Hong Kong set to bring in 20,000 workers to help ease labour crunch in construction, aviation and transport sectors
- Construction sector will be allowed to import a maximum of 12,000 workers from mainland China, while the airport will be allocated quota of 6,300
- For every two full-time Hong Kong workers, firms can hire one non-local, and pay government a HK$400 ‘employee retraining’ levy, officials say
Hong Kong plans to import 20,000 workers to ease a labour crunch in the construction, aviation and transport industries under a scheme that will bypass vetting by union leaders, the government has revealed.
The construction sector will be allowed to import a maximum of 12,000 workers from mainland China while the airport will be allocated a quota of 6,300 to fill vacancies for cleaners and other frontline roles. Up to 1,700 minibus and coach drivers from outside Hong Kong will be allowed on the city’s roads.
The scheme will strip the Labour Advisory Board, which includes representatives of local unions, of vetting power. Instead the board will be briefed twice a year about the industry-specific labour import schemes.
Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun on Tuesday said the government expected to receive applications from the construction and transport sectors in July and process applications for about two months.
“Due to the proximity of the mainland to Hong Kong, we expect most of the imported labour will come from across the border,” he said.
For every two full-time Hong Kong workers, employers can hire one non-local, and pay a HK$400 “employee retraining” levy. Non-local workers’ pay must not be lower than the median wage levels of their local counterparts in comparable roles.