Situational analysis of domestic work in China

The scale of domestic service sector in China is significant. According to recent statistics, there are about 20 million domestic workers and 600,000 domestic service agencies in China. As average income increases and the population ages, the demand for domestic help will continue to increase. Even during this economic downturn, the demand for domestic help has not diminished, confirming the important role households believe these individual play.

Domestic workers are employed in private homes either by an individual or by any agency to carry out tasks such as cleaning, cooking, laundry, childcare, maternity care, nursing care or care for the elderly. Some work on a part-time basis, often for multiple employers. By Chinese definition, a domestic worker is a 'person managing household affairs as required for the household they serve, including taking care of children, the elderly, and sick persons.'