ENG-2007 — Page 189

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if they possess special skills, knowledge or experience of value to and not readily available in Hong Kong and receive remuneration package broadly commensurate with those on the market.

Bona fide business people and entrepreneurs who can make substantial contribution to the economy are welcome to establish a presence in Hong Kong, bringing with them capital and expertise. Qualified professionals, technical people, administrators and managers are also admitted with minimum formalities. During the year, 32 459 non-local professionals and people with technical, administrative or managerial skills from more than 100 countries/territories were admitted for employment.

Employment of Non-local Students

On October 26, 2007, the Government announced that from the 2008-09 academic year onwards, non-local fresh graduates of full-time locally-accredited programmes at degree level or above may stay for one year in Hong Kong without any restriction to take up employment. Those who have previously obtained a degree or higher qualification in a full-time locally-accredited programme in Hong Kong may also return to work in Hong Kong so long as the job is at a level commonly taken up by degree holders and offers market rate remuneration package.

Supplementary Labour Scheme

Under the Supplementary Labour Scheme, employers may apply to import workers to fill vacancies at technician level or below. The Government's policy on importation of labour is based on two cardinal principles:

• local workers must be given priority in filling job vacancies available in the market; and

• employers who are genuinely unable to recruit local workers to fill their vacancies should be allowed to import workers.

All applications under the scheme are considered on a case-by-case basis. To ensure priority of employment for local workers, each application to import workers has to pass three tests before it is submitted to the Labour Advisory Board for consideration and to the Government for a decision. These tests are: advertising in newspapers, job-matching by the Labour Department for four weeks, and organising retraining courses with the assistance of the Employees Retraining Board for local workers, if appropriate.

As at the end of 2007, there were 1 101 imported workers working in Hong Kong.

Foreign Domestic Helpers

Foreign domestic helpers may be admitted if they have relevant working experience and if their employers are Hong Kong residents who are prepared to offer reasonable terms of employment including suitable accommodation and wages not lower than the level of the minimum allowable wage set by the Government. Their