From 16 June 2026, restaurant applications under the Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme calculate 3:1 per department: for each imported worker in the kitchen or the floor section, that department must already and continuously employ three full-time local staff — kitchen and floor are counted separately. The local recruitment window extends to 6 weeks, with attendance at a Labour Department job fair every two weeks at a designated employment centre. Wages cannot sit below the published median. Labour Department texts prevail; this is not legal advice.
Last verified against Labour Department / Immigration Department publications: 2026-09-14.
3:1 per department, independently
Kitchen and floor are two departments and each calculates its own ratio: three full-time local employees already and continuously employed for every imported worker applied for. Whether part-time staff count follows the Labour Department’s definition; headcounts cannot be pooled across the two sections.
6-week local recruitment + job fair every two weeks
From 16 June 2026, the local recruitment window for F&B posts extends to 6 weeks, and applicants must attend a physical job fair at a designated Labour Department employment centre every two weeks as part of local recruitment. This is a precondition for quota approval.
Median wages and compliance follow-through
Imported workers cannot be paid below the Labour Department’s published median wage for the post; figures at application time prevail. Labour Services Company Ltd (Labour Department employment agency licence 81090) handles ratio pre-checks, local recruitment, job-fair scheduling and filing end to end.
Do part-time staff count toward the three local employees?
The rule requires full-time local staff. Whether part-time or shift workers count follows the Labour Department’s definition at the time — verify before filing.
Can kitchen and floor be counted together?
No. From 16 June 2026 each department calculates independently; local headcounts cannot be shared between them.
When do the new rules take effect?
16 June 2026, for kitchen and floor applications under the Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme.