Myanmar maids

[calamari0312]

The Little Cheng Mommy:

Hi, would like to ask if anyone ever brought their Burmese helper overseas to Hong Kong and Australia (less than 1 month per destination)? I wonder how long does the VISA cost and how long in advance do I need to apply VISA for her.

Hi,

I brought my Burmese maid to Australia last year. You have to go down with her to the Embassy personally to apply for the visa. It costs $150. You can try calling the Helpline of the Embassy but the lady on the line is very rude and the line is only available certain hours and days of the week. There is also a super lengthy form you have to fill up and lots of justification work and documents to be provided. For AU visa, you cannot apply until 1 month before the actual trip else the Embassy will not entertain. It takes about 1.5-2.5 weeks to be approved. You will also need to provide proof of her air ticket that has already been bought and accommodation receipts.

Coincidentally I just went down to a Burmese travel agent to get my Burmese maid a HK visa as we are bringing her to Hk end of Feb. To DIY, you will pay about $70. I decided to outsource this task and paid $100 to this travel agent called Myanmar Travel and Tours at Peninsula Plaza 03-09. Also a lengthy form to fill and a undertaking letter which the agent will advise you. It should take about 1 week to be approved. Sounds much easier than obtaining the AU visa. Hope this helps.

[mwchua]

happy to be mum:

after one year having my burmese maid, I will have to say I am happy to have her than my previous Phinoy maid. My phinoy maid yucked non stop while my burmese maid rarely used the phone when I am around. I asked my elder DS before and he also said seldom see auntie using the phone. My burmese maid likes cooking and she often will try to cook different dishes (she needs to cook twice a day, lunch & dinner). On her days off (i gave her twice a month though she only requested for one), she will wake up early and do all the housework first even though I am okay if she does not do it. I told her she can leave at 10am and she will wait for me and ask okay for her to go out now, then she will leave the house. She never breaks the curfew of 8pm to return back home. Unlike my phinoy who would leave the house before 7am during her off day!


It is true, they tend to be \"slower\" than phinoys as they are from the village and also they are more \"straight\" (they dun beat around the bush). But so far DH and I really have not much complains except she digs her nose openly! DH often saw it while I never. But there was once I finally saw it and told her nicely and after that she never dig her nose openly anymore

One thing I do feel that it will be better to get e Christian burmese maid. Mine is a Christian from village and she prays everynight, kneeling down. Also sometimes it all boil down to luck whether you get a good one or not. I am grateful to have this current one as my family depends on maid to function cause no grandparents to help look after. Hope she continue to be good

Hi, sent you a pm for some advice

:thankyou:

[The Little Cheng Mommy]

calamari0312:

The Little Cheng Mommy:

Hi, would like to ask if anyone ever brought their Burmese helper overseas to Hong Kong and Australia (less than 1 month per destination)? I wonder how long does the VISA cost and how long in advance do I need to apply VISA for her.

Hi,

I brought my Burmese maid to Australia last year. You have to go down with her to the Embassy personally to apply for the visa. It costs $150. You can try calling the Helpline of the Embassy but the lady on the line is very rude and the line is only available certain hours and days of the week. There is also a super lengthy form you have to fill up and lots of justification work and documents to be provided. For AU visa, you cannot apply until 1 month before the actual trip else the Embassy will not entertain. It takes about 1.5-2.5 weeks to be approved. You will also need to provide proof of her air ticket that has already been bought and accommodation receipts.

Coincidentally I just went down to a Burmese travel agent to get my Burmese maid a HK visa as we are bringing her to Hk end of Feb. To DIY, you will pay about $70. I decided to outsource this task and paid $100 to this travel agent called Myanmar Travel and Tours at Peninsula Plaza 03-09. Also a lengthy form to fill and a undertaking letter which the agent will advise you. It should take about 1 week to be approved. Sounds much easier than obtaining the AU visa. Hope this helps.

THANK YOU so much for your reply!

[janet88]

my mum is stressed teaching brother’s maid…close to 3 months, she is still unable to understand. she has initiative but communicating with her is really like chicken-and-duck. for housework, you can demonstrate but like asking her to ‘get a bamboo’…still giving that ‘huh’ expression.


maid is very worried now because she will be going back to employer’s place after confinement month…screwed up several times cooking SIL’s food.

maids…the headache of having one.

[fifiyeo]

Burmese maids simply do pick up languages very well. I think it is pride and stubborness. My last one worked for 1 1/2 years with me and still refuse to adapt.


I told her if she choss to be like that, I couldn’t possibly take her out with us as I have to take care of 2 kids myself plus keep an eye on her in case she got lost. She chose to not learn and not go out.

There were times when she even used burmese terms for simple things like ‘clock’ and when I told her to say it in English, she answered back stating that that’s how it’s being said in their language. She wasn’t wrong. I eventually had to tell her that if she still continued to speak burmese then she was working in the wrong country and she could go back. That was when she stopped. However, when she damaged something in the house, she would be able to present her arguements in rather good English. All other occassions, she just claimed that she didn’t understand most of what I said.

[st2]

I had Myan maids, most of the time like 'Huh…look and don’t understand, or do wrong, tell me don’t understand.


When she wants something from me and ask for things, suddenly…speak good English with explaination and reasoning.

If only they are willing to work this way everyday.

Good riddence to bad rubbish my 2 Myan maids.

[fifiyeo]

st2:

I had Myan maids, most of the time like 'Huh....look and don't understand, or do wrong, tell me don't understand.


When she wants something from me and ask for things, suddenly....speak good English with explaination and reasoning.

If only they are willing to work this way everyday.

Good riddence to bad rubbish my 2 Myan maids.

Oh yes indeed! 100% agree

[piyobaby]

How I would wish to have chanced upon this interesting thread just a matter of few days earlier :slapshead: being a first timer in getting a helper, I am breaking out in cold sweat after reading thru this whole thread from pg 1 ESP so bcos we have selected a transfer Myanmar helper.


My ignorance and limited knowledge abt them stops at being slow and having communication barrier so imagine the horror to realize most if not all have ego and high pride issues.

We interviewed her at the agency and even though with limited English, we do understand wat she is trying to express herself, not all frankly. She appear to be able to read English but I suspect high chance the agency prep her in advance.

Pray hard that she will not be dat bad, beta lower my expectation first. :xedfingers:

Any kind advice or crash course on the 'orientation' for her when we bring her back? TIA :oops:

[POA Teacher]

piyobaby:

How I would wish to have chanced upon this interesting thread just a matter of few days earlier :slapshead: being a first timer in getting a helper, I am breaking out in cold sweat after reading thru this whole thread from pg 1 ESP so bcos we have selected a transfer Myanmar helper.


My ignorance and limited knowledge abt them stops at being slow and having communication barrier so imagine the horror to realize most if not all have ego and high pride issues.

We interviewed her at the agency and even though with limited English, we do understand wat she is trying to express herself, not all frankly. She appear to be able to read English but I suspect high chance the agency prep her in advance.

Pray hard that she will not be dat bad, beta lower my expectation first. :xedfingers:

Any kind advice or crash course on the 'orientation' for her when we bring her back? TIA :oops:

Don't need to be so alarmed. Like all nationalities, there are good and there are bad.
I do know people who have Myanmar maids, and who say they are ok. Some even are very happy with them.
These employers are not first-timers, and have experience with maids of other nationalities, and so have means of comparison.
It all depends on your luck.
:xedfingers:

[pinkybear]

I would say it all depends on "luck". Before my Myanmar maid, I had 3 Indo maids but did not work out. I gave up looking for Indo maid due to high agency fee. There is no guarantee that I can get a good maid.


I am glad I hired a Myanmar maid. She is very hardworking. She follows the timetable schedule to work. The only issue is language; her English level is very basic. I have to use the Burmese dictionary or her training book to communicate.