HK01: Wong Kwok urges unemployment-based "red line" for imported labour — Chris Sun: one-size-fits-all inappropriate
The Census and Statistics Department announced yesterday (17th) that the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for March–May rose to 3.5% — up 0.1 percentage points from February–April, with 135,800 unemployed. Some industries rose more clearly: construction hit 6.3%, retail rose from 4.5% to 4.9%. FTU president and LegCo member Wong Kwok urged the government at today's (18th) LegCo meeting to set red lines by industry unemployment — for example, freezing or cutting that industry's imported workers at 5–6% unemployment — to protect local workers' priority.
Responding, Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun said a blanket red line is inappropriate: industries differ, and some can't attract local applicants whatever the economy.
Holden Chow: ESLS has loopholes and abuse
DAB LegCo member Holden Chow raised questions at the meeting, urging priority for local workers. He said the scheme has loopholes and abuse — "fake part-time, real replacement" and advertised roles not matching actual duties. On promised special inspections, he questioned how such cases would be discovered, saying inspections should be routine rather than a response to legislators' questions.
Sun reported that 886, 1,304 and 1,268 "illegal workers" were arrested in 2022–2024 respectively, and 506 in January–May this year — mostly in catering, construction, cleaning, and retail/wholesale. The government prioritises local employment as the first principle of importation, and the mechanism is rigorous.
On "fake part-time" and "dual contracts", Sun said exposures "will bring administrative sanctions", employers face major risks, and named complaints will be followed up seriously. He said 38 complaints have been received so far — not a large number.
Michael Liang: supplement or "hedging" against local workers?
DAB's Michael Liang said every imported worker hired means one less job for locals, questioning whether employers can't hire or won't hire locals. Citing many complaints from catering and construction constituents — including a worker of 5 years dismissed after the employer hired imported staff — he asked whether importation supplements or "hedges" local labour.
Sun replied that Hong Kong has a 3.8-million-strong workforce and 60,000 import quotas, but having checked the figures that morning, only 25,000 imported workers actually work in Hong Kong — under 1% of the workforce. Still, the mechanism must gate-keep: some industries go unfilled whatever the economy — care workers, dishwashers and the like.
Wong Kwok: freeze imports at 5–6% industry unemployment
Wong noted unemployment is edging up, with construction at 6.3% and retail at a high 4.9%, urging industry red lines — freezing and cutting imports when industry unemployment hits 5–6%. Sun countered that a blanket line doesn't fit: "every industry is different", and some locals won't apply in certain sectors.
Chau Sze-lok: 50,000 imported catering workers? Sun: can't see how that figure was reached
Labour unionist LegCo member Chau Sze-lok said some companies dismissed local staff after importing workers, and claimed catering quotas — cooks, waiters, dishwashers — exceed 25,000, potentially 50,000 with pending cases. "How many people does catering employ in total? Isn't 50,000 imported workers an exaggeration?"
Sun said he couldn't understand how 50,000 was derived: for example, junior-cook quotas are 9,900, waiters 6,900, dishwashers about 4,000. He urged factual accuracy, acknowledged catering's sensitivity, and said the government will handle it with full attention.
Original article: https://www.hk01.com/article/60248796?utm_source=01articlecopy&utm_medium=referral