The following article is excerpted from beijingkids Home and Relocation Guide 2011. Download a PDF copy here or visit this page to order a free print copy for home delivery.
In a country where the language, culture and environment present endless challenges, it’s nice to know that help is out there. Having a driver and a nanny (ayi) to help in the home gives you more time to adjust to new environs and do the things you want to do, like spending quality time with your kids. But as living costs in Beijing continue to rise and cheap housing is demolished to make way for shiny new apartment complexes, the number of domestic workers has dwindled, making it increasingly difficult to find qualified people. To help you with your search, we’ve compiled a list of reputable driver and ayi agencies, as well as some important questions you should ask before signing on the dotted line.
finding the perfect ayi
The pressures of modern life and work have made nannies (youersao, 幼儿嫂, or as expats prefer to call them, ayi 阿姨) a necessity for many Beijing families. While agencies and companies offering nanny services abound, choosing the right one can be as tough as parenting itself.
For families living in Shunyi, you can enquire about available ayis at the front desk of your compound. Compound staff normally has an unofficial directory of ayis – a folder full of various names, their work experience and contact information. Keep in mind that this list may not be up-to-date. Also, major stores in Shunyi (like Jenny Lou’s) will have a noticeboard full of listings of ayis looking for work.
If you’re living downtown, one of the best ways to find an ayi is word of mouth, recommendations from friends, or online via beijingkids classifieds and forum. Yahoo groups like Beijing Café and Beijing Mamas are also very helpful.
The best time to find an ayi is around June or December when many families leave Beijing either for a holiday or to relocate to another city or country. During these peak times, online forums are flooded with notices from families helping their ayi find a new employer.
warning signs
While there are many caring and responsible ayis out there, it’s not uncommon to hear the odd horror story. Problems often occur during peak changeover times like the end of the summer holiday season or Spring Festival (Chinese New Year). Families tell tales of returning from holiday to find their ayi gone, or having their ayi threaten to leave unless the family gives them a pay rise. A common ploy by unscrupulous ayis is to claim a family member has had an accident or that they must return home due to an emergency. Sensing their distress, employers give their ayis leave with pay as well as some extra cash to help their families. The ayis then either pocket the cash and leave, or return a few weeks later demanding a pay rise.
Ayis have their own share of problems, though. They must often give a high portion of their salaries to their agencies – though the typical range of this cut is RMB 300 to 500 a month (around 10 to 15 percent), some reportedly pay their entire first month’s salary and then an additional 30 percent of their monthly salaries, which usually range from RMB 1,600 to 2,500 and up for those with more experience. It’s not surprising that in these more extreme situations, the quality of their service and morale suffers.
To address this problem, the Beijing Municipal Labor and Social Security Bureau issued standard wage rates and tied them to levels of service (i.e. low, middle and high grades) in August of 2006. Most agencies abide by this code and will refer ayis of different salary levels based on skill and experience levels. But problems remain: Given the dearth of domestic helpers in Beijing, many agencies simply cannot keep up with the demand.
Be wary of agencies that will lie about the skill (and hence salary) level of their ayis, many of whom are hired “off the street” (or even at the train stations) with little or no experience.
questions to consider when hiring an ayi
• Does she speak any English?
• Has she worked with expat families before?
• Does she know first aid?
• What were the ages of the children she’s cared for in the past? How much experience does she have caring for babies?
• Do you have pets that need looking after? In which case, does she have any allergies or experience looking after animals?
• Do you want her to be available for babysitting?
• Will she be available during weekends?
• Do you want her to cook? In which case, do want her to cook Western food?
• Do you want a live-in ayi? If so, what living requirements does your ayi have?
• Does she have insurance? If not, you can offer to buy her accident insurance. Inquire at China Life Insurance Company for details.
• Do you want a trial period? This is normally a minimum of three weeks and a maximum of three months.
• Is she trustworthy? Was she referred to you by a friend? If not, can you keep a copy of her ID card?
• What exactly do you want your ayi to do? Make a list of day-to-day jobs you require her to do, as well as a list of odd jobs you may need her help with, such looking after the children at birthday parties.
• How much is her salary? And how much is her overtime?
• How much will her annual bonus be? Ayis typically receive a bonus during Chinese New Year. Some ayis tell you how much they want, while others leave the decision up to you; either way you need to discuss this beforehand.
baby, you can drive my car
The best way to get a driver is to go through a car rental company. They have certain certifications and requirements for the drivers they employ. Car rental companies also have a pool of drivers to choose from and are your best chance of finding a bilingual driver.
As a point of reference, car rental companies charge between RMB 4,000 and RMB 5,000 per month for an English-speaking driver. This does not include petrol or tolls. Standard hours for drivers are 7am-6pm, Monday through Saturday. If you need a driver outside those times, expect to pay overtime around RMB 10 per hour during the week, RMB 20 per hour on Sundays, and RMB 30 per hour on holidays.
questions to consider when hiring a driver
• Do you need the driver to speak English?
• Does the driver have experience with expat families?
• What kind of car do they drive?
• What are the driver’s standard working hours?
• How much is their salary? And how much is their overtime?
• How much will their annual bonus be? Normally, drivers receive a bonus at Chinese New Year. You need to discuss this with your driver.
Car/Driver Agencies
Beijing Top Rated Car Rental Service 北京首选顺达商务服务有限公司
Daily 24 hours. Rm 1012, B Tower, 39 Dongsanhuan Zhonglu (400 0041 910, 6504 7266, haitao1188@live.cn) www.sxsdcar.com
朝阳区东四环中路39号B座1012室
Beijing TOP-A Vehicle Service 途安汽车租赁
Mon-Fri 8.30am-5.30pm. Rm.6003, 6/F, Ambassador Mansion, B21 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District (64381634, 135 0123 7792, han@expatslife.com) www.expatslife.com
朝阳区酒仙桥路乙21号国宾大厦6F-3
Beijing North Star Car Rental Company 北京北辰汽车租赁公司
Mon-Fri 8.30am-5.30pm. 2/F, Bldg 14, Anyuan Beili, Chaoyang District (800 810 2280) 朝阳区安苑北里14号楼2层
Beijing North Car Rental 北京北方汽车租赁有限公司
Mon-Fri 8.30am-5.30pm. Rm 1031, New Fortune International, 71 Chaoyang Lu, Chaoyang District (5136 8096) 朝阳区朝阳路71号锐城国际1031室
First Choice Car Rental Service 北京嘉驰商务服务有限公司
Daily 24 hours. Rm 507, Partview Center, 5 Fangyuan Xilu, Dongcheng District (400 0041 199, 138 1015 6525) 东城区朝阳区芳园里西路5号丽园中心507室
AAA Expatcar
Daily 9am-5pm. 18 Liyuan Beijie, Tongzhou District (8152 3060, sales@expatcar.com) www.expatcar.com 通州区梨园北街18号院
Beijing North Car Rental 北京北方汽车租赁有限公司
Mon-Fri 8.30am-5.30pm. Rm 1031, New Fortune International, 71 Chaoyang Lu, Chaoyang District (5136 8096) 朝阳区朝阳路71号锐城国际1031室
Ayi Agencies
Beijing Ayi Housekeeping Service Company 北京家福来劳务服务有限公司
Mon-Fri 9am-5pm. Rm 220, Sanxia Zhaoshang Dasha, 11 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District (6434 5647, 6434 5648, 139 1136 3252, service@bjayi.com) www.bjayi.com 朝阳区酒仙桥路甲11号三峡招商大厦220室
Beijing EX-PATS Service 北京易杨家美信息咨询有限公司
Mon-Fri 8.30am-5.30pm. Rm.6003, 6/F, Ambassador Mansion, B21 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District (6438 1634, 135 0123 7792, service@expatslife.com) www.expatslife.com 朝阳区酒仙桥路乙21号国宾大厦6F-3
Beijing Sunnyhome Housekeeping Service 北京午后阳光家政服务有限公司
Mon-Sat 9am-5.30pm. Rm3022, 3/F, Shiyi Hotel, 1 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District (5288 4727, 133 6636 9720) www.bjayiservice.com 朝阳区酒仙桥路1号世一休闲商务酒店3层3022室
Beijing Huijia Ayi Housekeeping Service Company 北京汇佳家政
Daily 8am-10pm. 16 Qianquhe, Gaoliying Zhen, Shunyi District (136 4113 7690) www.beijingayiservice.com 顺义区高丽营镇前渠河16号
JNY Home Service 北京解你忧家政服务有限公司
Daily 9am-6pm. Rm 909A, Huashang Dasha, 2 Yanjing Xili, ChaoYang District (5100 0246, 131 4618 3265, Lynn870330@hotmail.com) www.saybeijing.cn 朝阳区延静西里2号华商大厦909室
