BEIJING - Beijing Municipality is considering allowing foreign professionals to bring their own domestic servants to work in Beijing this year, authorities said Wednesday.

Beijing municipal commission of commerce said in a statement that the move was to attract more high-level foreign talent, and to help the city improve the domestic service system to match its metropolitan status.

Home servants holding foreign passports and those from Hong Kong and Macao will be allowed to work in Beijing if their employers hold a working visa or permanent residence in Beijing and provide an employment contract as well as a personal guarantee for the maids.

The municipal commission of commerce, together with 11 other departments of the city, jointly issued a circular in December 2017, encouraging innovation in home services and introduction of foreign maids.

Foreign maid services are currently illegal in Beijing.

By the end of 2017, Beijing had over 5,000 businesses in home service sector. Local maids are often thought to be unprofessional, and there is rising demand for foreign maids.