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Hong Kong Local Reference INFOrmation

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Unemployment and Job Seeking in Hong Kong

Information for a worker in Hong Kong who loses their job, is fired or retrenched. Details on the various government departments and organisations and job seeking.

Hong Kong has a vibrant economy with government figures for 2006 reporting that 60.8% of the population from age 15 were employed in some way. The vast majority of those in employment are involved in the service sector, including retail, hotels, transport, communications, finance and social and community services. Only a small percentage work in manufacturing.

There are strict rules regarding the arrival of newcomers looking for work in Hong Kong. A person cannot arrive as a tourist and then choose to stay long term.

See AngloINFO INFOrmation Page Residency in Hong Kong
See AngloINFO INFOrmation Page Work Permits in Hong Kong

For most newcomers, employment will be arranged before arrival in Hong Kong and the services of recruitment agencies and government agencies will not be required. However, their dependants may wish to work at some point or they themselves may change jobs.

Organisations and Government Departments

Here is information on the services are available to job seekers in Hong Kong and the rules for finding work.

Immigration Department

Anyone arriving in Hong Kong with a work contract in place will already have dealt with the Immigration Department. This department must give permission for immigrant workers to work in Hong Kong even if the placement is the result of an internal company transfer. The employer must prove that the person in question brings particular skills with them that they have not been able to find in a local person.

More details of the rules on the Immigration Department's website: Click here

Under certain circumstances an employment visa will not be necessary. This is as a result of a scheme known as the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS). Under this scheme it is possible to arrive and then begin looking for work.

For details of QMAS and how to qualify: Click here

Dependants who have arrived in Hong Kong and wish to work should also check with the Immigration Department that there are no restrictions linked to their Hong Kong Identity Card (they will not be able to work until they have an ID card).

Labour Department

The Labour Department comes under the responsibility of the Permanent Secretary for Economic Development and Labour.

Its role includes determining and implementing labour policies, enforcing labour legislation and providing free-of-charge employment services to employers and job-seekers. It also oversees labour relations and trade union activity as well as safeguarding employees' rights and benefits. Safety and welfare at work are also the responsibility of the Labour Department.

More information about its role can be found on the website: Click here

The main piece of labour legislation is the Employment Ordinance. It outlines the conditions of service in general employment and includes provisions for paid holiday leave, sickness allowances and severance pay. There is no legal minimum wage in Hong Kong (except for foreign domestic helpers). Wages may be calculated by the hour, day or month, or by piece rate. Employers can decide what extra benefits (if any) they wish to give their staff.

Social Welfare Department (SWD)

The SWD implements the Government's policies on social welfare and co-ordinates welfare services including social security and unemployment benefit.

Unemployment Benefit

The Support for Self-Reliance Scheme, administered by the SWD, is the benefit scheme which applies mostly to the unemployed. It is designed to help able-bodied unemployed people find work and to provide them with a basic level of income in the meantime.

More details of this benefit and how to apply for it can be found on the SWD website

There are strict rules regarding being available for work and undertaking some community work while unemployed. In return, the government offers tax benefits when a person returns to work.

The rules are quite detailed and can be downloaded from the SWD website: Click here

Being eligible for unemployment benefit

Only residents aged between 15 and 59 may apply and there are strict residence requirements – usually seven years, which will rule out most newcomers. Like other benefits in Hong Kong, applicants will be means tested and if they live in a family group the household income, not just their own financial means, will be assessed.

New arrivals without work will have to prove that they can support themselves before being allowed entry – this applies to students coming to study in Hong Kong as well. There is no automatic right to a state unemployment benefit.

Anyone who has been employed and subsequently finds themselves out of work may qualify for benefit but note that state benefits in Hong Kong are not easy to come by.

More information on the SWD site: Click here

Looking for Work

Most organisations in Hong Kong will promote staff from within, transfer in overseas staff or hire locally.

Hiring locally is clearly the most straightforward. Hong Kong permanent residents (those who hold a Hong Kong Permanent ID Card) and the dependants of residents with a valid work visa fall into this category. Those who can speak Cantonese and/or Mandarin will have an advantage.

A company may consider hiring foreigners already working in Hong Kong. The employer can then ask for a transfer visa (employment visas are only valid for the job and term for which they were issued) so that the employee can move jobs and continue to reside legally in Hong Kong.

Transferring in overseas staff is the least preferred option although it may be the only way an employer can fill a specific position. Anyone considering applying for work in Hong Kong from abroad will need a particularly sought-after business background or some skill which cannot be found locally.

The Labour Department and Job Centres

Job seekers and employers can make use of the free services provided by the Labour Department through its Job Vacancy Processing Centre, Telephone Employment Centre and 12 Job Centres.

For more details of services: Click here

Anyone entitled to work in Hong Kong can use the facilities of local Job Centres which include vacancy searches, telephones, faxes and computers (including Internet access and software for writing and preparing CVs). Registration with them is simple process – just visit the nearest office.

For the addresses of Job Centres Click here

Job fairs are held periodically and employers commonly interview prospective staff there and then. Job Centres also offer a Job Matching Programme which may involve periods of work experience.

Interactive Employment Service

An online facility is also available – the Interactive Employment Service (IES). Users can register for jobs via this service. Registering is completely free and members can be sent e-mails of new vacancies as they arrive.

For information and to register: Click here
The Frequently Asked Questions section has information for job seekers: Click here
The Labour Department has an online Careers Advisory Service: Click here

Note: these services are not open to those who are not yet legally resident and employable in Hong Kong.

Recruitment agencies

While the services of the Labour Department are useful for those already resident and employable in Hong Kong, such as dependants of migrant workers, they will not help those who are not. Since having a job is often a prerequisite for gaining entry to Hong Kong, job seekers will have to make use of speculative applications to companies with offices in Hong Kong.

There are quite a few online international recruitment agencies and online job search websites with registration facilities which allow job hunting from outside Hong Kong.

These include:

JobsDB.com
Hong Kong Jobs
Working in Hong Kong
Monster
Career Times
South China Morning Post Classifieds
New China Career

Youth Employment

Young people without experience or higher level qualifications may find it difficult to find work. The Labour Department aims to help young people find work through its Careers Advisory Service and various work experience initiatives.

Youth Work Experience and Training Scheme Office
Tel: 2112 9932
Fax: 2382 3121
e-mail
Website

Those aged between 15 and 24 who are legally resident and employable in Hong Kong should contact their nearest Job Centre or the Labour Department directly via the website.

For details of the Youth Work Experience and Training Scheme: Click here
For legislation relating to the employment of children and young people: Click here
For more information on youth employment, see the AngloINFO INFOrmation Page Living with Teenagers in Hong Kong

Disabled Workers

Disabled Job Seekers are specifically looked after by the Selective Placement Division.

For details of the Selective Placement Division's services and how to access them: Click here
Also see the AngloINFO INFOrmation Page Notes for the Disabled in Hong Kong

Working in Hong Kong

Most Westerners will notice a difference in their Hong Kong working environment. Although English is widely spoken, staff will usually communicate with each other in Cantonese. There are also various cultural differences to be aware of. Newcomers can find information on the Community Advice Bureau website.

The bureau produces a free, downloadable booklet Settling into Hong Kong: Click here