local, 3k comm, 4-6 weeks.usually not obedient but no need to train. Black face, talk back, talk on mobile.
overseas, 2.5 months. 1.5-2k comm. Have to train her for 3 months for cooking. Some can't even clean or use microwave properly. Obedient at first, at least the first year. The longer they are with you, the more disobedient and bad attitude.
I have some experiences to share, if you employ local labour. You can see her real face & talk with her & you can ask her to try to work 2-3 days in your house and give them daily salary. One more, you can ask them his old master what is her performan, I feel this is more safely than oversea. My labour aldy employed over 4 years and she is local labour. I had to use above method to protect myself, by the way, you can see yr children / family whether like her or not. Now, my labour will leave on Dec, 09. I also need to employ the new one. I think I also will same way to employ new labour, although, price is higher than oversea.
I agree with u. I also hire local maid who has finished contract. She still works for me for another contract. Very good, no black face. If you like, I can recommend my agent to u. Their follow-up is excellent and they have lots of finished contract maids in Hong Kong.
My brothers and I also hire local maids currently. Performance's satisfactory (mine is good, at least up to now).
The point is you can interview them by yourself. When you interview them, try talk with them frankly. Tell them your need and the nature of wor and the family situation....etc. On one hand you find out more about her and see whether she's OK for you or not. On the other hand you let her choose whether she like to work in your home or not (suppose the maid still have time t choose and not hurrying to find an employer before visa expires).
Oversea maids seem to be more obedient not because they're simpler, but because they have to paid back money to the agent for a longer period (for Indonesian maids) (e.g., overseas Indo maid: the first 9-12 months have to paid most of the salary to agent; local Indo maid: only first 9 months or even less have to paid back money). When they have no money in their pockets, they have to be obedient.