Hong Kong court signals yes to Filipino maid bid

Hong Kong: A Hong Kong judge has ruled that an immigration tribunal should consider the case of a Filipino maid seeking permanent residence, paving the way for her to receive the status.

Wednesday's decision in the case of Evangeline Banao Vallejos follows an earlier ruling that a government move to deny her permanent residency was unconstitutional.

The government is appealing that ruling.

Vallejos lawyer Mark Daly now says her permanent residence is "100 per cent sure."

Wednesday's decision could have implications for 117,000 of the 292,000 foreign maids living in Hong Kong - a cause of concern for many Hong Kongers.

The 117,000 have resided in the Chinese territory for more than seven years, one of the legal benchmarks for granting permanent residency.