ENG-1993 — Page 148

EMPLOYMENT

To alleviate manpower shortages in certain bottleneck areas, a separate scheme for the importation of skilled workers at the supervisory, technician, and craftsman levels was introduced in 1989. The scheme was extended in 1990 to include experienced operatives. After a review, it was decided in January 1992 that the scheme should be expanded in such a way that the total number of such workers in Hong Kong did not exceed 25 000 at any one time. Discounting those 12 000 workers who came under the previous schemes and whose contracts were still valid, employers were allowed to import 13 000 workers. The Immigration Department, however, received some 5 990 applications from employers, involving a total of 62 300 workers.

In addition, to facilitate the construction of the new airport and related projects, a scheme to import initially 2 000 construction workers was introduced in May 1990. As demand continued to grow, it was decided in January 1993 to expand the scheme so that the number of workers admitted would not exceed 5 500 at any one time. At the end of 1993, 1 885 imported workers were in Hong Kong under this scheme.

Foreign Domestic Helpers

The entry of foreign domestic helpers is subject to the conditions that they have experience in that field of work, that their employers are bona fide Hong Kong residents who are prepared to offer reasonable terms of employment including wages and accommodation, and that the employers are willing to provide for the helpers' maintenance in Hong Kong as well as the costs of repatriation to their country of origin.

Measures were introduced in 1993 to improve the service relating to the employment of foreign domestic helpers. In March, the Labour Department abolished the requirement of contract attestation. A one-stop service is now provided by the Immigration Department in processing applications for employment visas and extensions of stay. The number of service locations was increased in June. Helpers and employers can now obtain consultation and conciliation services from 11 offices of the Labour Relations Service.

In the past few years, the demand for foreign domestic helpers has risen steadily. In 1993, there were 120 604 such helpers in Hong Kong, representing an increase of 19.2 per cent compared with 101 182 in 1992. About 87.4 per cent of these domestic helpers were citizens of the Philippines.

Employment Agencies

The Employment Agencies Administration of the Labour Department is responsible for administering Part XII of the Employment Ordinance and the Employment Agency Regulations, which govern the licensing and operation of employment agencies. The department issued 1 061 licences in 1993.

Employment Outside Hong Kong

The External Employment Service is responsible for administering the Contracts for Employment Outside Hong Kong Ordinance to protect the interests of local employees engaged to work outside Hong Kong by foreign employers. All such employment contracts involving manual employees, or non-manual employees with monthly wages not exceeding $20,000, are required to be attested by the Commissioner for Labour. The department attested 67 contracts in 1993.

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