Ayi (阿姨), meaning ‘aunt,’ can also refer to a cleaning lady, often hired part-time to do household chores. In China, hiring an ayi is a common choice for those too busy to tidy their own homes. Here are some tips on how to find the perfect ayi for you.

Where can I find an ayi? 

One of the most popular ways to find an ayi is through references. People who have lived in China for a relatively long period may have hired an ayi before and can probably introduce you to a worker or agent they trust.

Apart from this, a housework agency – search ‘家政’ on apps such as Baidu Maps or Dianping – is another choice if you have enough language skills to communicate or have a Chinese friend with you. Many agencies have offices inside or close to residential areas, and an ayi from a nearby company is likely familiar with your apartment complex. A professional agency will help you to choose an ayi, sign a contract and pay health and property insurance for the employee. In return, you must pay an agent fee. There are also ayi agencies online, including ones with English-language service such as Ayicheng and GreatAuPair.

If you only want a one-time house cleaning, WeChat can help you out. Some mini-programs – 58home (58到家), Biechumen (别出门), Wuyoubaomu (无忧保姆) – allow you to book service by the hour. All you need to do is to type your address and time you need the ayi to come. It's as easy as the steps shown below, for 58home:

What kind of services can I get?

Normally, an ayi can do almost anything you need in-house, including cleaning, laundry, ironing, babysitting, cooking and postnatal care for mother and child.

How can I find a decent ayi? 

Although there’re tons of ways to find an ayi, a reliable employee is harder to come by. Past incidents involving hired help include cutting corners, stealing items or possibly even showering at your place. 

Sabrina Lee, an agent who has worked with foreigners for over 10 years in Guangzhou, told us her tips on finding an ayi:

“The most important thing is to find a decent ayi through a reliable channel. The best ayi in others' eyes might not satisfy you, [so] you need to find one suitable for your family.”

In the end, it comes down to observing an ayi's performance and evaluating whether her work style is right for you.

How much does hiring an ayi cost in Shenzhen and Guangzhou? 

It’s hard to give a fixed price for hiring an ayi, since charges vary based on the kind of service you need, the length of time, where you live and the size of your home. While a one-off ayi is usually paid by the hour, a regular cleaning lady will prefer to be paid by the month.

In Shenzhen, hiring an ayi to clean your home generally costs RMB30-60 per hour for at least two hours of work based on rates listed on 58home and Ayibang. An ayi who cooks, cleans and babysits may charge RMB4,000-6,000 per a month.

A reasonable price in Guangzhou, according to Sabrina, is around RMB5,000-5,500 per month for eight hours of labor every weekday including cleaning, laundry, babysitting and cooking. Overtime usually costs RMB40-80 an hour and doubles on weekends and holidays.

Can I find an ayi who speaks English? 

As long as you are willing to pay, yes. 

Some agencies hire out employees who speak English. (But not of foreign nationality, which is illegal in the PRD). A Shenzhen ayi agency called Changsheng, for instance, claims that some of their employees have bachelor's degrees in English with additional certification for English major professionals. On top of cleaning, they can also provide tutoring services for kids in both English and Chinese. In Shenzhen, hiring this kind of ayi costs about RMB5,500 for house-cleaning monthly and RMB6,000 if you add in lessons for kids.

What do I need to know to negotiate with an ayi ? 

“Negotiation is significant,” Sabrina stressed. “Every time we will set up a meeting between an ayi and employer to give each other their requirements before the ayi starts working.”

At your initial meeting you should cover details including salary and frequency of work. You can bring up personal requests to your ayi, and vice versa.

An ayi might ask for Chinese holidays off, for instance; according to Sabrina, providing vacation pay is a great way to keep your ayi coming back.

Additional contribution by Bailey Hu.

[Images via Marco Verch]