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Employment

Statutory Minimum Wage

The overall employment market has remained stable since statutory minimum wage was introduced in 2011. Employment earnings of low-income employees have continued to improve. The statutory minimum wage rate was raised to $34.50 per hour on 1 May. Labour inspectors visit businesses to make sure employers comply with the Minimum Wage Ordinance.

The Minimum Wage Commission is an independent statutory body established under the ordinance. Its main function is to recommend the statutory minimum wage rate to the Chief Executive in Council when required by the Chief Executive to do so. The commission comprises a chairperson and not more than three members each from the labour and business sectors, academia and the government.

Employment Agencies

The department enforces Part XII of the Employment Ordinance and the Employment Agency Regulations through issuing licences, investigating complaints and prosecuting offenders. A Code of Practice for Employment Agencies was promulgated in January to enhance the professional standards and service quality of the industry. The department issued or renewed 3,119 employment agency licences and revoked or refused to renew six in 2017.

Working Hours Policy

The Standard Working Hours Committee submitted a report with its recommendations on the working hours policy direction to the government on 27 January. The department is reviewing and following up on those recommendations, taking account of views from the community. It is formulating sector-specific guidelines through its industry-based tripartite committees to provide guidance to industries on working hours arrangements, overtime compensation methods and good working hours management measures.

Retirement Protection

All employees, except those who are not required by law to join a local retirement scheme, receive retirement protection under the Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) Schemes Ordinance, Occupational Retirement Schemes Ordinance or other statutory pension plans.

In January, the last-term government proposed progressively abolishing the offsetting of severance and long service payments with the accrued benefits of employers' mandatory contributions under the MPF System. The current-term government is committed to abolishing the offsetting arrangement and will put forward a revised proposal that takes into account the interests of both the labour and business sectors.

Entry of Non-locals for Employment

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 2017, 52,333 people from more than 100 countries or territories were hired this way. Non-

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