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Planning, Land and Infrastructure

Talents Training Programme to cover trades in high demand, and offering incentives for in-service general workers to upgrade their skills.

Among a total of about 545,000 registered construction workers, the number of registered semi-skilled/skilled workers has increased to about 242,000. The government continues to work with the council to monitor the construction industry's manpower supply and demand.

The government also works with the council to operate the $1 billion Construction Innovation and Technology Fund. As at December, over $360 million had been approved since the fund was launched in 2018, subsidising enterprises to adopt technologies and supporting over 8,000 technology training places.

To help the construction industry cope with the impact brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, from February the bureau disbursed subsidies through the council from the Anti-epidemic Fund. As at 31 December, around $6.3 billion had been disbursed to some 500,000 workers, 21,000 enterprises, and 1,700 employers who had employed casual employees on a long-term basis.

The council continues to promote the Registered Specialist Trade Contractors Scheme to build. up the capability of specialist trade contractors. The government supports the scheme and requires contractors to engage registered specialist trade contractors for public works contracts.

In relation to building information modelling, the council publishes standards and guidelines, provides training, and certifies managers and coordinators to help the industry adopt this. technology in their construction projects.

Promotion of Professional Services

The 'Interim Guidelines for the Management of Hong Kong Engineering Construction Consultant Enterprises and Professionals Starting Business and Practising in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Cities' were promulgated by the Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development in Guangdong Province in November. When implemented, they will help Hong Kong enterprises and professionals to start businesses and practise in the nine cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). Consultant firms on the two government lists, as well as their professionals registered with relevant registration boards in Hong Kong, will be allowed to provide services directly in the GBA by obtaining equivalent qualifications in the Mainland through a registration system.

Similar measures were also promulgated in September by the Authority of Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone of Shenzhen.

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The two government lists are the List of Consultants of Architectural and Associated Consultants Selection Board and the List of Consultants of Engineering and Associated Consultants Selection Board.

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