The Government revealed yesterday it is conducting a review of the labour importation scheme as latest figures show unemployment has remained at a low level.
Acting Commissioner for Labour Chan Wing-kit said the scheme and the ban on 26 industries importing foreign workers were under review. 'We will look at the industries one by one to review their employment situation. We will also consider proposals such as a fixed local-imported workers' ratio,' he said.
Local employers' groups have teamed up to put more pressure on the future government to relax the restrictions over importing foreign workers.
Yesterday, the Census and Statistics Department said the unemployment figure between March and May fell to 2.5 per cent from 2.6 per cent in the previous quarter.
A Government Secretariat spokesman said the overall labour market conditions had remained generally stable, with both the unemployment and underemployment rates showing only marginal changes.
The spokesman added that the decline in unemployment in the second quarter was mainly in the construction sector.
