Ayis take note: if you’re looking for part-time work, do it in Dongzhimen or Sanlitun, and try to get hired by North Americans, at least if you want the best pay, according to results of the fourth annual survey conducted by a member of the Beijing Exchange e-mail group, released Tuesday morning.
Tobal Loyola, a Beijing resident, conducted the poll via SurveyMonkey. Out of the about 4,000 members of BeijingCafe and Beijing Exchange, only 80 responded. Of those, 46 employed full-time ayis, and the rest only used theirs part-time. Despite the small sample size, the survey provides insight into the price of domestic services in Beijing and how much various groups are paying.
One surprise is that level of English was not a major factor in how much ayis were paid. Those whose English was classified as "none" or "medium" made RMB 22 per hour, whereas ones who speak "good" English receive RMB 24. Full-time ayis on average received RMB 20/hour, part-time, an average of RMB 24/hour.
While full-time ayis in the Dongzhimen/Sanlitun area received the lowest rate, tied with Shunyi, at RMB 19/hour, part-time workers in the same area received RMB 26/hour, the highest for that category. Variation between areas for part-time help was only between RMB 24 and RMB 26 per hour, whereas full-timers ranged between RMB 19 and RMB 22 per hour.
An apparent anomaly is that ayis with between zero and five years’ experience with their current employer received either RMB 22 or RMB 23, but those who had been working for the same employer for more than five years were paid RMB 20.
North Americans generally paid RMB 23 per hour, the highest of those respondents indicating nationality, with Asians paying RMB 20, the lowest.
The best deal (for the employer) seemed to be for a "full-time ayi, Shunyi, no English, has more than five years of experience, has more than five years’ tenure with current employer, European employer in China for more than five years. Rate: RMB 13/hour," the survey said. The best paid domestic helper of the group was "Part-time ayi, other location, no English, has two to five years of experience, has two to five years’ tenure with current employer, North American employer in China for two to five years. Rate: RMB 35/hour."
Employers were not asked to specify the tasks assigned to their domestic helpers in relation to the rate paid, including child care.
This post originally appeared on the Beijinger on July 9, 2013. Click here for the original.
