Supplementary Labour Scheme
Following is a question by the Hon James Tien Pei-chun and a reply by the Secretary for Education and Manpower, Mr Joseph W P Wong, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):
Question:
As the number of imported labour approved under the Supplementary Labour Scheme has exceeded the quota of 2000. Will the Government inform this Council whether:
(a)
(b)
the Labour Advisory Board will stop vetting applications for import labour quota thus putting the Supplementary Labour Scheme to a halt; and whether the industrial and commercial organisations in the territory should continue to apply for imported labour to fill those job vacancies where local employees are not available; and
there is an upper limit on the quota under the Supplementary Labour Scheme, if so, what the exact number is?
Reply:
Mr President,
The twin objectives of the Supplementary Labour Scheme (SLS) are -
(a)
to ensure that local workers have priority in employment; and
(b)
to allow those employers who have proven difficulties in recruiting suitable local workers to import foreign workers to fill the necessary vacancies.
The objectives and main features of the SLS were drawn up following extensive public consultations and have been broadly accepted by employer and employee representatives and the community at large.
Under the SLS, the Labour Advisory Board (LAB), which is a tripartite body made up of representatives in equal numbers from employers and employees as well as the Labour Department, is consulted on all eligible applications. As the Secretary for Education and Manpower, I am grateful to the LAB for its thorough examination of these applications. Since the SLS commenced operation on 1 February 1996, I have accepted in full the advice from the LAB on whether an application should be approved or rejected.