Hong Kong Government to Announce Plan for Importing Foreign Workers as Labor Shortage Persists

Chief Executive Lee Ka-chao met with reporters before attending the Executive Council this morning (13th), and mentioned that the government will soon announce a plan for importing foreign workers. Li Jiachao emphasized that there are three major principles behind the plan for importing foreign workers, including ensuring the priority of local labor employment, ensuring the wage income of local labor, and Hong Kong will continue to focus on cultivating and increasing local labor as the main policy, importing labor will be a supplementary and non-permanent measure .

Newspapers such as “The Hong Kong Economic Journal” quoted news today that the government will bypass the mechanism of the Labor Advisory Committee and import foreign workers directly through the “special plan”. people, other industries include aviation, transportation, etc., such as minibus drivers, etc. The plan also mentioned that if foreign workers live in the “Great Bay Area”, they will be allowed to travel between the two places within the same day without staying overnight in Hong Kong. The plan is expected to be finalized at the guild today, and a press conference will be held in the afternoon at the earliest.

When asked about the feeling of bypassing the LAB this time around, Li Jiachao did not respond positively. He only pointed out that during the discussion on the importation of foreign workers, he emphasized the role of the LAB and communicated with different stakeholders; he also It has been repeatedly emphasized that if the problem of labor shortage is not properly dealt with, “the whole society will be affected”, including damage to service quality and competitiveness. It is emphasized that if foreign labor is to be imported, the above three principles will be followed.

On the housing issue of Fanling Golf Course, Li Jiachao reiterated that in September this year, 32 hectares of land in Fanling Golf Course will be taken back for housing construction. He reiterated that the action of taking back the land will not affect the holding of international events; when there are events to be held, the government can immediately lend the relevant land for venue preparation, promotion, and parking.