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Matthew Cheng

The number of elite Hong Kong public servants who resigned or retired climbed by a third in the past financial year compared with the previous one even as overall civil service turnover declined, prompting calls to expand open recruitment for senior posts.
Figures from the Civil Service Bureau show that 36 administrative officers left the government in 2025-26, up by 33 per cent from 27 a year earlier.
Of the departures, 20 resigned, compared with 18 in 2024-25, while retirements climbed from nine to 15, with 14 at the directorate level.
The figure exceeded the 33 recorded in 2023-24, but remained below the recent peak of 49 in 2022-23.
The administrative officer grade, which counts 755 civil servants in its ranks, is responsible for formulating policies across bureaus and departments.
The grade forms the backbone of the government’s leadership pipeline, with officers eligible to rise to the top rank of permanent secretary.
By contrast, overall civil service wastage fell by 9 per cent to 7,506 in 2025-26, down from 8,288 the previous year.
Resignations declined by 28 per cent to 1,718, marking the third consecutive annual drop following an earlier wave of departures.
Over the past five years, 189 administrative officers, equivalent to about a quarter of the grade, have left the government.
Four permanent secretaries across the city’s 15 bureaus retired last year, raising concerns about a potential shortage of top-tier officials.
The retirements have accelerated promotions for some.
Permanent Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Kelvin Choi and Permanent Secretary for Security Apollonia Liu Lee Ho-kei rose from directorate pay scale point four to eight, the highest ranking, within one and two years respectively.
Some senior administrative officers have also moved to statutory bodies. Willy Choi, a former administrative assistant to the financial secretary, joined the Hong Kong Investment Corporation.
A bureau spokeswoman said it was closely monitoring manpower across all ranks and actively recruiting and retaining talent.
“The bureau will deploy the most suitable candidates for succession, taking into account operational needs as well as officers’ experience and attributes, to ensure that operations are not affected by personnel changes,” she said.

Lawmaker Chau Siu-chung, chairman of the Legislative Council’s public service panel, attributed the higher wastage partly to smaller-than-indicated pay rises for senior civil servants in recent years, which could push some to the private sector.
While annual pay trend surveys suggested increases of 4.01 per cent and 4.12 per cent for senior staff in 2024-25 and the current financial year, the government approved rises of 3 per cent and 2 per cent respectively.
“Persistently suppressing pay rises for senior civil servants will cause their salaries to fall out of line with the private market,” Chau said, urging the government to keep the level competitive.
The monthly salary range for administratrive officers is HK$61,865 to HK$330,115 (US$7,900 to US$42,096) and does not include other benefits such as housing.
Chau also cited rising public expectations, which had increased pressure on administrative officers, many of whom hold management roles.
He called for broader open recruitment to fill vacancies at the senior level created by retirements and to allow hires from outside the bureau to be considered for promotion.
The government has previously recruited externally for leadership roles, including the heads of the Information Services Department and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, appointing former senior police officers to both positions.
Lee Fong-chung, chairman of the Federation of Civil Servants, said that broader recruitment exercises could attract talent from other grades and outside government.
He also expressed concerns that rapid promotions following the departure of experienced directorate officers could leave some officials underprepared.
“Traditionally, government workers serve for more than three decades before becoming permanent secretaries to ensure sufficient experience,” Lee said. “Is the current situation too rushed?”
The government is also set to introduce the Heads of Department Accountability System to tackle “widespread, repetitive and systemic” management problems and underperformance among senior officials.
Lee said the mechanism might not immediately increase departures but could prompt more administrative officers to consider leaving.
“Even though administrative officers are well paid, they can still find comparable packages in the private sector,” he said. “They may question whether they want to shoulder such heavy responsibilities.”
Veteran political commentator Sonny Lo Shiu-hing, an honorary professor at the University of Hong Kong’s department of politics and public administration, highlighted the essential role that administrative officers played in government service.
“They are the generalists who have experience in different ministerial portfolios,” he said. “Ideally we should be able to retain them in the government service because this will naturally provide a kind of promotion pathway for them and so that they can see some prospects in the future.”
Administrative officers were trained with an international mindset and some had experience working in mainland China and abroad, he noted.
“They belong to the elites of the governing circle in the Hong Kong government. So as such, I think it is very important for the government to analyse the reasons for such wastage and then take rapid remedial measures to address the problems.”
Separately, declarations of interest by the 15 permanent secretaries showed that Andrew Lai Chi-wah of the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, owned five properties, the most among his peers. Permanent Secretary for Housing Charmaine Lee Pui-sze declared three local properties and holds another two in a trustee’s name.
Senior officials heading policy bureaus are required to disclose their financial interests for public inspection.
Three permanent secretaries – Shirley Lam Shuet-lai, Maggie Wong Siu-chu and Vivian Sum Fong-kwang – reported owning properties in the United Kingdom, with Lam also declaring a property in Belgium.
Apollonia Liu was the only permanent secretary without local property, but declared ownership of one in Zhongshan, Guangdong province.


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Civil servants leave government headquarters at Tamar. The administrative officer grade, which counts 755 civil servants in its ranks, is responsible for formulating policies across bureaus and departments. Photo: Sun Yeung

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Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung and deputy secretary Apollonia Liu at Legco. She rose from directorate pay scale point four to eight, the highest ranking, within two years. Photo: Edmond So

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Thirty-six administrative officers left in past financial year, up by a third, raising concerns over how ranks of top tier are replenished


Thirty-six administrative officers left in past financial year, up by a third, raising concerns over how ranks of top tier are replenished.


Rise in elite civil servants leaving prompts calls for hiring rethink

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Thirty-six administrative officers left in past financial year, up by a third, raising concerns over how ranks of top tier are replenished

Thirty-six administrative officers left in past financial year, up by a third, raising concerns over how ranks of top tier are replenished