Chinese City: Filipino Maid

Permanent Residency Dept: A three-member panel of High Court judges overturned a September lower court ruling that would have allowed a Filipino maid to apply to settle permanently in the southern Chinese city after living here at least seven years, as other foreign residents can, according to CTV. The case has split the city, home to nearly 300,000 maids from mainly Southeast Asian countries. Some argue that barring maids from applying for residency amounts to ethnic discrimination. But other groups have raised fears that the case would result in a massive influx of maids' family members arriving in Hong Kong, straining the densely populated city's social services and health and education systems. Supporters of the maids say those fears are overblown and hONG KONG A landmark ruling that would have let foreign maids gain permanent residency in Hong Kong was overturned on appeal Wednesday in the latest twist for a case that has divided the city. They unanimously rejected arguments by the maid's lawyers that an immigration provision barring domestic workers from permanent residency was unconstitutional. Lawyers for the maid said they would take the case to Hong Kong's top court. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.