Domestic workers in Hong Kong are forced to use cardboard boxes for shelter on their only day off due to restrictive housing rules. Every Sunday, thousands of women from the Philippines and Indonesia leave the luxury apartments they clean, only to find themselves effectively homeless for the day.
A viral video captures this stark reality—women sitting and sleeping in large cardboard boxes scattered across public areas. These makeshift shelters offer a modicum of privacy for those who labor in a city that thrives on their hard work yet refuses to house them properly. Rapha, an influencer who has highlighted this issue, calls it “The Invisible Labor Crisis” of Hong Kong.
Under the city’s live-in rule, foreign domestic helpers must reside in their employer’s homes. This policy creates a paradox: while they care for the elite’s children and maintain their lavish lifestyles, they lack basic rights and protections. On their only day off, they congregate on bridges and in underpasses, building makeshift “rooms” out of cardboard boxes just to find a shred of privacy from the eyes of a city that depends on them.
The situation underscores the wealth gap in one of the world’s richest cities. It’s a bitter irony: Hong Kong runs on labor it refuses to house. The plight of these workers raises uncomfortable questions about how society values different kinds of labor.
As observers continue to spotlight this issue, one can’t help but wonder—will there ever be meaningful change? Or will these women remain invisible in a city that relies so heavily on their contributions?
