Hiring Help in Your Own Home the Legal Way
A woman helps them at home four days a week, and she has become part of their routine.
Picture a couple named Leland, 70, and Nell, 68. They have lived in Mexico City for two years. A woman helps them at home four days a week, and she has become part of their routine.
"The neighbor says she is supposed to be registered," Nell said.
"With whom?" Leland asked.
They did not know. They made a list of questions for an accountant. Before that, they read what the public sources say, which is below.
| Country | What the sources say | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico | A decree published 16 November 2022 made registration of domestic workers with the Mexican social security institute mandatory. The employer registers from the first day. The institute works out the amount, and its online calculator is the official source. | Official gazette |
| Mexico | Year-end bonus (aguinaldo) of at least 15 days of pay, paid before 20 December. | Federal labor law, official text |
| Mexico | Vacation of at least 12 working days after one year, rising by two days a year. | Federal labor law, official text |
| Mexico | A written contract, and for live-in workers at least nine consecutive hours of night rest. | Reported by a law summary |
| Mexico | Professional minimum for a domestic worker in 2026: 342.47 pesos a day in most of the country (about US$19). | Reported by a news outlet |
| Spain | A special social security system for household employees. The employer registers before the start. Unemployment and wage guarantee fund (FOGASA) contributions have been mandatory since 1 October 2022. | Social Security guide |
| Spain | In 2026 the hourly minimum for domestic work is 9.55 euros, and vacation is 30 calendar days. | Reported by a consumer group |
| Colombia | A written contract. Affiliation to the occupational risk insurer is reported to be mandatory whatever the number of days worked. Year-end and severance payments also apply. | Reported, 2026 |
| Portugal | Register before the start through the social security website. Reported: a Christmas allowance and a holiday allowance of a month each, and 22 working days of holiday. | Reported by a consumer group |
Percentages for what the employer pays are not given here. For Mexico, the figures in the sources disagree on the start date, and the institute's calculator gives the amount. The Spanish, Colombian and Portuguese rates also change each year.
For Mexico the institute's own materials list medical care, sick pay and a pension among the benefits for a registered worker. Before the decree, registration was a voluntary pilot, and about 53,000 people were insured by November 2022.
The Colombia and Portugal lines are brief on purpose, and rest on news and consumer pages. A local accountant, or a lawyer who works with Americans abroad, could confirm every line here for your case.
Leland and Nell took their list to an accountant. It had one line at the top. "What does she cost us each month with everything in?"
You could…
-
Ask a local accountant for the full monthly cost of one helper, written down, with all contributions and bonuses.
-
Ask the helper whether she would like a written contract in her own language.
-
Check the dates for vacation and the year-end bonus once a year, since rules and minimums change.
What did registering a helper involve where you live? Share it here. Someone reading may be asking the same neighbor the same question.
Figures are estimates for planning, based on public data. Sources: Diario Oficial de la Federación, 16 November 2022; Ley Federal del Trabajo (official text); labor ministry and social security institute presentation (15 November 2022); IDC Online (February 2025); Uno TV (December 2025); Spanish Social Security guide for household employees; OCU (April 2026); Infobae (January 2026); DECO Proteste.
Tell us in the comments