How to fill in ID 407, ID 988A and ID 988B: a field-by-field guide for employers

Last updated: 7 October 2026. Checked against Immigration Department, Labour Department and other official sources; where a rule changes, the official source prevails.

Three forms carry almost every helper visa application in Hong Kong: ID 407 (the contract), ID 988A and ID 988B. They are easy to mix up — even some websites get the last two the wrong way round. This guide is based on the current forms (ID 988A and ID 988B are the 06/2024 versions) and the Immigration Department's (ImmD) own instructions.

Which form is whose?

Form	Official name	Who completes it
ID 407	Employment Contract for a Domestic Helper Recruited from Outside Hong Kong (Standard Employment Contract)	Both: the employer completes and signs, then the helper signs
ID 988A	Visa/Extension of Stay Application Form for Domestic Helper from Abroad	The helper
ID 988B	Application for Employment of Domestic Helper from Abroad	The employer

An easy way to remember: A is the Applicant (the helper applying for a visa), B is the Boss. Related forms you may meet later: ID 407E (notification of termination), ID 407G (revised schedule when your address, household or duties change) and ID 91 (extension of stay as a visitor, only in exceptional circumstances).

Where to get them

ID 988A and ID 988B: free PDFs on ImmD's website (ID 988A PDF, ID 988B PDF), or free at Immigration offices. If you apply online through GovHK, you fill in the electronic version instead.
ID 407: the online copy is a specimen only and must not be downloaded for an application. Request blank contracts from ImmD by email (enquiry@immd.gov.hk, with your postal address and phone number) or collect them at an Immigration office.
Our resources page links to the official ID 407 terms and ID 988A.

General rules for all three

Use BLOCK letters in black or blue pen, and tick boxes where asked.
The helper's signature on every form and on the contract must be the same as on her passport. Your signature on ID 988B must match your signature on ID 407.
If you use a photocopied or downloaded form, each page has a small column where the signer dates and signs to confirm that page — complete it on every page.
Never write in boxes marked “For official use only”.

ID 407: the contract, clause by clause (the parts you fill in)

Parties: your and the helper's names and particulars.
Clause 1: the helper's home address in her place of origin.
Clause 2 (period): two years. Choose 2(A) for a newly arriving helper or one returning after home leave; 2(B) for a renewal with the same employer with home leave deferred; 2(C) for a helper starting with a new employer with home leave deferred.
Clause 3: your residential address — one address only; she must live and work there.
Clause 5: the monthly wage — not less than the Minimum Allowable Wage on the date the contract is signed (HK$5,220 from 3 October 2026) — and whether you provide free food or a food allowance (not less than HK$1,236).
Clause 8: the fees you will reimburse (medical examination, consulate authentication, visa, insurance, administration fees and any others you list).

The Schedule of Accommodation and Domestic Duties is attached to the contract (the same layout as form ID 407G). It asks for:

Your address and approximate flat size;
The number of people served: adults, minors aged 5–18, minors under 5, expected babies, and anyone needing constant care;
Accommodation: whether there is a servant room (and its size) or the sleeping arrangement, plus the facilities — light and water, toilet and bathing, bed, blankets or quilt, pillows and wardrobe are essential; a visa will normally not be approved without them;
That domestic duties exclude driving (unless ImmD has given special permission);
The main duties: household chores, cooking, looking after aged persons (and whether constant care is needed), baby-sitting, child-minding, others;
The exterior window-cleaning conditions: only if the window has a locked grille and no part of her body except her arms extends beyond the ledge.

For a new hire, sign four copies — one each for you, the helper, her consulate and ImmD.

ID 988A (the helper's form), part by part

Application type: (a) entry visa for a new helper; (b) renewal with the same employer or change of employer — (i) taking home leave before the new contract, or (ii) deferring home leave (entry visa plus extension of stay); (c) extension of stay to complete the remaining or extended period of the current contract.
Personal particulars: name as in passport, sex, date and place of birth, marital status, nationality, HKID (if any), passport details, present and domicile address, contact details and current employer (if any). A photo (between 50 × 40 mm and 55 × 45 mm) is needed only for type (a).
Working experience as a domestic helper, in date order — not needed for renewals, change of employer or extensions.
Extension of stay — only for types (b)(ii) and (c): her current permitted stay and the purpose (deferring home leave for up to one year, or completing the current contract — with your letter confirming continued employment).
Declaration: previous names, any refused visa or removal, any convictions.
Undertaking: she will not accept less than the MAW, will live at your address, will only do the listed domestic duties, will not work for anyone else, and will leave Hong Kong when the contract ends or within two weeks of termination, whichever is earlier. It includes the D.H. contract number.

ID 988B (your form), part by part

Your particulars: name, sex, date of birth, HKID (or travel document if you don't hold one), nationality, occupation, residential and correspondence address, contact details.
Information on the helper: her name and reference number (if any), your relationship, and the type of employment — first time, contract renewal, replacement (with the name, HKID and termination date of the helper being replaced) or additional helper (attach a letter explaining why, the living arrangements and duties of all helpers). For renewals and in-Hong Kong changes of employer you also state whether she will take home leave before the new contract or defer it for up to a year, and why.
Household information: declare whether your average monthly household income is not less than HK$15,000 per helper; the number of bedrooms and whether there is a separate servant room; the household members living at the contract address; and any helpers already employed by you or them. The number of household members must match paragraph 2 of the contract's Schedule.
Declaration: that you meet the eligibility criteria, support the helper's application, will repatriate her if she fails to leave, and will tell ImmD of any change or termination within seven days.
Undertaking: only domestic duties, no work for others, no driving without permission, wage not below the MAW at the contract date, suitable accommodation with privacy, and that she lives only at the contract address.

Mistakes that get applications returned

Swapping ID 988A and ID 988B, or one side signing the other's form.
Signatures that don't match the passport (helper) or the contract (employer).
Household numbers on ID 988B that don't match the contract Schedule.
A wage below the MAW in force on the signing date.
The wrong clause 2 option for a renewal or change of employer.
Address proof older than three months, or no Housing Department/Housing Society consent for public housing.
Missing photo for a new entry visa.

ImmD returns incomplete applications without processing them, so check against its document checklist before you submit.

Frequently asked questions

Is ID 988A for the employer or the helper?

The helper. ImmD titles ID 988A “to be completed by the applicant” (the helper) and ID 988B “to be completed by the employer”.

Can I download ID 407 from the internet?

Only as a reference specimen. For an application you must use a contract obtained from ImmD.

Do I need new forms for a contract renewal?

Yes: ID 988A, ID 988B and a new ID 407. Income and address proof can usually be skipped if nothing has changed and your household income is still at least HK$15,000 per helper.

Can the forms be submitted online?

Yes. ImmD accepts applications online via GovHK; the online process has its own electronic forms to complete and sign. For online renewals, keep the original contract available for inspection.

Which form do I use when the contract ends early?

ID 407E (or a letter, or the online notification at www.gov.hk/fdhtermination), within seven days of the termination date — both employer and helper must notify.