic helper who has completed their hotel quarantine is unable to pay the fee, they will pay the hotel quarantine fee for them.
Employers must also promise that in case their domestic helper who has undergone isolation treatment after testing positive for COVID-19 following their arrival here is unable to pay their medical fee, they will pay the fee for them, according to the details.
After filling in the basic information on the application system, according to the details published yesterday, applicants have to secure a quota for a quarantine hotel guestroom for their domestic helper, from 10 a.m. every Monday to 5:45 p.m. every Wednesday, on a first-come-first-served basis. The secured quota will be valid for four weeks starting next Monday, meaning that the respective domestic helpers must arrive in Macau within the four-week period, i.e., they must arrive in Macau by the end of that period.
This screenshot taken last night shows the interface of the Health Bureau’s (SSM) application system on its pilot programme of granting Philippine domestic helpers an exemption from its entry ban on foreigners.
