John Lee: both local and imported workers protected under labour law — violations will be dealt with seriously
Chief Executive John Lee said the government is deeply concerned about the exploitation of imported workers and has established a cross-departmental investigation team comprising the Labour Department, the police and other relevant enforcement agencies, with the Development Bureau also participating. The authorities will not tolerate any conduct that violates Hong Kong's employment ordinances — local and imported workers alike are protected by labour legislation, and violations will be combated vigorously, punished according to law and handled seriously.
Lee said many cases involve agents, intermediaries or subcontractors; any breach of the system or the law must be dealt with legally. On labour importation, the policy puts local employment first: local workers' wages are protected — no imported worker may be paid below the industry median — ensuring no undercutting by cheap labour.
He added that overall labour policy emphasises training the local workforce; even when importing workers, each imported worker requires a monthly HK$400 training levy paid to the government. Under the Supplementary Labour Scheme, any importation must first go through four weeks of open recruitment, with the Labour Department reviewing the process.
Lee stressed the policy puts local workers first — imported labour is supplementary and temporary. Some segments of the labour market face shortages; approvals will remain strict and the authorities will strike a balance between protecting local workers and ensuring industries have sufficient staff to operate.
Source: https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1770899-20240917.htm