Of 1,353 Indonesian helpers surveyed who secured two-year contracts and beyond, some claimed they were overcharged by as much as 4,000 percent.

A Labour Department spokesman said that under the law, "the maximum commission which may be received by an employment agency from a jobseeker should not exceed 10 percent of the salary for the first month after he has been placed in the job."

Since the current standard pay for domestic helpers is HK$3,580 a month, this suggests the agencies should only be charging HK$358.

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However, of the 1,353 respondents, 59 percent said they paid from HK$1,000 to HK$4,000, while 8 percent paid between HK$11,000 and HK$12,000, and 7 percent paid more than HK$15,000.

The survey was conducted in Victoria Park, Yuen Long, and Kowloon Park, from September 6 to October 4 by the United Indonesians Against Overcharging, an alliance of 25 groups.

Nearly 69 percent said they paid the high fees in the past two years.

Around 2 percent were able to get their contracts processed for free, and 4.5 percent paid 10 percent of their first month's salary.

"We are protesting to stop the high fees being charged Indonesian domestic helpers," coordinator Eni Lestari said.

She said most agencies do not provide official receipts to get around Hong Kong laws, and to ensure payment, they confiscate passports.

"We believe we should be protected and we should be paying no more than 10 percent of the first month's salary," Lestari said.

The department spokesman said that if any person has been overcharged, they should file a report to his agency.

Jakarta has decreed that first-time helpers from Indonesia can pay HK$21,000 to recruitment agencies - equivalent to about seven months of their salary.

Lestari said the policy does not apply to those already in Hong Kong, or who have changed employers, or are renewing contracts.

But agencies are still overcharging.

"If we cannot pay [the fees], the agency will not process our documents," she said, adding that "the Indonesian government will not approve your employment contract if you do not go through an agency."

Another coordinator, Umisudarto , who has worked for six years in Hong Kong, paid HK$3,000 when she first arrived and another HK$3,000 on her second contract. When she signed her third contract, she was charged the legal 10 percent of her first month's salary.

Holding placards and banners, the protesters walked from Sogo department store to the nearby Indonesian Building, the front entrance of which was shuttered throughout the 20-minute protest.