Young people embarking on working holidays are being advised by the consumer protection watchdog to double-check their insurance policies as they could be at risk of hefty medical bills if things go awry.
The Consumer Council warned normal travel insurance did not cover workplace injuries and that, while it has received just one complaint in three years, it is expecting that to change as working holidays grow more popular.
Austria has just become the 10th country to sign up to the city's Working Holiday Scheme, which since 2001 has seen more than 46,000 Hongkongers aged 18 to 30 sample working life in places such as Australia, Japan and the United Kingdom.
An "indispensable component" of insurance plans is medical evacuation and repatriation, the council said.
It noted that one woman had her application to work in South Korea rejected because the insurance policy she submitted did not meet the nation's requirements - reportedly on grounds that repatriation was not included.
Council vice-chairman Philip Leung Kwong-hon said: "Participants must understand that the nature of this type of holiday is different from a regular holiday."