Privacy Policy
Effective Date: 1 April 2025 · Applies to: seekhelpers.com and the SeekHelpers mobile app
This document is informational and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a qualified attorney for specific legal matters.
Contents
1. Who We Are
SeekHelpers Global Recruitment Limited ("we", "our", or "us") is a licensed employment agency incorporated in Hong Kong, holding Hong Kong Labour Department Employment Agency Licence No. 79040 and Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) licence MWOHK-2025-529-085.
We operate the website seekhelpers.com and the SeekHelpers mobile application (iOS & Android), which connect Hong Kong employers with verified domestic helpers from the Philippines and Indonesia.
For privacy-related enquiries, contact our Data Protection Officer at: privacy@seekhelpers.com
2. Data We Collect
We collect the following categories of personal data depending on how you use our platform:
- Identity: Full name, Hong Kong Identity Card (HKID) number (partially masked in storage — see Section 3)
- Contact: Email address, Hong Kong phone number, WhatsApp number
- Residential: Home address, property type, number of rooms (used to determine helper accommodation requirements)
- Household: Number of family members, age of dependants, care requirements (elderly, infant, etc.)
- Financial: Proposed salary range (not full financial records)
- App usage: Search queries, shortlists, interview scheduling actions, login timestamps
3. Sensitive Data & Anonymisation
Our Anonymisation Commitment
SeekHelpers treats certain data as high-sensitivity and applies strict anonymisation, masking, and access controls. Sensitive data is never displayed in full to any party who has not been explicitly authorised.
| Data Type | Sensitivity | How We Handle It | Who Can See It |
|---|---|---|---|
| HKID Number | 🔴 High | Stored encrypted; displayed as A123****X only | Employer (own ID only); our compliance team |
| Passport Number | 🔴 High | AES-256 encrypted at rest; partially masked in UI (e.g., P***1234) | Case managers only, for visa processing |
| Medical Certificate Results | 🔴 High | Encrypted; results shown as Pass/Fail — no raw diagnosis shared | Helper (own data); case managers |
| Salary / Wage Data | 🟠 Medium | Aggregated for market insights; individual amounts never published | Employer & helper (own contract data only) |
| Residential Address | 🟠 Medium | Stored encrypted; never shown to helpers before hire confirmation | Employer (own); our compliance team |
| Work History (Helper) | 🟡 Standard | Previous employer names anonymised to 'Employer in [Country]' | All authenticated users |
| Employer Reference Letters | 🟡 Standard | Personal employer contact details redacted before upload | Case managers; helper (own data) |
| In-App Messages | 🟡 Standard | Encrypted in transit (TLS 1.3) and at rest | Conversation parties only |
| Usage Analytics | 🟢 Low | Fully anonymised before processing; no personal identifiers | Internal analytics team only |
Under the Hong Kong Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 548) ("PDPO"), data relating to a person's physical or mental health, HKID, and financial status is treated with heightened protection. We apply Data Protection Principle 3 (use limitation) and DPP 4 (data security) of the PDPO to all such data.
4. How We Use Your Data
- Matching & search: Running our AI matching algorithm to rank helper profiles against employer job requirements
- Visa processing: Preparing and submitting documents to the HK Immigration Department and Labour Department on your behalf
- Communication: Sending application status updates, interview reminders, and service notifications via email, SMS, or in-app push
- Verification: Confirming helper credentials, work history, and licence compliance with relevant authorities
- Platform improvement: Analysing aggregated, anonymised usage patterns to improve features (no personal data used)
- Legal compliance: Maintaining records as required by the Employment Ordinance (Cap. 57), PDPO, and POEA regulations
- Fraud prevention: Detecting and preventing misuse, fake profiles, and unauthorised access
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data to third parties for their marketing purposes.
5. Legal Basis Under PDPO
Our processing is governed by the six Data Protection Principles (DPPs) of the PDPO (Cap. 548):
DPP 1 – Collection
We collect only the minimum data necessary for the specific, lawful purpose disclosed at the point of collection.
DPP 2 – Accuracy
We take reasonable steps to ensure data is accurate and kept up to date. Users can correct their data at any time.
DPP 3 – Use Limitation
Data is used only for the purpose for which it was collected. We will not repurpose data without fresh consent.
DPP 4 – Security
We apply technical and organisational measures to protect data against unauthorised access, loss, or destruction.
DPP 5 – Openness
This Privacy Policy is publicly accessible. We will inform users of any material changes.
DPP 6 – Access & Correction
Users have the right to access and correct their personal data. See Section 9 for how to exercise these rights.
6. Third-Party Processors
We engage the following third-party service providers who may process personal data on our behalf. All processors are bound by contractual data processing agreements:
Cloud Infrastructure (AWS / GCP)
Hosting our servers, databases, and file storage. Data centres located in Hong Kong and Singapore. Encrypted at rest and in transit.
Firebase (Google LLC)
Mobile app push notifications and crash analytics. Only device tokens (not personal data) are shared.
Stripe
Payment processing for paid service plans. SeekHelpers does not store card numbers. Stripe is PCI DSS Level 1 certified.
Meta Pixel / Google Analytics
Aggregated, anonymised website traffic analytics. No personal identifiers transmitted. Users may opt out via cookie settings.
Azure OpenAI (Microsoft Azure)
Powers our AI matching and job-description features. Deployed within Microsoft Azure's secured, enterprise-grade environment with content guardrails and safety filters. No personal data (names, IDs, contact details) is ever transmitted — only anonymised job requirement text.
7. Data Retention
| Data Category | Retention Period | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Active account data | Duration of account + 7 years | PDPO & Employment Ordinance records obligation |
| Visa processing documents | 7 years after placement | HK Immigration & Labour Dept statutory requirement |
| In-app messages | 2 years from last message | Dispute resolution |
| Financial transaction records | 7 years | Inland Revenue Ordinance (Cap. 112) |
| Job posting & search history | 3 years | Platform analytics & legal compliance |
| Anonymised analytics | Indefinitely | No personal data retained |
| Deleted account data | 30 days (then permanently deleted) | Grace period for account recovery |
8. Your Rights
Under the PDPO, you have the following rights with respect to your personal data:
Access
Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you (subject to a reasonable fee as permitted by PDPO).
Correction
Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data held by us.
Erasure
Request deletion of your data. Note: some data must be retained for the statutory periods in Section 8.
Portability
Request your data in a structured, machine-readable format (e.g., JSON or CSV).
Opt-Out of Direct Marketing
Object to use of your data for direct marketing at any time. We will cease immediately upon receipt of your request.
Withdraw Consent
Where processing is based on consent, withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.
To exercise any right, submit a written request to privacy@seekhelpers.com. We will respond within 40 days as required by the PDPO.
If you are dissatisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) at www.pcpd.org.hk.
9. Security
- All data in transit is encrypted using TLS 1.3
- Databases are encrypted at rest using AES-256
- Sensitive fields (HKID, passport, medical data) use field-level encryption with separate key management
- Access to production systems is restricted by role-based access control and multi-factor authentication
- We conduct regular penetration testing and vulnerability assessments
- In the event of a data breach affecting your rights and freedoms, we will notify the PCPD and affected users within 72 hours of becoming aware
10. Cookies & Analytics
Our website uses the following types of cookies:
- Strictly necessary: Session cookies required for login and navigation. Cannot be disabled.
- Functional: Remember your language preference (English / Traditional Chinese) and UI settings.
- Analytics: Google Analytics (anonymised) to understand aggregate page traffic. You may opt out via your browser settings or our cookie banner.
- Marketing: Meta Pixel for ad measurement only. No personal profiles are built. You may opt out.
We do not use behavioural advertising, session recording, or persistent cross-site tracking cookies.
11. Minors
Our platform is intended for users aged 18 or over. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under 18. If we discover that a minor has submitted data, we will delete it promptly. Please contact privacy@seekhelpers.com if you believe a minor's data has been submitted.
12. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Material changes will be notified via email and an in-app banner at least 30 days before they take effect. Continued use of the platform after that date constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
The current version is always available at seekhelpers.com/privacy-policy.
13. Contact Us
SeekHelpers Global Recruitment Limited
Hong Kong Employment Agency Licence No. 79040
POEA Licence No. MWOHK-2025-529-085
Privacy enquiries: privacy@seekhelpers.com
General support: support@seekhelpers.com