Fewer applicants, more resignations for Hong Kong’s disciplined services over past 5 financial years
- Number of applicants shrank 52 per cent from 93,300 in financial year ending March 31, 2019, to 44,400 in 2022-23
- Total of 729 people resigned in 2022-23, 44 per cent more compared with 507 in 2018-19
Fewer people have been applying to Hong Kong’s disciplined services and more of its members have quit over the past five financial years, official figures show.
The number of applicants for 17 types of posts shrank 52 per cent from 93,300 in the financial year ending March 31, 2019, to 44,400 in 2022-23, figures from the Security Bureau submitted to the Legislative Council on Thursday revealed.
A total of 729 people from the six disciplined forces resigned in 2022-23, 44 per cent more compared with 507 in 2018-19.
Amid hiring difficulties, the force said it recruited 17 inspectors and 13 constables who were all 41 years old or above under a recruitment exercise called “never too late” in the previous financial year. Typically, the retirement age for the force is 55.
Among the 17 types of posts, four services are currently accepting applications year-round, including for police constable, inspector, immigration assistant and station officer (operational) under the Fire Services Department, while others carry out the recruitment process at different times during the year.
The Security Bureau submitted the figures to Legco at the request of lawmaker Kenneth Lau Ip-keung.
Applications for the police constable role fell nearly 58 per cent, from 10,578 in the financial year ending March 31 in 2019 to 4,392 in 2022-23. The 2018-19 figures were compiled before the 2019 anti-government protests.