Female migrant domestic workers’ social support and sense of belonging through leisure

Among different types of migrants, female migrant workers from developing countries stand out as they are typically employed in domestic work. For international migrants, finding friends and a sense of belonging is important in the new country. Being alone without their family and required to live with their employer, female migrant domestic workers (MDWs) do not have a ‘home’ in the receiving country. Hence, their leisure activities and gatherings with friends are extremely crucial in providing them with social support. This study explores the social functions of leisure through MDWs’ gatherings with friends on their rest days. In-depth interviews were conducted with 42 MDWs in Hong Kong. Findings revealed how MDWs form their social circles after migration. Besides pre-migration kinship and social ties, the large-scale gatherings of MDWs offer unique opportunities for MDWs to befriend those from the same region. Through these social activities, MDWs receive various forms of emotional support. Given the living, working, and immigration status of MDWs, it is difficult for them to become integrated into the host society. However, it was found that certain leisure spaces hold special meanings as must-go destinations in their domestic worker journey and signify the identity and shared experience among MDWs.