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Employment

and continued the relevant discussions for preparing its report to the government, with reference to the outcome of its previous work and the views of the community.

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 if they have secured a job that cannot be filled readily by local workers and which offers a remuneration package broadly commensurate with prevailing market levels. In 2016, 46,401 people from more than 100 countries or territories were hired this way. Entrepreneurs, including start-ups, are welcome to bring capital and expertise to Hong Kong if they can make a substantial contribution to the economy.

Employment of Non-local Students

Non-local fresh 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.

Returning non-local graduates 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 this 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 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. The department will then pass the application and its own recommendation to members of the Labour Advisory Board for views and then the Commissioner for Labour for a decision. The requirements of open recruitment are: advertising in newspapers by employers, job-matching by the department and, if appropriate, retraining courses for local workers with help from the Employees Retraining Board.

As at December 2016, 4,769 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 government-prescribed standard employment contract. The

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