ENG-2020 — Page 155

7 Employment

Non-local graduates may also apply to return to work in Hong Kong if the job they have secured is at a level commonly taken up by degree-holders and the remuneration package is at market level.

Supplementary Labour Scheme

Employers may apply to the Labour Department to import workers to fill vacancies at the technician level or below. All applications are considered on a case-by-case basis. To ensure employment priority for local workers, employers must undertake a four-week open. recruitment for each application. The department will then pass the application and its recommendation to members of the Labour Advisory Board for views, followed by the Commissioner for Labour for a decision.

As at December, 5,158 imported workers were working in Hong Kong under the scheme.

Foreign Domestic Helpers

Foreign domestic helpers may be admitted to work in Hong Kong if they and their employers satisfy the eligibility criteria, subject to immigration control. Employers must offer their helpers the terms of employment stipulated in the government-prescribed standard employment contract, including free and suitable accommodation with reasonable privacy at the employer's residence, 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.

As at December, Hong Kong had 373,884 foreign domestic helpers. Filipino and Indonesian helpers respectively accounted for 55 per cent and 42 per cent of all the foreign domestic helpers.

Occupational Safety and Health

The Labour Department strives to improve occupational safety and health standards in workplaces through inspection and enforcement, publicity and promotion, and education and training. The overall standards have improved through the years with the concerted efforts of employers, employees, contractors, safety practitioners and the government.

In 2020, there were 27,127 occupational injuries, a drop of 33.1 per cent from the 40,578 cases a decade ago. Over the same period, the number of industrial accidents fell 47.3 per cent from 13,658 to 7,202. There were 216 cases of occupational diseases confirmed in the year.

Inspection and Enforcement

The department monitors occupational safety and health risks in various industries, and adopts a risk-based approach to inspect workplaces to ensure compliance with occupational safety and health laws, targeting high-risk industries and work processes such as work-at-height activities, and organisations with poor safety records. From time to time, the department launches special enforcement operations on workplaces and trades that are more risk-prone, such as new construction sites; repair, maintenance and alteration works sites; waste

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