Fast-track plan to hire foreign workers for construction projects after rail link delay
Government will consider directly importing labour for selected construction projects after manpower shortages hit high-speed railway
The government could directly import workers for infrastructure projects at the border, an official has revealed to the South China Morning Post.
The idea emerged after manpower shortages were given as one of the reasons behind the two-year delay to the HK$67 billion high-speed railway linking Hong Kong and Guangzhou.
If the plan goes ahead, it will mark a departure from the current process under which contractors who want to import labour have to prove to the government that the vacancies cannot be filled by local workers.
According to the official, the government would consider the possibility of applying directly to the Labour Advisory Board to import foreign workers for selected projects.
Normally, applications from contractors for the importation of foreign workers are first examined by the Labour Department before being considered by the Labour Advisory Board.
But last month the Labour Advisory Board revealed a new arrangement to simplify the process. It said any application for foreign labour could bypass the examination by the Labour Department. This could cut the average time for importing workers from the present 7-1/2 months to less than six.
If the government applies directly to the Labour Advisory Board to import the foreign workers - cutting out the application by contractors - this could reduce the processing time by even more.