Guide to hiring domestic helpers in India — part-time and full-time, salary, scope of work, background checks.

There are two main reasons why hiring domestic helpers is common in India. Firstly, the labor cost structure is different from Korea, so even middle-class families can have a helper without burden, and secondly, the houses themselves are often designed based on the premise of the presence of a helper. Luxury apartments in Gurgaon‘Servant Room’Flats with a room for helpers and a separate bathroom are common, and some societies have separate entrances and elevators exclusively for helpers.

Another feature that must be understood isthorough division of labor cultureno see. Rather than having one person do all the cleaning, cooking, and laundry like in Korea, the default in India is to use different people for each task.

• Maid— In charge of cleaning, dishwashing, and laundry. Locally friendly‘Didi (meaning older sister)’It is often called.
• Cook— Dedicated to cooking. It is common to visit once or twice a day to just cook and leave.
• Ayah/Nanny— Dedicated child care.
• Mali— Gardener. We hire in single-family homes or houses with gardens on the first floor.
• Driver— It is a separate occupation, so the recruitment path and management principles are similar.Guide to hiring drivers in IndiaPlease also refer to .

If you understand and approach this division of labor structure from the beginning, you can avoid the typical trial and error of 'expecting everything from one person and then being disappointed.' The first step to hiring is to make a list of what tasks your family really needs.

There are three main types of employment for domestic helpers. Your choice will depend on your family composition and living patterns, as well as your psychological tolerance for having others in your home.

The route through which most Korean families in NCR actually settle down is‘Start part-time and expand if necessary’no see. Starting full-time or live-in from the beginning can be stressful due to cultural differences and language barriers. The lowest chance of failure is to work with a part-time helper for a couple of months, build trust, and then increase working hours and tasks.

If you are considering a live-in type, be sure to check the condition of the servant room (windows, ventilation, bathroom) before signing the contract, and agree in writing on living conditions such as meal provision range, closing days, and family visit rules. As it involves bringing in people, the identity verification process, which will be explained later, must be more thorough in the case of a move-in type.

Salaries vary greatly depending on the region, the level of the complex, the helper's experience, and the 'foreign family premium'. The table below is the approximate range of Delhi NCR standards,As of 2026, it may continue to change.Please use this only to get a feel, not as an absolute number. It is most accurate to check the actual market price with neighbors in the same society and the Korean community.

What is as important as the amountOff-Payroll Practicesno see. In real life, misunderstandings and conflicts occur much more frequently in this area.

• Diwali Bonus— Although it is not a legal obligation, every year on Diwali (around October-November)Bonus equivalent to one month's salaryGiving is a widely established practice. Please factor this into your annual budget in advance.
• Closed— It is common to agree to a day off once a week or 2-4 days a month, and requests for a few days off home during the festival season are common.
• salary increase— It is customary to give a small raise, usually once a year, based on years of service.
• Advance— There is a culture of requesting part of the salary in advance for urgent reasons. You can listen, but it is better for both parties to set limits and frequency rules from the beginning.

Paychecks are paid on the same date each month, either in cash or UPIexactly in a certain wayPayment is the basis of trust. If you set the first price significantly higher than the market price, there may be pressure to raise it later and problems with equity with neighboring families may arise, so it is wise to start within the market price range and raise it according to performance.

This is the biggest cultural difference that Koreans face when hiring domestic helpers in India. In India, salary is not based on ‘hours’.‘Task unit’The basic calculation is . Cleaning the surface, washing the dishes — each is a separate job, and it is common knowledge in the area that additional work adds additional pay.

Representative business units used locally are as follows: Knowing Hindi expressions will make communication much easier.

• Jhadu-Pocha— Brooming and mopping, i.e. cleaning the floor. This is the most basic task.
• Bartan- dish wash.
• Kapde— Laundry (machine washing, hanging, folding).
• ironing— Although people leave their clothes with a helper, there is also a separate culture of leaving clothes at a local ironing shop.
• cooking— Usually Cook's domain. Separately agree whether or not groceries are included.
• Child care/Elderly care— It is common to have separate dedicated personnel.

If you actually experience it, most of the problems start from the Korean expectation that 'they will do it for you without you having to say anything.' first nightWrite down the task list, day, time, and salary by item and check each other.Then, take a photo with your smartphone and share it. If you want to add more work later, ask ‘Can you do this too? It is standard practice to explicitly negotiate, ‘How much more can I give you in salary?’ If you follow this one principle, half of the conflicts will disappear.

The path to meeting a good helper is more standardized than you might think. The channels actually used by Korean families in NCR are organized in order of reliability as follows.

1. Handover of expatriates returning to their home country— This is the most preferred route. This is a method of 'taking over' a proven helper who has worked for a Korean family for several years from the family returning to their home country. You can often see such handover notices on Korean community bulletin boards and group chat rooms.
2. Society Neighbor, Security Guard, RWA Recommendation— Helpers who are already working in the same complex are easy to commute to and from work, and it is easy to check their reputation. The complex's operating structure and gate access system areIndia Apartment Society Living GuideThis is covered in detail.
3. Housekeeping agency— In exchange for introducing qualified personnel, we receive a referral fee (usually a percentage of the first month’s salary). Terms and conditions vary greatly from company to company, so check the contract and refund policy carefully.
4. On-demand home service app— Apps like Urban Company are not about regular employment;One-time/reservation cleaning serviceClose to . It's a great supplement when you need a break or deep cleaning before hiring a helper, and how to use it is:Urban Company Home Service GuidePlease refer to .

any routeThe interview must be conducted in personlook. Things to check include work experience and previous employer contact information (references), distance between your residence and your home (this is directly related to absenteeism rate during rainy and hot weather), and basic communication ability. If possible, it is safer to wait for a 1-2 week trial period before deciding on formal employment.

Even if it is introduced by an acquaintanceDon't skip the identity verification process. In India, the Servant/Domestic Help Verification system is in operation for domestic workers such as housekeepers and drivers, and both the Delhi Police and the Haryana (Gurgaon) Police highly recommend it. Depending on the region, online or app applications may be accepted in some places, so check the latest procedures at your local police station or official site.

Be sure to secure it before hiring

• Copy of Aadhaar card— Copy of Aadhaar, India’s identity card, compared to the original. Check that the address and name match the actual address.
• 1-2 passport photos— Used for identity verification forms and society registration.
• Current residential address and contact information— Get phone numbers for yourself and your family (emergency contacts).
• Previous employer references— We recommend that you check with at least one company in person.

Identity verification process

1. Complete the above documents and submit the Domestic Helper Identification Form to your local police station (depending on your region, you can submit it online).
2. Register a helper at the society management office and gate management app (MyGate, etc.) to keep access records.
3. If you are a live-in type, please additionally check the society’s live-in helper registration regulations.

As a rule, applicants who refuse to submit documents without a reason will be reconsidered. Additionally, keep valuables and cash in a locked place, and avoid handing over your entire house keys until trust has been built up. This is not because I doubt the helper,A device to protect each other from unnecessary misunderstandingsno see. In fact, when a problem such as the loss of an item arises, the helper must have identity verification and access records so that the helper can quickly escape unfair suspicion.

Finding a good helper is half the battle, the other half is maintaining a long-term relationship. What Korean families who stay with the same helper for years in NCR have in common is surprisingly simple —Clear principles, warm attitude.

• title and attitude— Use titles that convey respect, such as ‘Didi’, and give specific instructions but treat people personally. The moment you make a loud noise, it is difficult to recover your relationship.
• language— Just learning a few simple Hindi expressions (cleaning, laundry, tomorrow, vacation, etc.) will greatly reduce misunderstandings. It's also a good idea to use a translation app.
• meal and tea— It is a local custom to provide tea (chai) or a light meal to helpers who work long hours. However, set a standard at the beginning as to how much you will provide.
• Festive season consideration— Requests for time off before and after major festivals such as Diwali and Holi will be respected as much as possible, but dates should be agreed upon in advance.
• When a problem occurs— If tardiness and absenteeism are repeated, rather than reacting emotionally, clearly provide a warning and a deadline for improvement, and if this is not resolved, politely terminate employment along with salary settlement. It is customary to provide a notice period (usually 2 weeks to 1 month).

Lastly, hiring a helper is not a ‘cost to manage’ but rather a factor that determines the quality of life in India.The most important investment in living infrastructureRemember that Having a trusted Didi will free you up on business trips and travel, give you a place to lean on when your child is sick, and above all, make daily life in an unfamiliar country much smoother. Indian helpers also repay employers who follow principles and respect with surprising sincerity and affection.