When to call Labour Dept vs ImmD vs police

Problem

Wage disputes, visa paperwork, and crime sit in different government silos. Forum threads mix “call Labour,” “call ImmD,” and “call the police” as if they were interchangeable. Official portals already split the channels — use that split.

Steps — short decision tree

1. Immediate danger, violence, assault, theft in progress, or someone missing and you fear for safety → Police first. Dial 999 for emergency services. LD’s own FDH contact page and FAQ tell helpers (and by the same emergency logic, households) to call 999 when subjected to violence or abuse or when safety is at risk. For non-emergency crime reporting, go to a nearby police station or use official police reporting channels. Do not wait for Labour or ImmD to “sort it.” Verified — LD FDH Contact us; LD FAQ Q19 (violence/abuse → 999); Police Force 999 emergency pages.
2. Wages, rest days, statutory holidays, annual leave, free medical duty, EC insurance, work-injury notice, or an Employment Ordinance / SEC employment dispute → Labour Department. Call the 24-hour hotline 2717 1771 (handled by 1823). Portal: fdh.labour.gov.hk. Labour Relations Division offers free consultation and conciliation on contract / EO claims. Work injuries: notify the Commissioner for Labour within 14 days (7 if fatal) and contact the Employees’ Compensation Division. Employment-agency licence issues: Employment Agencies Administration 2115 3667. Verified — LD Contact us; Employer corner (Channels for Enquiries; LRD conciliation; EC insurance; medical treatment); FAQ Q7, Q15, Q27.
3. Employment visa, Standard Employment Contract (ID 407), contract termination notice to ImmD, change of residential address / Schedule of Accommodation and Domestic Duties (ID 407G), helper conditions of stay, or change-of-employer / renewal paperwork → Immigration Department. Enquiry hotline 2824 6111; email enquiry@immd.gov.hk. Both employer and helper must notify the Director of Immigration within 7 days of contract termination (form ID 407E or letter / online). Address or duty-schedule changes: form ID 407G (or online GovHK). Verified — ImmD FDH services page; ImmD ID 407G form page; LD FAQ Q8 / Q26; Employer corner (ImmD enquiry).
4. Grey zone? Start with the desk that owns the primary issue — then add the other if needed. Example: unpaid wages after a walk-out → Labour for the money claim and ImmD for termination / stay; if you also suspect theft or assault, add Police. Example: missing helper → Police (and consulate / agency as LD FAQ notes) and ImmD if the contract was unilaterally ended. Official pages do not publish a single “one-stop” triage number for all three — treat multi-desk cases as parallel, not either/or. Likely (parallel desks) — based on how LD and ImmD separately describe their remits; Unverified that any one desk will hand your whole file to another.
5. Before you call: have ready. See checklist below — SEC copy, HKID / passport particulars, wage and leave records, policy schedule, dates of events, and what outcome you need (conciliation, form, report number).

Who owns what (plain English)

• Labour Department — Employment Ordinance and SEC employment rights: payment of wages, rest days, statutory holidays, paid annual leave, maternity / paternity leave, severance / LSP where they apply, free medical treatment duty (Clause 9(a)), compulsory EC insurance, work-injury reporting, occupational safety tips, employment-agency licensing (via EAA). Conciliation via Labour Relations Division. Verified — Employer corner; FAQ; Contact us.
• Immigration Department — Permission to work and stay: eligibility to employ, SEC ID 407, visa / extension (ID 988A / 988B), live-in address and duties schedule (ID 407G), termination notification (ID 407E), conditions of stay (no other employment; domestic duties only; driving needs special permission), change of employer rules. Verified — ImmD Foreign Domestic Helpers services; forms ID 407 / 407E / 407G.
• Police — Crime and personal safety: assault, sexual offences, theft, harassment by debt collectors (LD FAQ points employers to Police for nuisance), missing-person reports, any emergency. Hotline 999. Official LD materials do not assign wage disputes or visa forms to the Police — do not invent that jurisdiction. Verified (999 / crime / violence) — LD Contact us; FAQ Q19, Q34, Q36; Police Force 999 pages. Unverified (any claim that Police will decide MAW, SEC medical bills, or visa approval).

Before you call — have ready

• Copy of Standard Employment Contract (ID 407) and any amendments
• Helper’s full name as on passport / HKID; contract start and end dates
• Employer’s residential address as stated on the SEC
• Wage records / bank transfers / signed receipts; leave calendar
• EC insurance policy schedule (and medical policy if any)
• Timeline of what happened (dates, who said what, copies of notices)
• For ImmD: which form you need (ID 407E termination / ID 407G address / visa forms)
• For Police: location, time, what was taken or who was hurt, CCTV if relevant
• Bookmarks: fdh.labour.gov.hk · immd.gov.hk FDH pages · 2717 1771 · 2824 6111 · 999

Sources

• Verified — LD FDH Portal — Contact us (24-hour hotline 2717 1771 handled by 1823; dedicated FDH line 2157 9537; email fdh-enquiry@labour.gov.hk; violence/abuse → call 999). Checked 20 Oct 2026.
• Verified — LD FDH Portal — Employer corner (EO / ECO duties; free medical; EC insurance; LRD conciliation; channels: LD for labour rights, ImmD 2824 6111 for visa, Police for money-lender complaints, EAA 2115 3667 for agencies)
• Verified — LD FDH FAQ (Q7 work injury notice; Q8 / Q15 LRD assistance; Q19 violence → 999; Q27 EC insurance + free medical; Q34 debt collectors → Police; Q36 missing FDH → Police + ImmD)
• Verified — ImmD — Foreign Domestic Helpers (ID 407; visa; termination ID 407E within 7 days; ID 407G address / schedule change; conditions of stay)
• Verified — ImmD — ID 407G Revised Schedule (telephone enquiry 2824 6111; enquiry@immd.gov.hk; online GovHK submission)
• Verified — ImmD — ID 407 Standard Employment Contract (specimen / how to obtain)
• Verified — Hong Kong Police Force — 999 emergency performance pledge; Provide Crime Information (victims: nearest station or 999 in emergency)

FAQ