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Employment

Entry of Non-locals for Employment

Employment of Professionals

People who possess special skills, knowledge or experience of value to Hong Kong may apply to take up employment in Hong Kong if they have secured a job that cannot be filled readily by local workers that offers a remuneration package broadly commensurate with the prevailing market level. In 2013, 36,397 people from more than 100 countries or territories were admitted for employment in this way. Business people and entrepreneurs who can make a substantial contribution to the economy are also welcome to bring capital and expertise to Hong Kong.

Employment of Non-local Students

Non-local graduates of full-time locally-accredited local programmes at degree or higher level may apply to stay in Hong Kong for one year after graduation to take up employment. Those who have previously obtained a degree or higher qualification in a full-time and locally- accredited local programme in Hong Kong may also apply to return to Hong Kong for employment if the job they have secured is at a level normally taken up by degree-holders and remunerated at market rates.

Supplementary Labour Scheme

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

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

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

All applications made under the scheme are considered on a case-by-case basis. To ensure priority of employment for local workers, employers must undertake a four-week open recruitment for each application before it goes to the Labour Advisory Board for consideration and to the government for a decision. The requirements of open recruitment are: advertising in newspapers, job-matching by the Labour Department and, if appropriate, organising retraining courses for local workers with the assistance of ERB.

As at December 2013, 2,976 imported workers were working in Hong Kong under the scheme.

Foreign Domestic Helpers

Foreign domestic helpers may be admitted, subject to immigration control, if they have relevant working experience and their employers are Hong Kong residents who will offer the terms of employment stipulated in the standard employment contract prescribed by the government. The terms of employment include free and suitable accommodation, free food or food allowance in lieu, wages not lower than the minimum allowable wage set by the government, free passage from and to the helper's place of origin and free medical treatment. Employers must also meet the required levels of income or assets.

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