匠峰勞務顧問有限公司
匠峰勞務
Labour Dept. licence 81090

Renovation companies hiring imported workers 2026: painters, carpenters, electricians — conditions & process

The renovation trade is short of skilled hands, and ESLS is the compliant route: 2:1 ratio, median-wage requirements, and how to prove craftsmanship for technical trades. Includes our real luxury-renovation painter case — skills-video recruitment, 2 masters approved in 5 months.

Free WhatsApp assessment

Renovation companies hiring imported workers 2026: painters, carpenters, electricians — conditions & process

Renovation companies hiring imported workers 2026: painters, carpenters, electricians — conditions & process

Renovation companies cannot find skilled tradesmen — painters, carpenters, electricians; the local pool of true craftsmen is only so big. The Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme (ESLS) can bring in technical trades, but trade applications differ from ordinary roles. This guide explains.

Basic conditions for renovation companies

  • Local-employee ratio of 2:1 — 2 full-time local employees per imported worker - Wages at or above the Labour Department's published median for the role (electrician median HK$19,490; figure at application time prevails) - 4 weeks of local recruitment completed with records kept - Compliant accommodation (per-capita net floor area ≥ 3.4 m²)

What's different about technical trades: proving craftsmanship

Text résumés barely capture real skill in trades like painting and carpentry. We handled a luxury interior-design firm's case — antique finishes, wood lacquer, fine detail work, all craftsmanship. We replaced the text résumé with **skills videos**: candidates filmed practical work in their home location, and the employer assessed them live over video interview. Result: 2 master painters approved within 5 months. Full story: the luxury renovation painter case.

A red line to note: secondment

Renovation work happens on client sites, so employers ask: can I send imported workers to different sites, or to help another company's project? **No.** Imported workers may only work for the approved employer within the declared scope. Seconding them to another company's project constitutes illegal employment — liability falls on both employer and worker. Do not cross this line.

The application process

  • Step 1: confirm the 2:1 local ratio - Step 2: complete 4 weeks of local recruitment; keep the records - Step 3: file the quota application on ESLS-1A/1B (Rev. 9/2026) forms - Step 4: vetting typically takes 8–12 weeks - Step 5: after approval, process visas (Mainland workers via designated labour-export enterprises) and arrange housing

Plan for 4–6 months end to end.

The renovation roles most commonly applied for

  • Painters — especially scarce for high-end residential craftsmanship - Carpenters / joiners — both custom furniture and site work - Electricians — higher median bar (HK$19,490) but clear technical recognition

At filing, position titles must follow the Labour Department's common-positions wording — invented titles are among the common rejection reasons.

FAQ

Q: What ratio applies to renovation companies? A: 2:1 — 2 full-time local employees per imported worker.

Q: Can imported workers be sent to different sites? A: No. They may only work for the approved employer within the declared scope. Seconding to another company's project is an illegal-employment arrangement.

Q: How do you prove experience for technical trades? A: Practical-work videos plus live video interviews work — see our case with 2 painter masters approved in 5 months.

Q: What wage applies to an imported electrician? A: Not below the Labour Department's published electrician median of HK$19,490 (figure at application time prevails).

Hiring tradesmen for your renovation company? WhatsApp +852 9888 6768 — Labour Department licensed employment agency (licence 81090), with hands-on experience in technical-trade applications.

Related

Renovation companies hiring imported workers 2026: painters, carpenters, electricians — conditions & process