‘Balanced and acceptable’: labour chief defends helper wage rise amid criticism. Hong Kong’s stronger economic performance over the past year is the reason for raising the monthly minimum wage for foreign domestic helpers, the labour minister has said amid disappointment from both unions and employers’ groups. Defending the government’s decision to raise the monthly minimum wage by 2.35 per cent to HK$5,220 (US$665), Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han said the government sought.