Hong Kong's December Jobless Rate Declines to 6.5%

Jan. 18 (Bloomberg) -- Hong Kong's unemployment rate unexpectedly fell to a three-year low in December as rising tourism and booming trade with China helped drive the fastest economic growth since 2000.

The seasonally adjusted rate, which has dropped from a record 8.7 percent in July 2003, declined to 6.5 percent, the government said in a statement. The median forecast in a Bloomberg News survey of eight economists was for the rate to be unchanged at November's 6.7 percent level.

"It's a pretty impressive number," said Tai Hui, an economist at Standard Charted Bank Plc in Hong Kong. "Stronger trade has been the biggest contributor to jobs, but tourism has certainly also helped."

Hotels, airlines and restaurants are expanding in Hong Kong as relaxed visa rules boost visitor arrivals from China and surging trade with the mainland spurs hiring at ports. Chief Executive Tung Chee-Hwa on Jan. 12 said the economy grew 7.5 percent in 2004 and pledged to reduce unemployment further.

The number of people with jobs rose 20,400 to a record 3.33 million. That more than offset an increase in the city's labor force, which climbed by 10,200 to 3.55 million.

Hong Kong's overseas sales jumped 17 percent in November, the last month for which trade statistics have been published. China, which manufactures almost 60 percent of the city's exports and also is the No. 1 destination for goods passing through Hong Kong, said it's overseas sales and imports reached all-time highs in December.

Trade, Tourism

The city's container port, the world's busiest, handled 7.3 percent more boxes last year, a faster annual growth rate than in 2003. Volume rose to a record 21.9 million 20-foot containers, according to the Hong Kong Port Development Council.

China's July 2003 decision to let 150 million citizens travel to Hong Kong individually helped rekindle an economy that shrank in the second quarter of that year as the severe acute respiratory syndrome crimped travel.

Hong Kong's tourist arrivals, more than half of whom come from China, jumped 16 percent to 1.95 million in November and the city's tourism board said it expects the tally for 2004 to exceed 21.4 million, which would be a record.

A Hong Kong Disneyland theme park, scheduled to open in October, will provide 11,000 jobs and thirty-six hotels will open between now and 2008, according to Chief Executive Tung. Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd., Hong Kong's largest carrier, on Jan. 5 said it plans to increase its workforce by 10 percent, or about 1,500 people, as demand for air travel and freight increases.

Skills Gap

Still, reducing unemployment further may be hampered by what JPMorgan Chase & Co. economist Ben Simpfendorfer called Hong Kong's "structural" joblessness; an abundance of low-skilled workers unable to find jobs even in an economic recovery.

A survey of more than 1,200 executives at Asian companies by United Parcel Service Inc. published today showed that 30 percent of Hong Kong business with less than 250 employees plan to boost headcount this year. That was the lowest ratio among 12 countries surveyed and compares with 62 percent in neighboring China.

Hong Kong companies were the second-most pessimistic about their business prospects for the coming year, with 41 percent of respondents expecting an improvement, the survey showed. South Korean companies were the most pessimistic.

"Hong Kong is in a group of countries who are rather less optimistic about the coming 12 months," said Matt McGee, vice president of marketing for UPS in Asia, at a press briefing today.

The government, whose reported jobless rate is an average for the previous three months, is nonetheless upbeat.

"Labor demand is expected to be sustained in the near term," it said in today's release.

HK labour market faces both challenges and opportunities
Monday, November 7, 2005
Government Press Release

The greatest challenge facing Hong Kong's labour market is to tackle structural unemployment brought about by economic restructuring, globalisation, wider application of information technology and corporate downsizing.

But with challenges come opportunities. Hong Kong's economic integration with the Mainland, in particular the Pan-Pearl River Delta, and globalisation have also brought new opportunities to the labour market, the Permanent Secretary for Economic Development and Labour, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, said at a dinner hosted by the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce today (November 7).

"In recent years, globalisation and the information technology revolution have exacerbated the ongoing relocation of production processes and outsourcing of certain white-collar jobs outside the territory. The process has continued to chip away job opportunities in the lower strata.

"Some enterprises strive to substitute labour by capital equipment and corporate downsizing for greater cost saving to enhance competitiveness. This make lives all the more difficult for workers with low educational attainment and low skills," Mr Cheung said.

"For the local workforce, moving from one sector to another horizontally is obviously much easier than moving up the skills ladder vertically. This is particularly so when a third of our labour force has educational attainment of only lower secondary or below.

"The 'one-middle-two-lows' group in the labour market is facing the highest risk of unemployment. This refers to those people aged 40 or above and with relatively low educational attainment and low skill level," he said.

Mr Cheung said that although the number of unemployed middle-aged people had dropped from an all-time high of 140,000 to almost 100,000, it still constituted about half of the total number of unemployed people.

Meanwhile, the unemployment rate of people with lower academic qualifications is relatively higher. The jobless rate of people with educational attainment of lower secondary or below is 8.1%, which is higher than those with tertiary education and degree level by four percentage points.

"The Government has adopted a multi-pronged and robust approach to meet the challenges on the employment front by improving the business environment to create more jobs," Mr Cheung said.

"We will continue to promote the development of four core industries - tourism, logistics, business services and financial services – with the aim of creating more jobs through market forces.

"At the same time, we will enhance the skills of our workforce to meet the labour demand of the knowledge-based economy," he said.

The number of long-term unemployed dropped from a record high of about 100,000 during the period from June to August in 2003 to 60,000 recently. The average duration of long-term unemployment was also reduced from an all-time high of 113 days in November 2003 to 76 days in January 2004.

Mr Cheung pointed out that although the figures indicated that some people who had difficulty in finding jobs before were placed into employment gradually, tackling unemployment would still be a long-term challenge.

On wages and working hours, Mr Cheung said that wages in some industries had increased gradually with the sustained economic recovery in Hong Kong. According to statistics released by the Census and Statistics Department, the average wage rate in March and June this year rose by 0.7% and 0.4% respectively over the same period last year, reversing the downward trend from 2002 to 2004.

On future positioning and opportunities, Mr Cheung said, "With further economic integration with the Mainland, particularly the Pan-Pearl River Delta, and globalisation, our labour force especially young people, have to rise to the challenge and embrace opportunities brought about by the opening up of the labour market. Many professionals and managerial staff are now working on the Mainland and overseas."

According to official statistics, 240,000 Hong Kong residents worked on the Mainland last year, a four-fold increase compared with the 1990s. Most of them are managers, executives or professionals. Nearly 90% of them work in Guangdong.

"Meanwhile, we are opening our door to talent from the Mainland and overseas through more flexible measures. This would help enhance our economic vitality and create more job opportunities. In the first three quarters of this year, we approved applications submitted by nearly 20,000 talented workers from the Mainland and overseas to work in Hong Kong through the 'Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals' and the 'General Employment Policy'.

"The Government is considering launching a new admission scheme next year to allow a number of talented workers from the Mainland and overseas to reside in Hong Kong without the requirement of securing an offer of local employment first. Attracting such people will help increase Hong Kong's competitiveness, capital flow and job opportunities," Mr Cheung said.

From a macro-perspective, the implementation of the first phase of CEPA created about 29,000 jobs for Hong Kong in the first two years (2004-05). The launch of the third phase of CEPA should bring more business opportunities for Hong Kong enterprises and professional sectors on the Mainland. It will increase Hong Kong's attraction to overseas investors as well. All these help sustain the economic recovery and encourage private enterprises to create job opportunities.

On the employment outlook in the near term, Mr Cheung said: "With the sustained pick-up in overall economic activities, labour demand is likely to continue to grow. This will have a positive impact on the employment market in the next few months. The newly opened Hong Kong Disneyland has already created 18,000 new jobs.

"The extension of the Individual Visit Scheme to Chengdu, Jinan, Shenyang and Dalian and the Sixth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation to be held next month will pave the way for continued growth of the tourism sector and stimulate demand in hotel, retail and catering industries."

He pointed out that between now and the end of 2006, the Government will invest about $190 million to carry out over 120 Rural Public Works and Urban Minor Works projects, accelerate the building of a number of municipal works projects, advance maintenance works to 30 community halls and centres, and carry out projects associated with preparations for the 2008 Olympic Equestrian Events.

These works, together with projects initiated by the Hong Kong Housing Society and the Urban Renewal Authority to help property owners undertake proper building maintenance, are expected to create over 6,300 jobs for the construction industry and alleviate its unemployment problem.

"Another 2,700 jobs will be created if the plan to construct the new Central Government Offices and the Legislative Council Building is realised in 2007. A series of infrastructure works that are under way, such as the construction of the KCRC Lok Ma Chau Spur Line, Route 8, the KCRC South Kowloon line, the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Corridor, a second passenger terminal building at the airport and the AsiaWorld-Expo complex, will bring a considerable number of job opportunities during the construction process or after completion.

"In the next four years, 34 new hotels are expected to come on stream, bringing job opportunities for the construction industry and creating 8,000 jobs in the hotel and related industries. When the first phase of the redevelopment plan of Ocean Park is completed in 2008-09, there will be 2,600 to 4,000 new jobs available; and the number of new jobs will increase to 11,300 to 12,800 in 2021-22.

"Speaking overall, as our economic fundamentals remain sound, we are cautiously optimistic about the employment outlook," Mr Cheung said.

Monday December 19, 5:38 PM
DATA VIEW: HK Jobless Rate Stays At 5.3% In Sep-Nov

HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--Hong Kong posted a jobless rate of 5.3% for the September-to-November period, slightly above expectations and unchanged from the three months ended October.

The unemployment rate rose in sectors such as construction, but was offset by a stronger job market in the manufacturing, education and sanitary services sectors, the government said Monday.

Employment rose slightly by around 2,200 to an all-time high of 3.418 million for the three months ended November, a trend that is likely to continue given the city's strong economic growth. The finance and tourism-related sectors are expected to remain the major drivers of job growth.

"The improvement in consumer spending and vibrant inbound tourism should continue to create job opportunities for the tourism-related services sector," the government said.

According to a Dow Jones Newswires survey, economists had expected a 5.2% jobless rate for September-November.

Daniel Chan, strategist of DBS Bank in Hong Kong, expects the job market for labor-intensive sectors like retail sales and catering to benefit the most from improving domestic consumption.

However, a recovery in the construction sector's job market will remain slow due to a lack of major infrastructure projects, said economists.

DBS Bank's Chan forecast the jobless rate at 4.5%-5.0% by the end of 2006, while Hang Seng Bank expects a 4.8% rate.

The city's gross domestic product grew 8.2% year on year in the third quarter, faster than 7.3% in the second quarter. For the full year, the government expects GDP to expand 7%.

Unemployment and Underemployment Statistics for September - November 2005
Monday, December 19, 2005
Government Press Release

According to the latest labour force statistics released today (December 19) by the Census and Statistics Department, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 5.3% (provisional figure) in September - November 2005, same as that in August - October 2005. Meanwhile, the underemployment rate decreased from 2.5% to 2.4% (provisional figure).

Comparing September - November 2005 with August - October 2005, decreases in the unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted) were mainly observed in the manufacturing, education services and sanitary services sectors, while increases were more apparent in the construction and restaurants sectors. As to the underemployment rate, decreases were mainly seen in the restaurants and sanitary services sectors.

Total employment increased by around 2 200, from 3 415 800 in August - October 2005 to an all-time high of 3 418 000 (provisional figure) in September - November 2005. Meanwhile, the total labour force decreased by around 1 100, from 3 609 100 to 3 608 000 (provisional figure).

The number of unemployed persons (not seasonally adjusted) declined by around 3 300, from 193 300 in August - October 2005 to 190 000 (provisional figure) in September - November 2005. Concurrently, the number of underemployed persons decreased by around 2 000, from 90 000 to 88 000 (provisional figure).

Commentary

A Government spokesman noted that the labour market held broadly stable in September - November 2005, with the total labour force showing little change, while the total employment hit an all-time high of 3 418 000. The number of unemployed persons (not seasonally adjusted) fell modestly and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained static at 5.3%, which was the lowest level recorded since July - September 2001.

The spokesman pointed out that the overall labour market sentiment remained generally buoyant.

"The improvement in consumer spending and vibrant inbound tourism should continue to create job opportunities for the tourism-related services sector.

"In November, the Labour Department achieved 10 875 job placements, a significant increase of 34% over the same period last year. Meanwhile, the Department captured 39 775 private sector vacancies, up a hefty 36% over the same month last year. On average, the number of vacancies received from the private sector on each working day remained at a high level of 1 650," the spokesman said.

"The near-term outlook will depend on the overall business conditions and in particular job creation in the corporate sector during the festival period around Christmas and the New Year," he added.

Further Information

The unemployment and underemployment statistics were compiled from the findings of the continuous General Household Survey.

The survey for September - November 2005 covered a sample of some 25 000 households or 78 000 persons, selected in accordance with a scientifically designed sampling scheme to represent the population of Hong Kong.

Data on labour force characteristics were obtained from the survey by interviewing each member aged 15 or over in the sampled households.

In the survey, the definitions used in measuring unemployment and underemployment follow closely those recommended by the International Labour Organisation.

Companies to go on hiring spree as economy booms

More Hong Kong companies are planning to hire more staff than at any time in the past eight years, driven by robust economic growth, according to a survey by employment consultants Hudson Highland Group.

Mark Lee
Hong Kong Standard
Wednesday, January 11, 2006

More Hong Kong companies are planning to hire more staff than at any time in the past eight years, driven by robust economic growth, according to a survey by employment consultants Hudson Highland Group.
The survey found that 54 percent of companies plan to add workers in the next three months, the highest level since the survey began eight years ago. A further 44 percent say they will keep headcount at current levels. In the same survey three months ago, 52 percent of companies said they were adding staff. "We are surprised by the continual upward trend in companies' hiring intentions, as anything above 50 percent already indicates a very robust economy," said Hudson Asia chief executive Gary Lazzarotto.

The survey found law firms are the keenest to hire, with 62 percent of those surveyed saying they will be adding staff in the next three months.

They are followed by firms in the banking and financial services sector, where more than 60 percent indicated they were adding new staff.

Lazzarotto said law firms and financial services firms in Hong Kong have benefited from the city's financial markets, which are increasingly favored by mainland companies seeking access to capital to fuel their expansion.

More than 57 percent of the 500 local companies surveyed said they were willing to increase salaries for new hires by more than 5 percent.

Hong Kong's unemployment rate fell to 5.3 percent in the quarter ending October 31, from 6.1 percent at the start of the year.

The improving job market is not across-the-board, however. "The improved demand for workers is concentrated on the higher-end market, such as management positions in the financial and business services industries," said Core Pacific-Yamaichi senior economist Kent Yau.

"The lower end of the market is not as robust as the top-end."

Core Pacific forecasts Hong Kong's unemployment rate could rise in the second half as rent increases and falling consumer demand lead to falls in retail jobs.

Good news for HK! It's fortunate that almost everyone in this city has a job! It would be tough living in a competitive city like HK if you don't have one!

Wednesday January 11, 4:40 PM
Hong Kong mulls curb on expat perks

HONG KONG (AFP) - The Hong Kong government has proposed an "anti-racism" bill that would make it harder for companies here to offer generous packages of perks to foreign employees, a press report says.

The South China Morning Post said that the measure, already in an "advanced stage of drafting," would require firms to prove that employees had expertise not easily available already from locals in the Chinese territory.

Foreign-born permanent residents would not be eligible, the paper said, citing Deputy Secretary for Home Affairs Stephen Fisher.

Harry O'Neill, managing director of headhunting firm Whitney Group, told the newspaper that the move would make Hong Kong a less attractive place to do business.

He said terms for expatriate employees -- which can include housing, education and travel allowances -- did not discriminate on the basis of race.

The bill is due to be presented to the Legislative Council in the next two months.

Racial salaries to be banned

Expatriate pay packages will not be illegal under proposed racial discrimination legislation, but setting remuneration according to race will be, the official overseeing the new law said Tuesday.

Mimi Lau
Hong Kong Standard
Wednesday, January 18, 2006

Expatriate pay packages will not be illegal under proposed racial discrimination legislation, but setting remuneration according to race will be, the official overseeing the new law said Tuesday.

Acting Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs Stephen Fisher said racial discrimination is defined by nations of origin, not nationality.

For example, if two Britons are hired for the same job - one a UK Indian, the other caucasian - the UK Indian will be able to sue his employer for paying the UK caucasian a higher package after the race law comes into effect.

Fisher also said the law, if accepted by the Legislative Council, will apply to "protected areas" such as employment and education. "The law is supposed to be logical, reasonable and fair," he said.

But Erika Morton, country manager for executive recruitment firm Hudson Global Resources, feared that if the law is too strict, "Hong Kong may risk becoming less attractive for expats."

But Fisher said Hong Kong would continue to attract foreign talent, and employers would still be allowed to offer more favorable remuneration packages if they met certain requirements. These include that the candidate is recruited overseas, is not a Hong Kong permanent resident, and that it can be proved their skills are not readily available locally.

"If someone stays in Hong Kong for seven years and applies for Hong Kong permanent residency, it's a conscious decision to give up expat pay packages," Fisher said.

But he added the exceptions for the overseas terms can continue only if the staff stays within the same company or group of companies.

According to a paper presented to the government's race issues advisory body, the "grandfather clause" in the Bill for existing employees on overseas terms will continue to apply (before the race law comes into effect) "irrespective of whether or not they are or have become permanent residents of Hong Kong."

After the law comes into effect, racial discrimination will no longer be tolerated in protected areas like employment and education.

Unionist lawmaker Lee Cheuk-yan welcomed the new law.

"It won't affect the local Chinese labor market because the unique skills, contacts and background of foreign talents can be retained while discrimination based on race will be eliminated," Lee said.

It was announced last week that Australian civil servant Shane Solomon will be paid HK$4.1 million a year when he becomes Hong Kong's Hospital Authority chief executive on March 1. This is 10 percent less than that paid to former hospital chief William Ho.

The legislation, which is at an advanced stage of drafting, is expected to be introduced to Legco within the current legislative year, Fisher said.

"There has been a slight delay ... we didn't meet the original deadline [end of last year] but we're trying to meet the new deadline [to introduce the law to Legco] before the current legislative year ends," Fisher said.

Hong Kong unemployment holds steady

HONG KONG, Jan 19, 2006 (AFP) - Hong Kong's unemployment rate held steady at 5.3 percent during the October to December period with employment remaining at an all-time high, official figures showed Thursday.

Total employment rose by 13,000 jobs to a record of 3.43 million and the 5.3 percent figure was the same number for the three months to November 2005, the government said.

A government spokesman said the unemployment rate averaged 5.6 percent in 2005 as a whole, sharply below the 6.8 percent rate in 2004 thanks to faster growth in total employment.

He said the labour market remained active during the three-month period and demand is expected to stay firm in the run-up to the Lunar New Year beginning January 29.

Wednesday February 15, 9:35 AM
PREVIEW: HK Unemployment Likely Down To 5.2% In Nov-Jan

HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--With the local economy appearing to create jobs at a faster pace, Hong Kong's unemployment rate is expected to have finally edged lower in the latest three-month period, after holding steady at 5.3% since October.

A Dow Jones Newswires poll of seven economists found their expectations centered on an unemployment rate of 5.2% for the November-January period, compared with a rate of 5.3% in the October-December period and both previous three-month periods.

"Support from mainland China's strong economy has led to a solid and broad-based expansion in the economy, which in turn has increased the demand for labor," Lehman Brothers economists wrote in a report.

The most recent Purchasing Managers Index survey also found that private-sector employers accelerated their hiring in January, with the employment component of the index rising to an eight-month high of 53.4.

"Anecdotal evidence suggested that staff were taken on in response to the latest increase in new orders and as part of future company growth programs," the index's compilers said.

Still, new jobs were also added throughout the end of 2005 - just not enough to make a difference in the headline unemployment rate.

"We think the pace of employment growth is unlikely to be fast enough to push the jobless rate lower," Citigroup economists wrote in a report. "The labor force continues to grow steadily and would more than offset the increase in jobs."

However hiring is likely to pick up again now that the Chinese New Year holiday has passed, pushing the jobless rate below 5% in coming months, the Citigroup analysts said.

The Census and Statistics Department is scheduled to issue Hong Kong's latest employment and unemployment data at 0815 GMT Friday.

TABLE: Forecasts for HK November-January unemployment rate

Bank of East Asia 5.2%
Capital Economics 5.2%
Citigroup 5.3%
DBS Bank 5.1%
ING 5.2%
Lehman Brothers 5.2%
Standard Chartered 5.2%
Consensus (median) 5.2%

Hong Kong unemployment rate falls to 52-month low

HONG KONG, Feb 17, 2006 (AFP) - Hong Kong's unemployment rate fell to a 52-month low in the three months to January 2006 coming in at 5.2 percent, official figures showed Friday.

This was compared with the unemployment rate of 5.3 percent in three months to December last year.

A government spokesman said a fall in total employment was offset by a larger decrease in labour supply hense the drop in the unemployment rate.

Total employment dropped by 4,500 to 3.427 million during the current period, partly due to the reduced business activity and labour demand in some sectors during the Lunar New Year holidays.

The total labour force fell 12,400 to 3.6 million.

"It is customary for many of the business establishments to review and if necessary adjust their staffing position shortly after the Lunar New Year holidays," a government spokesman said.

Whether unemployment will continue to decline in the short term is dependent upon the results of such a review, he added.

Hong Kong announces new immigration program to draw talent
23 February 2006

HONG KONG (AP) - A new immigration program aimed at spurring economic growth by attracting young professionals to settle in Hong Kong will be introduced later this year, officials said Thursday.

The program, which will grant entry to 1,000 relatively young and well-educated people from mainland China and overseas each year, will be launched in June, security chief Ambrose Lee said.

"We are targeting at people that Hong Kong needs and will help our long-term development," Lee said in a statement.

Hong Kong's population of 6.9 million is growing slowly, and officials have said they are looking for ways to revitalize it in order to better sustain future economic growth.

"Our target is people who have both an established track record and potential to develop," Lee said. "The new scheme will facilitate local economic development which would in turn create more jobs for the local population."

Applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 50, have completed an undergraduate degree and be proficient speakers of either Chinese or English. Lee said they will be graded on a points system incorporating other factors, and the highest ranked will be allowed to stay in Hong Kong for one year initially, with extensions possible later.

The American Chamber of Commerce in the territory questioned the program's usefulness.

"It's unclear to whom this program is addressed and why the timeframe should be so tightly restricted," the group said in a statement. The program "seems a modest proposal for top professionals to enter the territory with their families."

Applicants to the new plan are not required to have a job offer from an employer in Hong Kong, as those applying for work visas are, but must still demonstrate that they are nonetheless capable of supporting themselves and their families without government assistance.

Hong Kong immigration authorities have said they typically receive 15,000 to 20,000 applications for employment visas a year. A separate program for professionals from mainland China, which has been in effect since July 2003, has averaged 3,000 to 4,000 applications a year.

Hong Kong's unemployment rate likely stayed steady in December-February, analysts say
14 March 2006

HONG KONG (AP) - Hong Kong's unemployment rate likely stayed steady at 5.2 percent in the latest three-month period, economists said, despite continued growth in new jobs.

A Dow Jones Newswires poll of 10 economists found expectations centering on an unemployment rate of 5.2 percent for the December-February period, unchanged from the figure in the previous November-January period.

The government plans to issue the latest number on Thursday.

While the unemployment rate is at a 52-month low, both total employment and the size of the labor force declined in the November-January period. The government said the drop was likely due to seasonal fluctuations in hiring patterns around the Chinese New Year holiday in late January.

The labor market is likely to have returned to a more normal state in February, with a continued pickup in employment, economists said, though that isn't expected to be enough to push down the headline unemployment rate.

"To meet the increase in customer demand, many companies have resumed hiring workers after the Lunar New Year holidays ended in early February," Citigroup economists wrote in a report.

Many economists expect job growth to increase over the course of the year, gradually pushing down the unemployment rate in coming months.

"The unemployment rate will edge down to 5 percent by the end of the first half on robust domestic demand," said Daniel Chan, senior investment strategist at DBS Bank in Hong Kong.

From news.gov.hk:
Jobless rate stands at 5.2% (http://news.gov.hk/en/category/atschool/060316/html/060316en02002.htm)

Construction output down 2.5% (http://news.gov.hk/en/category/businessandfinance/060316/html/060316en03002.htm)

More youths keen to work in mainland
Mimi Lau
Hong Kong Standard
Thursday, April 13, 2006

The number of young Hong Kong people willing to work in the mainland has risen sharply, researchers say.

One in three teenagers and young adults interviewed by the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups last month showed a keen interest to work in China - a dramatic increase from just 15 percent in 2003.

Nearly 800 respondents aged between 15 and 24 took part in the federation's survey on young people's transition from school to work. Four in five of those interviewed were still studying. More than 60 percent of respondents believed it would require at least a bachelor's degree to land their dream job.

The federation's executive director Rosanna Wong Yick-ming said the results show there is a shortage of university degrees in Hong Kong.

"There are many bridging programs allowing other pathways for young people to realize their dream. So the function of these bridging programs is very important," she said.

The survey found that 60 percent of students preferred jobs with a high salary, while 39 percent would choose a job according to their interests. About 70 percent of the 130 interviewed youths already in the workforce said their jobs were unrelated to what they had studied.

Liberal Party lawmaker Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen, who is also chairman of the Vocational Training Council, said it is the SAR's legions of "hidden youths" who feel the culture shock of the real world after leaving school.

These are teenagers who quit school but do not look for jobs, and have a minimum social life. The government estimated there were 75,500 so-called hidden youths in 2004.

HK Jan-March unemployment seen dipping to 5.1 pct
By Susan Fenton

HONG KONG, April 19 (Reuters) - Hong Kong's unemployment rate probably fell to a seasonally adjusted 5.1 percent in January-March, helped by hiring in financial services, a Reuters survey shows. The jobless rate has dropped steadily from a record high 8.6 percent in summer 2003 to 5.2 percent in December-February 2006, its lowest level in nearly five years.

The government is due to release January-March unemployment data on Thursday after 4.15 p.m. (0815 GMT).

Declining unemployment has coincided with economic recovery. The territory has been one of Asia's best performing economies, growing by more than 7 percent annually in the past two years and is poised for a further 5 percent expansion this year, economists say.

That should push the jobless rate below 5 percent although it is expected to move at a slower rate.

"We see the unemployment rate at 4.5 to 5 percent by the end of the year," said Tai Hui, an economist at Standard Chartered Bank. "Demand for labour is still strong in financial services and professional sectors, but in the retail sector companies are now more cautious amid increasing rents and more competition."

Surging oil prices, which this week hit record highs above US$70 a barrel, are a concern for companies. As a service-based economy, though, the territory will be less vulnerable to energy costs than economies with large manufacturing bases such as Japan and South Korea, economists said.

The territory continues to expand as a financial services and supply chain hub for China, boosting employment. The territory in the past couple of years has drawn record foreign investment as companies have sought to gain a foothold in China. At the top end of the labour market there is a shortage of professional talent to fill top jobs.

The government recently said it planned to adopt a more flexible immigration policy, allowing professionals from outside the territory to come and look for work even if they did not yet have a work visa.

However, the territory appears to be losing some appeal for expatriates. It slumped to 32nd place in a recent ranking of desirable foreign postings by consultancy ECA International, from 20th place last year, with severe air pollution cited as a mjaor factor.

Forecasts for the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for January to March (percent):
Bank of East Asia 5.2
Citigroup 5.2
Hang Seng Bank 5.2
HSBC 5.1
ING Financial Markets 5.1
JP Morgan 5.1
Lehman Brothers 5.1
Standard Chartered Bank 5.1
UBS 5.1
Median 5.1

From news.gov.hk:
Jobless rate steady at 5.2% (http://news.gov.hk/en/f23e2eb3-524e-4502-976c-f3ff6f07924b.htm)

對公司歸屬感 亞太區港包尾
四成打工仔想跳槽
03/06/2006
太陽報

【本報訊】香港打工仔對任職的公司缺乏歸屬感。一項國際調研公司的調查發現，包括港人在內的中國地區僱員對公司的歸屬感不佳，在亞太區中更排列最尾，近四成人隨時準備跳槽。

內地加薪一倍挽人才
國際調研公司去年訪問了一百二十間來自中國（包括香港）、新加坡、馬來西亞、泰國、澳洲及新西蘭的機構共三千名僱員，發現中國僱員對公司歸屬感最差，一成九人對公司完全無歸屬感，三成九人表示找到新工作想離職。新加坡僱員對公司最有歸屬感。

該公司調查研究總監（國際）Patrick Kulesa表示，調查結果顯示中國經濟發展迅速，僱員有更多工作機會，職員想跳槽亦與中國企業存在官僚作風有關。中國香港（地區）商會廣東常務理事及專業服務小組委員會主席王慧恩指出，內地不少企業加薪九成甚至一倍挽留及吸引專才，現時內地最渴求香港的專業服務、銀行及管理層人才，香港因而面臨人才流失危機。

香港城市大學管理學系上月訪問了三百名本港僱員，在一至六分當中，僱員給予的機構變革指數為三點四五分，即認同管理層執行變革，以提升公司競爭力，兩成一人擔心因變革而失去工作。

More delays looming on expat package bill
11 May 2006
South China Morning Post

The anti-racism bill faces further delays, with Home Affairs Department officials meeting the international business community today to discuss proposed tough curbs on expatriate packages.

Deputy Secretary for Home Affairs Stephen Fisher told the Committee on the Promotion of Racial Harmony yesterday that drafting of the bill was nearing completion.

The bill was previously expected to be presented for lawmakers' consideration in March.

Mr Fisher said some chambers of commerce, those from Europe and North America in particular, had recently voiced concerns about provisions in the draft bill on overseas terms of employment. They fear these could hinder their member companies' ability to bring the best available talent to Hong Kong to run their operations.

Companies operating in Hong Kong must justify generous offers of expatriate terms - which can include housing, education and travel allowances - by proving that the recruits have expertise not readily available in Hong Kong. Permanent residents will not receive such special terms.

Local employees in similar posts can file a complaint to the Equal Opportunities Commission and seek compensation.

The new hiring criteria will only apply to companies which hire foreign workers after the law comes into effect. Workers already on expatriate packages can continue on the existing terms of employment provided they remain in the same group of companies.

Mr Fisher said after the meeting it was not the government's intention to stop expatriates from gaining permanent residency.

"It is just that if you are a local, why do you want all these benefits? Your children should go to local schools and you don't need to go back to your home every year or every six months - Hong Kong is your home."

I don't think it's good for HK to further attract foreign talents working in HK on a long-term basis!!!

Visa switch set to spark jobs rush
Leslie Kwoh
Hong Kong Standard
Monday, June 26, 2006

Headhunters are preparing for a substantial surge in business following the scrapping last month of a ban prohibiting holders of dependant visas from taking up employment in Hong Kong.

"We are expecting that by autumn, 5 to 7 percent of all placements we make will be with dependants," said Dan Chavasse, managing director of executive recruitment agency Michael Page International.

"The lifting will definitely help solve the talent shortage we're facing right now."

Since the lifting of the ban on May 15, the government has received and approved more than 520 applications from dependants for the cancelation of employment restrictions, according to the Immigration Department.

But that number is expected to grow into the thousands as more dependants - more than 30,000 have entered the territory since the restriction was introduced in 2000 - consider entering the local job market.

Still, the one-month figure is substantial, considering only 769 dependants applied for and received special permission to work in the nearly three years since the ban was introduced.

While Chavasse said it is still too soon to see the results, his agency is preparing to deal with a larger-than- usual peak season beginning September, when expatriates and their now restrictionless dependants are expected to arrive in droves.

The influx, coupled with "the most active job market we've seen in 10 years," will make for a "tremendous year," the agency predicts.

As for the common assumption that "trailing spouses" are less skilled, Chavasse disagreed.

"The vast majority of these dependants come from a similar demographic as their spouse, which means they're also highly qualified professionals," he said. "There is definitely a demand for them."

The government announced in February it would remove the ban, introduced during the SARS crisis to solve acute unemployment, to make the territory more attractive to professionals and investors.

But immigration barriers, coupled with growing competition from mainland cities, serve to make the SAR a less attractive place for foreigners, according to Paul Yip Siu-fai, a senior lecturer in statistics at Hong Kong University.

The subsequent lifting of the ban is a sign the government is disappointed with the number and quality of incoming talent, he said.

He predicts the new policy will increase competition in the job market, thereby strengthening the territory's overall competitive edge.

Under the new policy, spouses of foreign nationals working in Hong Kong can work without first obtaining permission from the director of immigration.

This effectively places dependants on a more level playing field with local job-seekers - unlike their spouses, they are not required to possess special skills or experience not readily available in Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, details of the government's "top-notch" talent importation scheme will be announced by the end of the month, according to the Security Bureau.

The new Quality Migrant Scheme will allow up to 1,000 professionals from the mainland and overseas to enter Hong Kong without having to secure an offer of local employment.

Full points for laureates, medalists
Joyce Kam
Hong Kong Standard
Thursday, June 29, 2006

Olympic medalists, Nobel prize winners and recipients of lifetime achievement awards will be among those given a full score of 165 points under the Immigration Department's Quality Migrant Admission Scheme.

Wednesday was the first day of applications for the initial 1,000 places under the points-based scheme. Successful applicants could start arriving in Hong Kong by the end of the year, Assistant Director of Immigration Helen Chan Wing-mui said.

"The aim is to attract talented people from the mainland and overseas to pursue their careers in Hong Kong," she said. But do not bother applying if you are from Afghanistan, Albania, Cambodia, Cuba, Laos, North Korea, Nepal and Vietnam, whose nationals are excluded from the scheme on "security grounds," Chan said.

"We'll strictly adhere to our system and would rather leave some of the quota unfilled than to approve less satisfactory applicants."

Applicants must be aged between 18 and 50, have a good education and be capable of supporting themselves and their dependants.

The scheme aims to stem a skills shortage in the SAR and tackle the aging problem. Successful applicants can bring their spouses and children and do not need a formal offer of local employment before entering the territory.

Chan said the scheme's preference would be professionals in their 30s with the potential to further develop their career, adding they would not interfere with the local job market. "Entrants come to create job opportunities, n
ot take them away."

Applicants can be assessed either by an achievement-based points test or a general points test, both of which grade applications up to a maximum of 165 points. The achievement-based points test targets those with exceptional or unique talents, such as Olympic medalists, Nobel prize winners, or recipients of other international or lifetime achievement awards.

Chan said the points on this scheme would not be affected even if the applicant has retired.

Meanwhile, the general points test sets a minimum pass mark of 80, with academic qualifications and work experience accounting for 60 percent of the score while age, language proficiency and family background make up the rest. "Applicants will then be ranked by their scores with high-scorers being short-listed for selection by a non- statutory advisory committee appointed by the chief executive," Chan said.

The advisory committee, consisting of 19 representatives from different industries and three government officers, will meet quarterly.

"They'll recommend to the director of immigration how best to allocate the quota with regard to the socio-economic needs of the community," Chan added. Successful applicants will be granted an initial 12-month stay after which they will be reassessed for their success in finding a job or starting a business.

Entrants wishing to extend their stay after a period of three years will again have to prove they have settled down and are making a contribution to society to the satisfaction of the director of immigration.

Leisure pursuits not so trivial
Hong Kong STandard
Jonathan Cheng
Friday, June 30, 2006

With a declining fertility rate and an aging population pinching Hong Kong's competitiveness, the high-level Council for Sustainable Development has issued a report calling for changes to reduce stress, increase the quality of life and attract more overseas talent.

Part diagnosis and part call for help, the paper uses Western countries as a prominent reference point for high- pressure Hong Kong - nations where "a growing emphasis on work-life balance and quality of life" allows for more family time and vibrant, well- rounded lifestyles.

"We need to promote a culture of work-life balance to encourage people to pay heed to other elements in their lives, such as family, leisure, as well as cultural and recreational pursuits," reads the paper, published Thursday by the council headed by Chief Secretary Rafael Hui Si-yan.

That conclusion will likely come as little surprise to the local population, which has seen a recent debate over work pressures and quality of life - fuelled by the "Bus Uncle" incident - take over local editorial pages and radio talk-show programs to discuss what the report describes as "significant psycho- social pressures on the working population."

At a launch ceremony for the report Thursday, Edgar Cheng Wai-kin, vice chairman of the council, called the report an attempt "to encourage public participation in mapping out the way forward to improve our quality of life."

In addition to relieving work pressure, the council's report also calls on Hong Kong to "unleash hidden human capital" in the territory's significant nonworking female population by increasing the number of part-time jobs and lower-stress positions.

The report identifies the work- versus-family dilemma as the key reason behind the territory's lagging female employment rate - 52 percent, compared with 71 percent among men.

"Women are often faced with making the difficult choice between career and family," the report reads. "Being `working mothers' is physically and mentally exhausting for most women."

Promoting "flexible and varied employment opportunities" like part-time work, home-office arrangements and freelance work can help "unleash" the potential of working mothers, it says.

Meanwhile, boosting the importance of the family will serve two other important functions - improving quality of life while encouraging an upward nudge in fertility rates.

The report calls for a number of infrastructural changes too - good urban design, more municipal services and lower-density housing.

These changes, coupled with a nurturing of cultural diversity, will reverse Hong Kong's "brain drain" by attracting more talented mainlanders and foreigners to the territory.

The paper acknowledges long- running concerns about air pollution as a key inhibitor of Hong Kong's attractiveness: "The public concern about Hong Kong's air quality will also have to be addressed properly."

Practical solutions are scarce in the report, which studiously abstains from revealing the council's "preferred way forward." But the council wants a response to the challenges it raises. The public consultation ends in October.

Women can save workforce: report
29 June 2006
South China Morning Post

Women should be encouraged to seek employment as a way to ease the effects of an ageing population on the workforce, according to a paper that will be released today by a government advisory body.

The paper, prepared by the high-level Council for Sustainable Development headed by Chief Secretary Rafael Hui Si-yan, says encouraging more women to return to work is a key to maintaining the city's competitiveness.

At present, only 52 per cent of all women are employed, compared with 71 per cent of men.

The council said many women faced a difficult choice between careers or motherhood, and life for working mothers was difficult.

But it also said the percentage of people working more than 50 hours a week had almost doubled in the past 12 years. This workload could be eased by offering women part-time and freelance jobs, the paper suggests.

The paper cites Sweden, where the government promotes gender equality and women's participation in the workforce. There, 74.5 per cent of women were employed, and the country had a fertility rate of 1.7 children per woman.

The policy paper also proposes action to encourage people to retire later as another way of maintaining the workforce. It asks for people's views on offering parenthood incentives.

The government estimates that Hong Kong's elderly will increase from 12.1 per cent of the population last year to 26.8 per cent in 2033. The city's fertility rate is also declining, from three children per woman in 1970 to 0.96 last year.

The paper says the city's economy will suffer if nothing is done between now and 2018 as the pace of ageing accelerated.

Hong Kong Women Workers' Association co-ordinator Wu Mei-lin said tackling discrimination was the best way to draw more women into the workforce.

"A lot of women in Hong Kong want to work but they just can't find it," said Ms Wu.

She pointed to 2005 Census and Statistics Department figures that showed 70 per cent of those earning less than $3,000 a month were women, while 70 per cent of workers who earned more than $30,000 a month were men, adding the figures represented an increase from 2002.

Tsang Gar-yin, of the Association for the Advancement of Feminism, said there should be more child-care facilities and better protection for part-time workers.

"As a working mother, access to quality child care is the main determining factor whether women will rejoin the workforce," she said. "Access in Hong Kong is very limited."

Hong Kong unemployment edges up to 5.0 percent

HONG KONG, July 18, 2006 (AFP) - Hong Kong's unemplooyment rate edged up to 5.0 percent between April and June from 4.9 percent in the three months to May, official figures showed Tuesday.

The government said overall sentiment in the labor market remains "generally positive."

Total employment fell 11,500 to 3.426 million in the three months to June, while the size of the labor force decreased by 7,300 to 3.605 million.

"Despite the entry of some fresh graduates and school leavers, the labor force showed a small reduction in overall terms in April-June," the government said.

"The overall sentiment in the economy ... and the labor market remained generally positive," it added.

Hong Kong's foreign maids lose appeal against levy

HONG KONG, July 19, 2006 (AFP) - Foreign maids in Hong Kong lost an appeal on Wednesday against a government-imposed monthly levy on their employers which they said was discriminatory and "like a tax" on their income.

"We feel very disappointed of the result today because it has been a long fight for the migrant workers and we expected to win and we have to win," said Eni Lestari Andayani Adi, spokeswoman for the Asian Migrants Coordinating Body.

"The levy was actually coming out from our salary, this is like a tax to us. It's very discriminatory and an injustice to us," she added.

Eni Lestari Andayani Adi, one of five foreign maids who in 2003 filed a judicial review of the levy, said they would continue their fight "to the court of final appeal."

The judicial review argued the 400-dollar (51-US-dollar) levy imposed on foreign maids' employers was discriminatory, unlawful and had no legislative authority.

The maids -- four Filipinas and one Indonesian -- also said the levy's introduction led to a 400 dollar cut in their minimum wage.

However, the High Court ruled the levy was lawful and did not require approval from the Legislative Council.

It added there was no link between the levy and the wage cut and that therefore the levy was not discriminatory.

After the verdict a group of migrant workers staged a protest, shouting "Abolish the levy."

There are currently 227,700 foreign domestic helpers working in Hong Kong, with Filipinos accounting for over half the total and Indonesians accounting for over 40 percent.

Job fears eased over talents push
Leslie Kwoh
Hong Kong Standard
Wednesday, August 16, 2006

In an attempt to protect job opportunities for university graduates, the latest talent importation scheme will effectively rule out applications by fresh graduates from abroad, the Immigration Department revealed.

Under new details released for the scheme, about 75 percent of the scoring mechanism for the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme will be age-related.

"We want to protect our local graduates, not increase competition for them," said Assistant Director of Immigration Helen Chan Wing-mui at a General Chamber of Commerce event Tuesday.

While the scheme is open to all expatriate professionals over the age of 18, applicants falling in the 18-to-24 age range will score zero out of a possible 30 points for the "age" category.

That score abruptly jumps to 25 points for applicants aged 25 to 29 and peaks at 30 points for those aged 30 to 34, before decreasing incrementally to five points for the oldest eligible age group, 45 to 50. Young applicants suffer further disadvantages in the second and third categories: academic and work experience.

Applicants with a bachelor's degree will earn 20 points, while those with two or more doctoral degrees will earn the maximum 45 points.

Similarly, applicants with at least five years' work experience will receive 30 points, but those with over 10 years' experience will be awarded the maximum 50 points.

The department said it would make exceptions, however, for young applicants with exceptional accolades such as Olympic medals, Nobel prizes or lifetime achievement awards.

The scheme's partiality to an older applicant pool, characteristic of Hong Kong's often protective immigration standards, differs from talent schemes in other countries such as Australia.

For instance, Australia's Skilled Migration Scheme favors younger applicants, awarding the maximum "age" score to those aged 18 to 29, while granting older age ranges between 15 and 25 points. The scheme also allows an exemption on work experience requirements for those expatriates who have recently completed studies at an Australian institution.

Illustrating the disadvantages of such an arrangement, however, the scheme has come under fire in recent months for allowing thousands of foreign workers to come into Australia at below-market rates while many local graduates still struggle to find work.

Chan said the government-appointed selection committee, which will decide on the final pool of candidates, will help to ensure successful applicants carry prestigious qualifications.

"If the committee has one applicant that has graduated from an unknown university in Africa, and another that has graduated from Harvard or Oxford, which one will it choose? Obviously, the committee will choose the latter," she said. In this way, applicants that may only appear qualified "on paper" can be screened out, Chan said.

And, while the department said the scheme would not have quotas for particular industry sectors, the committee - which will meet quarterly to update the candidate pool - will also be responsible for considering the "socio- economic needs" of Hong Kong and the "sectoral mix" of candidates at the time, Chan said.

The scheme's other selection categories include language proficiency - with fluency in both English and Chinese earning high marks - and family background.

Those applicants with an accompanying spouse of a similar level of education will be given higher marks, in light of a policy change in May that allows holders of dependant visas to take up employment in Hong Kong. Points will also be awarded for dependent, unmarried children, as the territory currently faces the problem of a low fertility rate, Chan said.

Since the department initiated the scheme in late June, it has received 200 applications. An overwhelming 80 percent of applicants are from the mainland, followed by 9 percent from other parts of Asia, 4 percent from the United States and 4 percent from Australia. Europeans accounted for only 2 percent, and Africans a mere 1 percent.

The majority of these applicants are professionals in the finance, information and technology, and academic research sectors.

Only 16 applicants have opted to be judged on an "achievement-based" points system, which caters to world- class athletes, professors, chefs, experts and the like.

The first batch of successful applicants is expected to be announced by December.

The Quality Migrant Admission Scheme will for the time being continue to run concurrently with the existing Mainland Talent Scheme.

Unlike the latter, the new scheme will allow successful candidates to stay in Hong Kong for a one-year period before deciding on a job. Candidates will also be permitted to freely change jobs, a process that is often complicated under the general employment visa sponsorship system.

Hong Kong's Jobless Rate Declines
Thursday August 17, 6:09 am ET

HONG KONG (AP) -- Hong Kong's jobless rate fell slightly to 4.9 percent for the three-month period from May to July, the government said Thursday.

Hong Kong's joblessness stood at 5.0 percent in the April-June period, the government said in a statement.

Unemployment dropped in the construction, sanitary services and wholesale trade sectors in the latest quarter, the statement said.

The outlook for Hong Kong's job market depends on the territory's "overall economic performance, and in particular, the pace of job creation in the corporate sector relative to the labor supply growth," the government said.

Unemployment & Underemployment Statistics
http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200608/17/P200608170127.htm

Finally we're within the 5% mark... Good news for HK.

Jobless rate drops to a five-year low in HK
Upbeat outlook for labour market as half of the population now has work and underemployment falls
Dennis Eng
20 September 2006
South China Morning Post

Hong Kong's unemployment rate improved to a five-year low of 4.8 per cent last month, with the number of people with jobs rising to a record 3.47 million, or about half of the population.

August's underemployment rate, measuring the number of people who cannot find enough work each week, fell to 2.4 per cent from 2.6 per cent in July.

The news was welcomed by Secretary for Economic Development and Labour Stephen Ip Shu-kwan, who said he hoped the labour market would continue to improve.

"On average, we received about 2,100 new jobs every day. In the month of August, we received a total of nearly 50,000 new jobs. That is a very good figure," Mr Ip said.

The number of new jobs last month represents a rise of 6.1 per cent year on year, with the jobs total for the first eight months of the year rising by almost one-fifth compared to last year.

The Census and Statistics Department said the jobless rate continued to drop last month from 4.9 per cent in July. The labour force grew to a record 3.66 million, up by about 23,800 compared to a month earlier.

Much of the improvement in the jobless rate was seen in the construction sector, business services as well as the welfare and community services sectors, the government said.

"Despite the accelerated increase in the labour supply during the summer period caused mainly by the entry of fresh graduates and school leavers, so far these newcomers have been absorbed into employment at a satisfactory pace," a government spokesman said.

Hang Seng Bank economist Vincent Kwan Wing-shing said, given the relatively solid economic fundamentals, such as domestic demand and exports, it was not difficult to achieve the bank's end-of-year unemployment rate forecast of 4.5 per cent. The recent pause in US interest rate rises, and robust mainland exports were also painting an upbeat outlook for the labour market, he said.

"If the labour force grows by about 1 per cent to 1.5 per cent annually and the real rate of GDP (gross domestic product) growth is about 5 per cent, then there is room for the unemployment rate to fall."

Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce chief economist David O'Rear said the jobless rate was a lagging indicator and he did not expect it to rapidly worsen despite the prospect of a US-led global economic slowdown in the second half.

Paychecks increase but money doesn't go as far
Hong Kong Standard
Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Most Hong Kong workers in June saw larger paychecks compared to a year ago, but their money was buying less.

After adjusting for inflation, the average wage rate in Hong Kong fell 0.7 percent in June, compared with a year earlier, the Census and Statistics Department said.

The rate rose 1.1 percent in nominal terms over the same period.

About 53 percent of the companies recorded some increase in average wage rates in June compared with a year ago. But 35 percent of them recorded some decrease in average wage rates over the same period. The remaining 12 percent reported almost no change in average wage rates.

Inflation also dented the payroll index figures. The index of payroll per person engaged in all the major sectors surveyed was up by 2.2 percent in nominal terms in the second quarter of 2006 compared with a year ago.

But after adjusting for the Composite Consumer Price Index, the average payroll per person engaged rose by 0.1 percent in real terms in the second quarter over a year earlier.

The wage rate includes basic wages and other regular and guaranteed allowances and bonuses.

Payroll includes elements covered by wage rates as well as other irregular payments such as discretionary bonuses and overtime allowances.

The payroll statistics therefore tend to show relatively larger quarter-to- quarter changes, affected by the number of hours actually worked and the timing of payments of bonuses and backpay. For the nominal wage indices, year on year there were increases in almost all the major sectors, from 0.6 percent to 2 percent, though the transport services sector saw a decrease of 1.7 percent.

For the real wage indices, there was a marginal year-on-year increase of 0.1 percent in the financing, insurance, real estate and business services sectors.

In all other sectors, there were decreases ranging from 0.3 percent to 3.6 percent.

As for payroll per person engaged, year-on-year increases were recorded in almost all major sectors in the second quarter of 2006, ranging from 1.1 percent to 5.0 percent.

As for the real payroll indices, year- on-year increases were registered in the wholesale, retail and import/export trades, restaurants and hotels sector, the transport, storage and communications sector, and the financing, insurance, real estate and business services sector, ranging from 0.3 percent to 2.9 percent in real terms.

Workers step up pressure for minimum-wage policy
Winnie Chong
Hong Kong Standard
Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Hundreds of workers have marched to Government House to demand that minimum wages be mandated by law.
The march Monday, organized by some 50 trade unions and associations, came amid growing pressure on Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen to handle the issue with prudence in his upcoming policy address.

Trade unions are furious that the government has been dragging its feet on the matter, while employers have repeatedly warned enforcing a minimum- wage policy will spell disaster for the local economy.

According to the People's Alliance for a Minimum Wage, about 800 workers joined Monday's protest, but police said only 600 took part.

Protesters urged the chief executive to set a timetable for legislating a minimum wage at HK$30 per hour, saying it was the minimal living standard in the territory and in line with Comprehensive Social Security Assistance levels.

Before the march began, the protesters held a two-hour gathering at Southorn Playground in Wan Chai to highlight the problems faced by the poor, and accused the government of exploiting the underprivileged and colluding with big business.

At Government House, they submitted a petition containing more than 10,000 signatures of residents in support of their campaign.

Samantha Lo Pui-man, a community center worker who earns less than HK$5,000 a month, said she could hardly save and had to work overtime.

"I'm worried I'll be living in poverty all my life," she said.

Tiffany Ho Fung-chi, a tutor making about HK$4,000 a month, also said she had to work part-time in a fast food restaurant to make ends meet. She said a minimum-wage policy is the only way to prevent them from being underpaid.

Ah Ying, a 46-year-old public toilet cleaner, earns about HK$3,120 a month, working six hours a day for HK$19.98 an hour. She said her pay was cut from HK$4,600 a month four years ago.

Iu Chung-yiu, chairman of the Hong Kong Building Management and the Security Workers General Union, urged the government to protect grassroots workers.

"Since there're so many of them in the labor market, employers are in a position to exploit them. The workers always lack bargaining power," Iu said.

Four major business organizations - the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong and the Federation of Hong Kong Industries - have urged the government to not to enact legislation on a minimum wage, saying they are prepared to adjust wages on a voluntary basis instead.

The groups are said to have also proposed the creation of a channel to help underpaid workers lodge complaints.

However, People's Alliance for a Minimum Wage spokesman Poon Man-hon believes voluntary action by employers would not work.

According to the Census and Statistics Department, 158,000 workers in Hong Kong earned less than HK$3,000 a month as of the second quarter of this year. Critics have accused Tsang of repeatedly delaying a promise he made in his maiden policy address last October to set a minimum-wage policy.

Many are wondering whether he will give priority to the matter in his second policy address next week.

In a speech at the Chinese University of Hong Kong last week, Tsang pledged to try to resolve the issue before his current term ends next June.

Secretary for Economic Development and Labour Stephen Ip Shu-kwan said Monday the government would deal with the subject with pragmatism.

"The Labour Advisory Board has discussed the issue many times and we have talked to many organizations.

"The government, of course, will take the lead in implementing such legislation. We're looking for a practical way to enforce it," he said.

Minimum wage tops political parties wish list
Michael Ng
Hong Kong Standard
Wednesday, October 11, 2006

While most predictions are that Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen's second policy address, to be delivered today, will be both pragmatic and stoic, two major political parties said Tuesday they still hoped he would touch on the minimum-wage issue as well as give more details about closer economic integration with the mainland.

With his term of office ending on June 30, Tsang is not expected to introduce new policy initiatives or touch on controversial issues.

However, according to Sing Tao Daily, The Standard's sister newspaper, Tsang is expected to announce the allocation of several billion dollars to help improve worsening air quality, mainly by tackling roadside pollution.

Democratic Party chairman Lee Wing-tat said it would also be nice if Tsang could focus on environmental protection and education issues, subjects which have been in the news recently.

There is also the question of a minimum wage, a subject which Executive Council member Jasper Tsang Yok- sing, a former chairman of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, brought into the open Monday when he said workers in the cleaning and security sectors were among the most exploited in Hong Kong and a minimum-wage law should be first implemented in those sectors.

Lee said the chief executive would do better to bring in a minimum wage rather than introduce a nonbinding charter for employers, as has been suggested by some government officials.

"I agree with Jasper's views as even if large enterprises did back a nonbinding charter on minimum wages, it would have little effect since 90 percent of the 3.3 million work force are employed by small- and medium-sized companies who would not be bound by the charter," Lee said.

Unionist legislator Wong Kwok- hing, of the Federation of Trade Unions, said he would not be satisfied with the introduction of a nonbinding charter if it did not include a a timetable for the introduction of minimum-wage legislation.

Pressure on the chief executive to include a minimum wage in his proposals increased Tuesday night when hundreds of workers took part in a candlelight vigil outside the Legislative Council building, to be followed by a sit-in until this morning.

Lee said while Donald Tsang had just another nine months in office, it was not an excuse to avoid issues on political development.

He said all that had occurred so far was a proposal for a political appointment mechanism. There was also the question of more important constitutional development issues such as a timetable for universal suffrage.

"Actually, I don't hold out any hope that he will be willing to tackle these issues," he said.

DAB legislator Chan Kam-lam said the party hoped the chief executive would address how best to promote Hong Kong's economic integration with the mainland.

"Such an integration has been discussed for years and we should not be asked to wait any longer," Chan said.

"We must explore ways wherein we can each supplement the efforts of the other."

He said Tsang should also respond to strong calls from the public to scrap the goods and services tax consultation.

"Tsang should tell all of us that the government will not force through this measure. He should wait until all the economic conditions are right and the public is ready for such a tax," Chan said.

Tsang is to host a special Executive Council meeting this morning before turning up at the Legislative Council at 11am to begin his address. He will attend a press conference in the afternoon.

The chief executive is also expected to join a phone-in radio session Thursday morning, before answering legislators' questions in the afternoon.

Tsang's popularity has dipped by 0.7 points to 62.9 - the lowest since he became chief executive in March last year, according to a pre-policy address poll of 1,022 respondents by Hong Kong University's Public Opinion Program.

Lowest paid take their calls to the top
Winnie Chong
Hong Kong Standard
Friday, October 13, 2006

The chief executive got a taste of what it feels to be unpopular.

Attending a radio phone-in program a day after refusing to mandate minimum wage legislation, Tsang was assailed by several callers who accused him of not appreciating their plight.

"Why didn't you insist that we get a respectful wage? We want to live with respect," said a cleaning worker surnamed Cheung, who said she only got HK$4,000 a month for working nine hours every day.

"I was disappointed with your last policy address. But this time I am angry," Cheung said, adding she is now considering applying for Comprehensive Social Security Assistance.

Tsang said his "Wage Protection Movement" will be more effective in protecting workers since it will be monitored by different sectors, including the media and the Labour Advisory Board.

He said the government will also condemn organizations that underpay their workers.

However, a caller surnamed Yeung said monitoring by the public will not be effective since not all people will follow the government's advice.

A caller surnamed Lok said he did not think there will be a great change over the next two years and urged Tsang to introduce minimum wage legislation as local workers were having a hard time despite the improved economy.

Tsang did get some support, from a man named Poon, who agreed legislation was not the answer since Hong Kong is not a welfare state. He believed wages should be set by the market.

Tsang said there are different points of views but insisted the government will wait two years before deciding whether legislation was necessary.

Several other callers were also concerned about the government's support for early childhood education, which they described as inadequate.

A mother surnamed Leung, whose family is earning between HK$30,000 and HK$40,000, said she was shocked to learn she was not eligible for an education subsidy for her child.

Another middle-class parent surnamed Lam said he too was facing immense education costs in addition to having to pay tax.

Tsang said the government's subsidy on early childhood education will benefit 90 percent of families with children in kindergartens.

A private kindergarten principal surnamed Tam, whose school charges less than HK$20,000 a year and which is located in an old district, said the subsidy was unfair to private kindergartens.

Tsang said the Education and Manpower Bureau will help change private kindergartens into nonprofit ones.

Callers who touched on political reform received little satisfaction, with Tsang saying the government was still looking for the best formula.

Boom brings more jobs and danger
Chester Yung
Hong Kong Standard
Monday, October 16, 2006

The improving economy has revived the construction industry and created more jobs, but it also brought along bad news - industrial accidents in some areas are on the rise.

According to latest Labour Department data, the number of accidents in building maintenance and renovation projects rose to 290 in the first quarter this year, from 247 in the corresponding period last year - up 17.4 percent. Maintenance and renovation accidents accounted for 44.1 percent of all construction accidents in the first quarter, from 36.5 percent a year earlier.

In 2004, a total of 17,533 industrial accidents were reported - an increase of 1.6 percent from 17,249 the previous year.

Speaking at the launch of the "Safe Working at Height Promotional Campaign 2006" Sunday, Permanent Secretary for Economic Development and Labour Matthew Cheung Kin-chung said it seemed the economic recovery had led to more industrial incidents.

Although the number of accidents in the construction sector dropped to 657 in the first quarter this year, from 677 in the same period last year, the accident rate per thousand workers has increased to 47.9 from 42.2, he said.

Cheung pointed out that four fatal accidents arising from renovation and maintenance works were related to working on trussed-out scaffolding last year while two such cases have been recorded this year.

"Investigations by the Labour Department showed that some of these accidents were caused by problems in erecting scaffolding," Cheung said.

"In other cases, we found that workers failed to use equipment to prevent themselves falling from a height while erecting or dismantling scaffolding, or failed to attach the safety harnesses to appropriate fixed anchorages or independent lifelines."

An accident victims' rights advocate said the industrial accident rate is higher than the official statistics.

"Official figures are only the tip of the iceberg as employers force workers not to report injuries," chief executive of the Association for the Rights of Industrial Accident Victims Chan Kam- hong said.

He said that although safety promotional efforts had been stepped up, there has been no improvement in industrial safety.

"Many workers have no choice but to work in the dangerous environment because they need to earn a living," he said.

The department and the Occupational Safety and Health Council jointly launched a subsidy scheme last year to help small- and medium-sized building contractors buy equipment to prevent workers falling from high-rises. A total of 264 applications had been approved up to the end of last month.

According to a study on the safety of trussed-out scaffolding by the University of Science and Technology, the use of T-shaped metal brackets could help overcome difficulties in fixing and removing the expansion anchor bolts at lower positions, Cheung said.

The department and the council recently decided to raise the ceiling for the subsidy scheme by HK$500 to further help applicants purchase up to a maximum of five T-shaped metal brackets.

Cheung said the department would step up enforcement and inspections to ensure that building contractors follow safety rules.

From news.gov.hk:
Jobless rate hits 62-month low (http://news.gov.hk/en/category/atschool/061017/html/061017en02004.htm)

Overworked staff won't give it a rest
Jonathan Cheng
Hong Kong Standard
Thursday, October 19, 2006

Hong Kong's workers are overworked and overstressed - and they do not seem to mind at all, a new study has found.

Some experts are concerned, however, that the apparent willingness to work overtime, sometimes without even taking a day off all year, will have long-term consequences for the health and satisfaction of workers.

"Companies have to look at this issue, because ignoring it will have an impact on productivity and quality of work," said Shalini Mahtani, chief executive of Community Business, a local non-profitmaking group that focuses on corporate social responsibility.

According to the survey, commissioned by Community Business and conducted by Hong Kong University's Popular Opinion Program, 61 percent of employees work overtime every week. More than a quarter of the respondents blamed overtime on not wanting to be the first person out of the office, or on not wanting to go home before the boss leaves the office.

Those kinds of attitudes are troubling, said study leader Robert Chung Ting-yiu. While respondents pegged an ideal balance between work and life at about 60:40, the reality was closer to 85:15, he said.

Worse, study organizers said, 44 percent still believe their work and private lives are "balanced."

Mahtani said: "Is this a sign of complacency, or are they scared to speak up, or are they just being realistic?"

She argued employers had to change their ways, or risk employee meltdown. "Until businesses understand that it's not good for their business, very little will get done," she said.

Benjamin Hung Pei-ching, consumer banking head at Standard Chartered Bank, said Hong Kong's efficiency and work ethic were largely responsible for the territory's prosperity. But at a certain point, he said, that work ethic begins bringing diminishing returns. Those at a leadership level must engage in dialogue with employees to make sure workers are not burning out.

Faster job growth points to pick-up in HK economy
By Susan Fenton

HONG KONG, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Hong Kong's already vibrant job market has accelerated in the past few months, indicating the economy has picked up from a lull in the second quarter and that employers are confident about the business outlook.

Unemployment fell to a five-year low of 4.7 percent in July-September and employment growth between May and September was the fastest since an economic recovery began three years ago.

"In July-September we saw the fastest increase in the labour force in 46 months, yet the unemployment rate fell to its lowest rate in 62 months. That's very positive," said David O'Rear, chief economist at the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce.

Accelerating employment growth points to a pick-up in economic activity from a sluggish second quarter when gross domestic product (GDP) was flat compared with the first three months of the year and grew 5.2 percent from a year earlier, its slowest pace since late 2003.

"Employment has been increasing in the past few months at a more visible rate," said Vincent Kwan, chief economist at Hang Seng Bank. "I think we'll see that annual GDP growth in the third quarter was back above 6 percent and if this momentum continues, fourth-quarter GDP growth could also be above 6 percent."

Signs that the U.S. economy -- Hong Kong's biggest export market after China -- is headed for a moderate, not sharp, slowdown and hopes that interest rates are close to peaking have boosted the economic outlook from a few months ago.

Kwan forecasts that better third and fourth quarters will result in 6.3 percent GDP growth for the full year, down from 7.3 percent in 2005 and 8.6 percent in 2004, but still solid.

REGIONAL ROLES

Confidence that the upturn in the economic cycle, which began in the summer of 2003, could last another few years is becoming more apparent among employers.

China's economic boom is a prime driver of job creation in Hong Kong, particularly at executive level, analysts said.

"Hiring in Hong Kong right now is probably double what it was a year ago," said Christine Greybe, managing director of executive search firm DHR International Asia Ltd.

"We're seeing a lot of demand for regional roles and specialist roles. Because the job market is better and companies' revenues are good, a chief executive who two years ago wasn't looking to move jobs may now look at the opportunities."

Greybe sees the executive market staying bullish through 2008 and the Beijing Olympics, which is already encouraging many multinationals to expand their operations in China, including Hong Kong.

Lower down the labour market, the strength of domestic demand and tourism is boosting demand for retail, hotel and restaurant staff and that is helping offset a slowing trade sector.

"For six years after the Asian financial crisis in 1997/98 during the economic downturn, people saved a lot of money," said George Leung, chief economist at HSBC. "As they have become more confident that economic recovery is sustainable they have started to spend and invest more. This could last another few years."

Not everyone is seeing better job prospects: structural unemployment is high as low-skilled jobs have shifted to China. Many economists believe the economy is now close to full employment and the jobless rate will not fall below 4 percent.

Excess supply of low-skilled workers has prompted calls for the introduction of a minimum wage -- and forced the government to urge voluntary introduction of minimum pay levels in some sectors -- to stop employers pushing down wages.

At the top of the market, employers have the opposite problem.

"Executives are demanding 20-30 percent increases in salary to move companies. That's quite significant," said Greybe. "They have the upper hand and a lot of multinational companies from outside the region are finding that very hard to swallow. They wonder why salaries are going up so much here."

Salaries rise 20-30pc - across the border only
Chester Yung
Hong Kong Standard
Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Hong Kong residents assigned to mainland posts have seen their salaries increase by 20 to 30 percent this year, while their counterparts in Hong Kong received only a modest 3 percent rise, according to a human resources study.

The study, jointly conducted by Hong Kong Baptist University and the Hong Kong People Management Association, distributed 760 questionnaires to companies in Hong Kong Kong and China between July and September this year. A total of 77 Hong Kong-based and 89 mainland-based firms replied - a response rate of 21.8 percent.

Among the 77 SAR-based companies, which employ 40,000 staff, the overall average salary increase for the period between July 2005 and June this year was 3.3 percent. The increase for managerial-level staff in the fields of sale and marketing was even higher - at 5.8 percent.

Next year's pay hike for employees of Hong Kong-based companies is expected to reach 3.5 percent on average, and the retail sector is expected to see the biggest increase - up to 5percent. Pay increases in the mainland are again expected to be higher.

According to the study, more than half of the 89 mainland companies surveyed, which employ about 14,000 people, said they hired Hong Kong staff. Compared with last year, the total remuneration this year saw a "rather substantial increase" for all levels of Hong Kong employees, especially for supervisory/technical staff who enjoyed pay hikes of up to 32.78 percent.

For managers and above, as well as general staff, the increases were 21.7 percent and 19.8 percent, respectively.

"As Hong Kong's economy continues to improve, and with more job opportunities here compared with a few years ago, people would prefer to work in Hong Kong, where their families and relatives live," said Pauline Chung Hei-ching, chairwoman of the 2006 Pay Level Survey Committee of the Hong Kong People Management Association. "Only a very attractive package -a substantial increase in salary plus benefits - can induce them to work in China."

Vivienne Luk Wai-mei, of the Department of Management at Baptist University, said: "Enterprises in China are going global and they need more Hong Kong people with international experience, that's why they need to pay them more to retain them."

On average, workers in the mainland received pay rises of between 6.5 percent and 7.2 percent this year, compared with 2.9 percent to 3.7 percent in Hong Kong, the survey found.

Explaining the huge difference, Chung said overall mainland salaries are much lower compared with Hong Kong and companies there cannot retain their staff by adopting the Hong Kong rate of increase.

In the mainland, fresh graduates enter the labor market on salaries ranging from 1,870 yuan (HK$1,844) to 2,048 yuan a month for those with a bachelor's degree, while those with a master's degree earn between 2,590 yuan and 3,388 yuan a month.

In Hong Kong, the average monthly entry pay this year for a bachelor's degree holder is HK$9,873 and HK$10,835 for a master's degree holder, compared with HK$9,563 and HK$10,866, respectively, last year.

According to the study, the overall average turnover rate in the SAR during the period of the survey ranged from 13.2 percent to 22.1 percent. Last year the turnover rate was between 11.1 percent and 20.6 percent.

Posts that saw the highest turnover included clerks, assistant accountants and sales executives.

In comparison, the mainland average turnover rates ranged from 12.5 percent to 41.1 percent, slightly lower than those of last year which ranged from 15.9 percent to 42.3 percent.

Promotion prospects and pay are the two main factors for Hong Kong residents deciding to leave their jobs for new postings, Chung said, while for mainlanders, salary is the main concern.

Unionists abandon pay policy challenge
Caroline Kim
Hong Kong Standard
Wednesday, October 25, 2006

The powerful Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions has abandoned its threat to launch a judicial review against the government's decision not to introduce minimum wage.

The decision to drop the lawsuit came after the Economic Development and Labour Bureau told the federation's three legislators it would conduct a review in October next year - one year earlier than planned.

One of the lawmakers, Kwong Chi- kin, said an interim review could pave the way for earlier legislation on minimum wage.

"We're taking a more pragmatic approach," Kwong said, insisting that an interim review might speed up the process for legislation instead of tedious court cases which could take up to two years to settle.

However, the government has reiterated that legislation on minimum wage would only be considered two years after implementation of the voluntary wage protection movement announced by Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen in his recent policy address.

"The time frame for a full review has not changed," Susanna Ho Shuk-han, principal information officer with the Labour Department, said Tuesday.

According to Kwong, the federation has decided not to take legal action against the government due to a lack of applicants.

"Although we have dealt with 16 cases so far asking for help, no one wants to go to court," Kwong said, adding that many employees are not prepared to speak out against their employers for fear of losing their jobs.

"Given the current situation, we have reconsidered the whole strategy geared towards the interim review."

In a letter to the federation, Permanent Secretary for Economic Development and Labour Matthew Cheung Kin- chung said: "The Labour Advisory Board will constantly review the progress of the wage protection movement. We'll conduct an interim review one year after the start of the movement."

Cheung, however, did not mention the inclusion of an interim review at the Legislative Council session Tuesday.

Lawmakers criticized the Labour Department for failing to look after the best interests of the public with sincere interest.

"What will happen to workers who are earning only HK$3,000 to HK$4,000 a month during the two-year wait?" asked lawmaker and federation member Wong Kwok-hing.

Another unionist legislator, Lee Cheuk-yan, warned that people's livelihoods are at stake, noting that it has taken more than a decade for the issue to be mentioned in the chief executive's policy address.

"You're not giving hope to low- income groups," he told Cheung.

Members of the federation said other methods will be initiated to represent low-wage workers earning HK$3,000 to HK$4,000 a month.

"We have to be fair - the commercial sector wants two-and-a-half years for the wage protection movement to be tried out," said Secretary for Economic Development and Labour Stephen Ip Shu-kwan.

"We'll give two years to employers and employees to work it out voluntarily," he added.

The interim review of the wage protection movement, aimed at protecting the wages of cleaners and security guards, will be conducted in October next year.

Brain drain only adds to HK woes
Gita Dhungana
Hong Kong Standard
Monday, October 30, 2006

A growing trend of skilled people moving to the mainland has become an additional cause of concern for Hong Kong's labor force, said a senior consultant at a human resource consulting firm.

"In addition to the aging population, we are seeing a local brain drain as technical and leadership capabilities move to China," said Brenda Wilson, a senior director with Mercer Human Resource Consulting.

"There is a big exodus of the brightest locals moving to China as China needs so many of them."

As more mainland firms go global and more multinational companies expand operations in China, companies tap Hong Kong and other mature economies in Greater China for managerial and technical expertise, she said. China still lacks skilled people with international business experience.

For those who want to work in China, they should know there is a huge demand for talent across the border, Wilson added.

A recent survey conducted by Hong Kong Baptist University and the Hong Kong People Management Association on companies in Hong Kong and China found that salaries of Hong Kong residents working in the mainland increased by 20 to 30 percent this year, while those in Hong Kong received a modest rise of 3 percent.

Minimum wage bid by workers
Albert Wong
Hong Kong Standard
Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Three discontented grassroots workers have applied for legal aid, hoping to initiate a judicial review over the lack of minimum wage legislation.

Chief applicant, Carl Ching Lok- suen, president of the little known Grassroots Democratic Society, appeared at the Queensway government offices Tuesday for a meeting with a legal aid officer.

He said his legal arguments have yet to be refined, but in general, he was protesting the legislative delay over the minimum wage.

"Whether, it's a one year delay, or two years, it doesn't matter. The government should legislate for a minimum wage now," he said.

Ching also said he wanted to send a message out to the working class that "it doesn't take a big name legislator or big political party to initiate a judicial review."

A decision has yet to be made by the Legal Aid Department, and Ching estimated it will take two weeks before he finds out whether he will be granted aid or not.

However, by that time a legal challenge by the Confederation of Trade Unions and other unionist legislators will have already been mounted.

Leung Yiu-chung, a lawmaker affiliated with the Neighbourhood and Workers' Service Centre who is supporting the CTU's judicial review, said Tuesday they should be ready to submit their judicial review application sometime this week.

"We only need the barrister to go through the final draft of the writ," he said, adding he has had no contact with Ching and thought it unnecessary to merge the two possible challenges.

Ching said if he were not granted legal aid, he would like to join the unionists' challenge, "but it's up to them, they may not want me."

Ching said he and another fellow applicant, surnamed Wong, were both in security. The third applicant, surnamed Cheng, had worked as a courier, but is now unemployed.

Ching said new workers in his industry were only being paid a base salary of about HK$3,000 a month, with an hourly rate of HK$13 for overtime. "In addition to performance bonuses, they get about HK$5,000 a month," Ching said.

Wong said the security sector was renowned for its long hours, low pay, and an "oppressive working environment."

Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen incensed unionist lawmakers in his policy address last month when he said he would initiate a minimum wage "movement" but would review the situation after two years before deciding on legislation.

The Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions vowed to seek a judicial review, but backed down when the government said it would review the situation after one year.

The CTU has now taken up the cause and is expected to argue that a 1940 Trade Boards Ordinance, which has never been invoked, specifies a minimum wage law should be enacted.

Hong Kong cleaning worker launches minimum wage challenge

HONG KONG, Dec 4, 2006 (AFP) - A Hong Kong cleaning worker has launched a legal challenge against the government's refusal to enact legislation setting out a minimum wage for low-paid workers, a report said Monday.

Chan Noi-keung, a contract cleaning worker for a local bus company, has applied to the High Court for a judicial review that could reverse the government's wages policy, reported local radio RTHK.

Chan said she works 10 hours a day and saw her monthly wage cut to 3,400 Hong Kong dollars (436 US) from 4,000 dollars four years ago, adding that she now found it hard to make a living.

Her challenge was supported by local lawmakers, including trade unionist Lee Cheuk-yan, who said the government had not enforced a law to protect low-paid workers as stipulated under a trade board ordinance.

"There (is) a very clear article in the ordinance saying that if there (is) low wage situation the chief executive in council may stipulate minimum wage legislation for that particular trade occupation.

"Very obviously, there are low wage situations, which even the government themselves admitted," he was quoted as saying, criticising the authorities for failing to tackle the low wage situation in the territory.

Lee called for the government to protect low wage workers.

A minimum wage has been mooted here for some time, but as the wealth gap has widened and job creation lagged behind economic growth, grassroots demands for government action have grown louder.

While economic growth is expected to reach a whopping eight percent this year, an estimated 500,000 people -- one in every 11 in this city of seven million -- live below the local poverty line, earning less than 760 US dollars a month.

The government has urged employers to stick to a voluntary code of wage maintenance before it considers minimum wage legislation.

Law on long hours sought by workers
Winnie Chong
Hong Kong Standard
Monday, December 18, 2006

Legislation should be enacted to prevent workers from being forced to work long hours, which is affecting their health, according to nearly half of employees interviewed in a survey.

The survey, carried out by lawmaker Mandy Tam Heung-man, who represents the accountancy sector, interviewed 377 full-time employees last month, and found that many of them had to work overtime.

Almost half (47.5 percent) of the respondents said they had to work 10 to 11 hours a day on average, and 15.1 percent even had to work up to more than 12 hours daily.

Nearly 75 percent of those polled said they needed to work overtime at least once a week, 29.7 percent once to twice a week, 29.2 percent three to four times weekly, and 17.8 percent five times or more each week.

Among those who worked overtime, about half (48.8 percent) said they had to work for two to three hours more on each of the overtime work days.

More than 90 percent of the respondents said their health was being affected because of the long working hours.

As a result, about half of them said they had to take sick leave in the past three months for at least one to three days.

The workers hoped employers can reduce their workload (29.4 percent), and offer overtime pay (37.4 percent) and compensation leave (26.8 percent).

Nearly half of the respondents (46.7 percent) also wanted the government to legislate on standard working hours, while 35.8 percent hoped there would be standard working hours.

Tam said the findings revealed the seriousness of working overtime among employees in the territory, which has become a usual practice.

"Overtime work should be incidental and temporary to deal with some urgent work before and after holidays," said Tam, adding that forcing employees to work overtime regularly is not healthy.

She agreed there should be legislation on standard working hours although implementing it would be difficult and there should be further studies on the issue.

"There's even strong resistance among employers to minimum wage legislation, so how can we ask for legislation on standard working hours?"

Instead, Tam urged employers to change their concept toward long working hours, while the government can do more promotional work on the matter.

"There's peer group pressure that some staff are afraid to be the first to leave the office since they are worried bosses may get a bad impression of them. I think employers or supervisors should take the lead to reform," Tam said.

The legislator also said employees made to work overtime should be compensated in terms of money or leave credits.

Cheng Man-yung, a member of both the Hong Kong Medical Association and the Occupational Safety and Health Council, said working long hours can affect a person physically and mentally, like causing headaches, back pains, bad temper and mental illnesses.

"It's advisable for a worker to have enough rest before working long hours," Cheng said. "Many employers are not aware that long working hours can affect an employee's health, emotions and mental health."

He also said people should maintain a balanced lifestyle.

Hong Kong unemployment falls to six-year low of 4.4 percent

HONG KONG, Dec 19, 2006 (AFP) - Unemployment in Hong Kong fell to a six year low of 4.4 percent in the September to November period, a government statement said Tuesday, down from 4.5 percent in the previous three-month period.

The number of unemployed fell about 7,200 to 161,700 while the total number of people employed grew around 12,900 to an all-time high of 3.5 million.

The labour force increased by around 5,600, to 3.67 million. Hong Kong has a population of just fewer than seven million.

Decreases were seen mostly in the wholesale and retail trades, manufacturing and restaurants sectors, the statement from the Census and Statistics Department said.

The statement said unemployment continued to improve "on the back of robust economic performance".

"The near-term outlook will mainly hinge on the overall business conditions and in particular job creation in the corporate sector during the festival period around Christmas and the New Year," it added.

- anyone wanting to become a civil servant ?

Civil service hope for contract staff

Sylvia Chan

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

The government plans to absorb into the civil service about one-fourth of the more than 16,000 jobs now under contract terms, Secretary for the Civil Service Denise Yue Chung-yee said Monday. However, those holding the 4,000 positions would not automatically become civil servants, she said.
At a meeting of the Legislative Council's panel on public service, Yue said there are now about 4,000 non-civil service contract positions involving work that is more appropriately performed by civil servants. These will soon be changed to civil service posts.

Yue said the government is reviewing the work involved with the remaining 12,000 non-civil service contract positions. Some of the positions involve services to be outsourced by the government and are not suitable to be changed to civil service posts.

There is no "through-train arrangement" for the non-civil service staff to automatically switch to becoming civil servants, Yue said. Those wishing to join the government will have to go through the civil service recruitment exercise. However, she agreed the staff would have an advantage over new applicants because of their government work experience.

The no-civil service contract scheme was introduced in 1999 to give more flexibility in employing workers in areas where service needs are short term, seasonal and subject to market fluctuations, or where the mode of service delivery was under review.

Unionist legislator Lee Cheuk-yan fears the 12,000 non-contract staff may lose their jobs if the government decided to outsource some of the services. He said the government should shoulder the social responsibility of providing job security for the non-contract staff.

Yue said the government has a "big market, small government" policy and will outsource suitable services to make better use of public money.

Lee also said the government should switch some of the 2,033 non-civil service contract staff in Hongkong Post to civil servants because of their long-term services.

However, deputy postmaster-general Chan Yau-fung said about 1,100 of the non-contract staff in Hongkong Post were mainly involved in sorting, loading and unloading of mail and work between 18 and 36 hours per week. He said they do not meet the hours required of civil servants, which is 45 hours per week, and could not be converted to civil servants.

Attracting talent vital to business edge
Hong Kong Standard
Tuesday, January 16, 2007

To enhance Hong Kong's competitive edge in the trade and business sector, cooperation in attracting non-local talent and students should be encouraged to meet the human resources demand from various industries, one of the summit reports released Monday suggested.

"Every economic system can do many things to increase its competitiveness," said Victor Fung Kwok- king, convenor of the Focus Group on Trade and Business, "but after all, talent is what matters. I believe attracting, retaining and training talent is the most important factor in maintaining the growth of an economic system." The report suggested that relevant government departments should establish manpower development advisory committees to improve "industry- academia-government" collaboration. Five service industries were suggested as starting points: financial services, logistics, tourism, information services, and creative industries and IT.

The group also suggested the Steering Committee on Developing Hong Kong as a Regional Education Hub should implement measures to encourage more non-local students to study in Hong Kong. Helpful actions could include increasing the quota for non-local students from 10 percent to 20 percent, relaxing restrictions on part-time work, and providing more boarding facilities.

The group also proposed establishing a Brand Hong Kong Group as the brand creator and brand manager of "Brand Hong Kong," which aims to reinforce Hong Kong's image as an international city.

"We should strive to enhance Hong Kong's status as an international trade and business center and strengthen our international competitiveness," Fung said. Specific measures include priorities such as taking advantage of the world's attention on the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR, as well as longer-term actions like encouraging more creativity and innovation in education.

The group also proposed a consultative arrangement with major business associations which would provide a private-sector perspective in tapping the full potential of the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement in further trade liberalization, and conducting research on CEPA benefits.

As for environmental protection, the group proposed establishing a high- level mechanism and developing a masterplan to reduce Hong Kong air pollution.

Hong Kong unemployment holds steady

HONG KONG, Jan 18, 2007 (AFP) - Unemployment in Hong Kong held steady at 4.4 percent for October to December, unchanged from the three months to November, official figures showed Thursday.

Total employment increased by around 9,100 to an all-time high of 3.5 million during the three-month period, as the labour force rose 4,600 to a new high of 3.7 million.

It said the reduction in the unemployment rate was seen in the restaurant, insurance and communications sectors, while increases were seen in the amusement, recreation, sanitary and real estate sectors.

For 2006 as a whole, the unemployment rate averaged at 4.8 percent, down from 5.6 percent in 2005, due to a faster growth in total employment than the total labour force.

Friday April 27, 7:04 PM
H.K. labor union urges minimum pay legislation

(Kyodo) Minimum wage legislation is needed in Hong Kong to protect low-skilled workers from employers' manipulation as the pay gap has widened from a decade ago, a labor union head said Friday.

Lee Cheuk-yan, secretary general of the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions that represents 170,000 members, said the city's economy has revived to even better than the 1997 level but the wage gap keeps widening.

"Low-skilled workers have little bargaining power against the employers, some of whom continue to pay pathetically low wages," Lee told reporters. "Minimum wage legislation is desperately needed to protect all low-income earners."

There is no statutory minimum wage in Hong Kong.

The union suggested a legal minimum hourly pay of HK$30 (US$3.8). It said legislation is also need to regulate working hours.

Quoting data from the Census and Statistics Department, the union found that non-skilled workers suffered a 16.7 percent drop in their median monthly income in 2006 from 1997.



The data revealed that 20 jobs in seven sectors are paying less than HK$30 an hour.

For example, some Chinese restaurant workers are paid an hourly average of just HK$21, or HK$5,425 a month for a 10-hour day, 26 days a month. That represents a 21 percent pay drop from 1997.

While low-skilled workers are suffering reduced income, salary levels for managers and administrative staff last year restored to 1997 level.

Per-capita gross domestic product grew from HK$210,350 in 1997 to HK$214,710 last year, while the median monthly income rose from HK$9,500 in 1996 to HK$10,000 last year, according to statistics.

Instead of enacting a law to regulate pay, Chief Executive Donald Tsang launched a wage protection movement last year to ensure that employees would receive wages not lower than the average market rates of the relevant industries and occupations pending a review of the policy in two years.

So far, less than 1,000 employers have joined the voluntary movement, said a government official. The official said the government will legislate minimum pay for cleaners and security guards.

As of last year, Hong Kong had a labor force of 3.37 million, of which 1.6 million workers earned less than HK$10,000 a month.

Judicial review opens on minimum wage
2007-05-07 HKT 12:21
RTHK

http://www.rthk.org.hk/APSuppics/mfile_56_398647_1.jpg

A judicial review, on whether the government is legally bound to introduce minimum wage legislation, has opened in the High Court. Lawyers representing legislator Leung Kwok-hung say both domestic legislation and international labour agreements, under which Hong Kong is bound, require the chief executive to exercise his powers to impose such a law.

Activists seek court ruling for minimum wage
Hong Kong Standard
Tuesday, May 08, 2007

The High Court has started hearing arguments on whether Hong Kong is obligated by an international covenant to ensure its citizens have a "decent living" and if Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen is bound by a 67-year- old ordinance to set a minimum wage for workers.

The judicial review was brought by 52-year-old cleaner Chan Noi-heung and League of Social Democrats legislator Leung Kwok-hung.

The two applicants are asking Justice Michael Hartmann of the Court of First Instance to reverse Tsang's decision to rely on the voluntary cooperation of employers to set minimum wages, rather than to legislate.

Counsel Hector Pun Hei, representing Chan, submitted the government is bound by the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

In particular, Article 7 states that the parties concerned should recognize the right of everyone to enjoy just and favorable conditions of work, including fair wages and a decent living for themselves and their families in accordance with the provisions of the covenant.

According to Pun, Chan takes this to mean "minimum wages."

Pun Monday also argued the government had failed to act under the Trade Boards Ordinance, enacted in 1940, to legislate on a minimum wage. He said the chief executive was bound by his power to legislate.

But Hartmann suggested that under the law, the chief executive may exercise his power any time he thinks fit. It does not necessarily mean he is bound by and must exercise his discretion to legislate a minimum wage.

If he is supported by other facts that there is a better way for the workers and Hong Kong than to legislate, his decision is not irrational and therefore not in breach of the law.

Hartmann also indicated it was not in a judge's jurisdiction to decide whether legislating a minimum wage was good or bad.

According to Pun, the government's argument is that the ordinance was passed 60 years ago and is outdated.

He said the government is also expected to argue it is not bound by the particular covenant mentioned by the applicants.

The government told the Legislative Council last year it will conduct an overall review of the Wage Protection Movement in October 2008.

If the voluntary movement fails to fulfill its purpose, the government will start to prepare for the introduction of legislation to ensure a minimum wage for cleaners and security guards.

Chan, who worked for a Kowloon Motor Bus contractor when the writ was drafted last year, said she was then paid HK$3,400 a month for a 10-hour day with only four days off each month.

However, since March, she has joined another KMB contractor, and her working hours were reduced to six hours per day while her salary rose to HK$3,783 a month. She said her hourly wage had improved from about HK$13 an hour to about HK$24.20.

"My present wage is closer to the market rate, but I have to continue with the judicial review to help my fellow workers," Chan said before the hearing.

Leung Kwok-hung, who is expected to make his submission today, said outside court the voluntary movement was a failure with fewer than 900 private enterprises willing to join so far.

He described it as part of the government's "delaying tactics" to avoid legislating on a minimum wage.

"I worked as a cleaner 20 years ago, but my monthly wage then was higher than Chan's," he said.

"When you consider the inflation over the past 20 years, you can understand how absurd it is. This clearly shows the government is not telling the truth and has failed to protect the rights of laborers."

Outside the court, before the hearing began, about 15 members representing the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions and the League of Social Democrats called on the government to legislate a minimum wage.

The hearing continues today.

New entry-level salaries in store for civil servants

Michael Ng

Wednesday, May 16, 2007


Higher starting salaries are in store for new civil servants.
The proposed increases - for some civilian grades and most disciplined grades - are aimed at improving market competitiveness and luring more talented people to join the government.

The Civil Service Bureau said Tuesday the adjustments - the first in seven years - will take effect later this year pending approval by lawmakers.

The starting pay for jobs with strong demand in the market, such as government counsel, administrative officers and accountants, is expected to go up by more than 25 percent, while the salaries of the lowest-ranking civil servants, like technicians, drivers and workmen, will remain unchanged.

Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service Andrew Wong Ho-yuen said the starting-salaries survey, commissioned by the government last year, showed the starting salaries for posts in nine categories, comprising mostly civilian and disciplined grades, should be raised from one to a maximum of five pay points.

For instance, the starting monthly pay of a newly admitted government counsel would be increased from HK$33,355 to HK$41,965, or by 25.8 percent, while that of an administrative officer would go up from HK$26,540 to HK$33,355, or by 25.6 percent.

The largest increment would be for an accounting officer II and executive officer II, as their starting salaries would rise by 30.5 percent to HK$19,860.

"For those in some highly competitive sectors, the salary level we're offering now is no longer competitive to the private market, and that's why we have to make adjustments," Wong said.

"Taking the post of government counsel, for example, we're hiring more than 20 government counsels every year but we're always short of the target. Generally, the posts of government counsel and accountant have shown the highest turnover in the civil service."

Secretary for the Civil Service Denise Yue Chung-yee said she hoped the proposed adjustments could attract, retain and motivate staff with suitable caliber to serve the public.

Federation of Civil Service Unions chairman Leung Chau-ting said although higher starting salaries for medium- and high-ranking civil servants would help lure talented people, he was not pleased with the stalemate in the lower end.

"This is regrettable as the proposed adjustments focus merely on medium- and higher-ranking staffers, and this will further polarize the overall salary structure of the civil service team," Leung said. "To offer better fringe benefits, the government should consider restoring the previous system adopted in the 1970s and offer a special living allowance of not more than HK$500 a month to those in the lowest ranks."

But Wong said the bureau had already consulted four staff consultative councils and four interdepartmental civil service unions about the survey's findings, and all of them have agreed to the bureau's proposals.

And, to prevent the starting salaries of recruits from being higher than those of their present colleagues of the same rank, Wong said arrangements have also been proposed for 12,200 civil servants, who joined after April 2000 and are affected by the revisions.

He said if their existing pay is below that of the new starting-salary level of newcomers in their respective ranks, it would be revised to the same level as the new starting salaries in future. If their pay is the same or higher than the salary of new recruits, it would be raised by one pay point subject to the maximum pay point of the affected ranks.

Wong said this was necessary as it would be fairer to those who have been in the civil service for years.

"Otherwise, it would create problems in our management. As everybody knows, if the salary level of a civil servant who has worked for five years in the post is lower than that of a newcomer, he or she would not be happy," he said.

With more than 9,000 teaching staff joining local aided schools during the same period, and whose remuneration package is pegged to the civil service pay system, they also stand to benefit from such an arrangement.

The bureau estimates that the salary adjustments will cost the government HK$663 million annually.

Wong said the bureau will submit the proposals at a meeting of the Legislative Council's public service panel Monday.

With the new starting salaries expected to come into effect on the first day of the month immediately after they are approved by Legco, he hoped the council's finance committee could scrutinize and endorse the proposals before the current legislative year ends in July.

Cleaner in setback on wage fight
Hong Kong Standard
Thursday, May 17, 2007

A cleaner's fight to force the government to introduce fixed minimum wages for cleaners has suffered a setback after her judicial review was dismissed by the High Court.

Court of First Instance Justice Michael Hartmann said in his written judgment Wednesday he did not find the Trade Boards Ordinance, on which the applicants - cleaner Chan Noi- heung and lawmaker "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung - relied made the chief executive constitutionally bound to set up a minimum wage policy.

The judge ruled the law states the chief executive's power is discretionary and does not state the chief executive has a duty to set up such a policy.

The judge said he was satisfied that the ordinance has put into the charge of the Chief Executive in Council a weapon to combat the social evil of poverty in the workplace, a weapon to be used "when the Chief Executive in Council thinks fit."

"But the chief executive is under no duty to exercise his discretion to fix a minimum wage or to establish a trade board to advise him concerning the matter if he is of the opinion that other measures, including extra-legislative measures, are to be preferred," Hartmann said.

The judge said he was also satisfied that the chief executive had rejected the idea of fixing a minimum wage because there were more effective measures available to him.

"In short, while the chief executive advocated a pragmatic approach that avoided the imposition of minimum wages, such as the Wage Protection Movement, to assist cleaning workers and security guards, he left the door open for the introduction of legislative measures if the extra-legislative approach failed."

Therefore, the judge said, the court could not rule he ignored the issue by refusing to exercise his powers.

Although the applicants also argued that Article 7 of the International Covenant on Economics, Social and Cultural Rights stated that the parties should recognize the right of everyone to enjoy just and favorable conditions of work, including fair wages and a decent living for themselves and their families, the judge ruled this does not impose an obligation to set up a legal machinery for fixing minimum wages, let alone an obligation to fix them.

As the court is concerned only with the legality of the chief executive's action, the judge did not find the Chief Executive in Council had either misconstrued the ordinance or exercised his discretion in a way which runs contrary to its objects.

Chan, 52, and Leung were ordered to pay costs to the Chief Executive in Council.

Surrounded by about 30 supporters from the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions and the League of Social Democrats, Chan said she was very disappointed by the judge's decision.

She said she will seek legal advice to see if she has grounds to appeal the ruling.

2007 Pay Trend Survey Findings Announced
http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200705/21/P200705210194.htm

Job vacancies reach record five-year high
Hong Kong Standard
Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Job vacancies in Hong Kong reached a record five-year high in the first quarter of this year, according to the latest human resources study released Tuesday.

The survey, conducted by the Hong Kong Institute of Human Resource Management, interviewed 115 companies which employed a total of more than 120,000 people. More than 60 percent of the companies employed fewer than 500 staff members.

An overall vacancy rate of 3.1 percent, up 0.25 percent year on year, was observed in the first three months of the year, the highest since the figures were first collected in 2002. Institute president Lai Kam-tong said: "The job market remains tight due to an overall active economy and we expect some upward pressures on wages as well."

A lack of workers was most pronounced in the financial services, banking and insurance sectors, reaching 5.62 percent. Wholesale, import and export sectors at 5.06 percent and community or social services at 4.64 per cent came second and third, respectively.

A 4.09 percent vacancy rate showed middle-tier managers are the most sought-after in the market.

Turnover for the first three months of the year was 2.85 percent, up 0.19 percentage points on the quarter.

Workers in retail, wholesale, import or export trading and manufacturing were the greatest job-hoppers, registering percentages of 6.48, 5.56 and 4.92, respectively.

Lai said the most frequent job switchers were aged 20 to 30, earned salaries of HK$20,000 and had four years' working experience. He also expected workers to switch jobs more often this quarter, after employees collected their annual pay rises.

Lai urged enterprises to strongly consider providing what he called an attractive "total reward approach," including family-friendly policies such as male maternity leave and flexible office hours, in order to retain key members of staff.

"Intangibles like communication channels and corporate culture are also key components that could keep employees from switching jobs," Lai said.

HSBC sees full employment by year end
20 July 2007
South China Morning Post

Hong Kong is expected to achieve full employment by the end of this year, after the government reported a 4.2 per cent unemployment rate and a record high number of people with jobs last month.

HSBC economist George Leung Siu-kay said he believed the jobless rate could dip to below 4 per cent by the end of the year, which would theoretically mean full employment.

As Hong Kong continues to evolve into a service-oriented economy, some people become and remain jobless because their skills do not match those employers require. HSBC estimates this "structural unemployment" will affect about 4 per cent of the labour force.

Mr Leung said it was unlikely the jobless rate would improve in the next few months, when more fresh graduates and school leavers join the labour market. But, given the healthy economy, it should fall steadily to below 4 per cent by the end of the year.

"We should be seeing sustained improvements in the jobless rate in the second half of this year," Mr Leung said.

The jobless rate stands at 4.2 per cent - a nine-year low. This is down slightly from 4.3 per cent in May.

According to the Census and Statistics Department, a record 3,486,800 people, or roughly half the population, had jobs as of last month. Most improvement was seen in the construction, amusement and recreational services, and retail sectors.

The underemployment rate, which measures those who cannot find more than 35 hours' work a week, held steady at 2.2 per cent. The foundation and superstructure construction, manufacturing, and amusement and recreational services sectors worsened, while there were improvements in the insurance and transport sectors.

A government spokesman said the near-term outlook would depend on whether enough jobs could be created to absorb the new job seekers leaving school.

For the three months to September, fewer employers appear to expect hiring to pick up. The latest survey by recruitment firm Hudson indicates overall hiring intentions for the third quarter have declined, even though demand in some sectors remains strong.

Of 716 executives, only 49 per cent expected their firms to hire more staff, down from 56 per cent in the second quarter and 62 per cent a year ago.

The legal sector had the strongest hiring intentions with 68 per cent saying they would hire this quarter. The banking and financial services sector also had high expectations, with 57 per cent indicating hiring expectations.

最新失業率降至4.1%

2007年8月20日

本港五至七月的失業率為4.1%，是自九八年中來的最低位。總就業人數近350萬人，為歷來最高。




統計處發表的最新修訂的勞動人口統計數字，經季節性調整的失業率由今年四月至六月的4.2%，降至年五月至七月的4.1%(臨時數字)，是自一九九八年年中以來的最低位。不過，同期間的就業不足率則由2.2%輕微上升至2.3%(臨時數字)。

與二零零七年四月至六月比較，二零零七年五月至七月期間失業率(不經季節性調整)的下跌主要見於裝修及保養業和運輸業，而失業率的上升則主要見於娛樂及康樂服務業和地產業。就業不足率方面，上升主要見於娛樂及康樂服務業和清潔服務業。

總就業人數由二零零七年四月至六月的3 485 000人，上升至二零零七年五月至七月的3 494 000人(臨時數字)的歷史性高位，約增加9 000人。同期間，總勞動人口亦由3 640 700人同樣上升至3 651 900人(臨時數字)的歷史性高位，約增加11 200人。

失業人數(不經季節性調整)由二零零七年四月至六月的155 700人，上升至二零零七年五月至七月的157 900人(臨時數字)，約增加2 200人。同期間，就業不足人數由81 200人上升至83 500人(臨時數字)，約增加2 300人。

政府發言人表示，因有更多首次求職人士(其中主要為應屆畢業生及離校人士)投入勞工市場，總勞動人口持續上升至最新季度3.65百萬人的新高，增加約11 000人。儘管如此，這些新加入的勞工大部分被市場所吸納而成為就業人士，故失業人數只輕微上升約2 200人。撇除季節性因素後，經季節性調整的失業率實際上仍進一步下降至超過九年來最低位的4.1%。

經季節性調整的失業率會否於短期內繼續下跌，達至4%或更低的水平，將視乎就業增長相對於勞工供應的增幅，尤其是在後者之中有關勞動人口參與率的變化。

Does that mean I can get a job in HK ?!

Jobless rate falls to nine-year low

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Hong Kong's unemployment fell to 4.1 percent, the lowest rate in nine years, as the economy accelerated on consumer spending, exports and investment.
The seasonally adjusted rate for the three months ended July 31 was below the 4.2 percent median estimate of 14 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News.

Hong Kong's longest economic expansion in almost a decade is giving businesses the confidence to hire more staff. The government last week raised its forecast for growth this year by half a percentage point to a range of 5 percent to 6 percent.

"It means the labor market is still tight. It bodes well for domestic demand. There are other factors affecting private consumption but wages are going up and at least from a labor market perspective it supports the good figures that we've seen for private consumption expenditure continuing," said Eli Polatinsky, economist at Macquarie Securities.

Gross domestic product grew 6.9 percent in the second quarter from a year earlier, after increasing 5.7 percent in the previous three months. Retail sales climbed a more-than-expected 14.3 percent in June from a year earlier. Spending by tourists helped, as visitor numbers grew 6.8 percent to more than 13 million in the first six months of this year.

Hong Kong is benefiting from its role as a transport and financial hub for the mainland.

"Retail businesses in particular are hiring more staff," said Joe Lo, a senior economist at Citigroup in Hong Kong. "The jobless rate will drop to below 4 percent this year."

The mainland economy expanded 11.9 percent in the second quarter, the fastest pace in 12 years.

Unemployment has fallen from a high of 8.6 percent in July 2003, after the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome epidemic.

There may be a side effect from the strength of Hong Kong's labor market.

"People are spending much longer waiting in front of company lifts and in washrooms," Lo said. "Companies have added so many jobs, while office facilities seem to be failing to keep up."

Ironworkers in 'record' Hong Kong strike

HONG KONG, Aug 26, 2007 (AFP) - Thousands of striking ironworkers and their supporters marched through Hong Kong on Sunday in what they said is now the longest-running industrial dispute in the territory for 30 years.

Around 600 workers marked their 19th day of strikes with a two kilometre (one mile) march through the city to protest poor pay and working conditions.

They were backed by students, academics and other trade unionists with almost all the marchers donning red headbands, chanting and singing. The march was headed by a group of workers carrying several long iron girders.

"We are continuing the momentum," said the general secretary of the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions, Lee Cheuk Yan.

"Thousands of workers have come out to struggle for their work. We are asking for a share of the prosperity that we have helped create in Hong Kong," he told AFP.

The dispute is between the workers -- who shape and lay the metal bars that form the skeletons of buildings in this skyscraper city -- and their employers, the contractors' association, over daily rates.

The association has offered 850 Hong Kong dollars (110 US dollars) per day but the ironworkers are demanding 950 dollars, the South China Morning Post newspaper reported.

Lee, who is also a Hong Kong legislator, said the dispute was wider.

"We do not just represent barbenders, but many of the workers in Hong Kong. We are demanding fair laws and a minimum wage for workers," he said during the rally, which ended at the territory's government offices.

The workers are also calling on the government to act as mediators in the dispute.

Academics who have supported the protest believe it shows a wider problem in Hong Kong, where many menial workers do not share the benefits of a strong economy.

"The ironworkers' fight is only a manifestation of exploitation that other workers in Hong Kong are facing," Ip Iam-chong, a teaching fellow at Lingnan University, told the South China Morning Post.

Although a few workers have broken the strike, Lee said the "will is still very strong."

A spokesman for the government Labour and Welfare Bureau said Sunday that the department was "doing its best to mediate between the employees and the employers."

"It is hoped that both parties would return to the meeting table and continue dialogue as soon as possible with a view to narrowing their differences and reaching a consensus," the spokesman said in a statement.

Bubbling economy sees records in job turnover, vacancies
29 August 2007
South China Morning Post

Job turnover and vacancy rates soared to record highs in the second quarter of this year amid an active labour market and a more optimistic hiring outlook, according to a survey by the Hong Kong Institute of Human Resource Management.

"The Hong Kong job market has performed well due to recent strong economic growth," institute president Lai Kam-tong said.

"High employee turnover and job vacancies also indicate that recruitment conditions in general are becoming more difficult."

According to the institute's latest quarterly manpower survey, the overall turnover rate rose to a record 4.22 per cent in the second quarter of this year, up from 2.85 per cent on the previous quarter and 3.08 per cent a year ago. The vacancy rate jumped to 3.51 per cent compared to 3.1 per cent in the first three months of this year and 2.79 per cent year on year.

On a half-yearly basis, the job turnover and vacancy rates reached 7.07 per cent and 3.31 per cent respectively, both record levels.

The survey covered 137 companies and 130,000 employees.

Mr Lai said the retail and property development trades suffered the highest turnover rates. The real estate sector, which includes the construction industry, recorded a turnover rate of 13.88 per cent while the retail turnover rate was 8.27 per cent. In terms of vacancy rates, the professional services sector had the highest at 5.83 per cent, followed by the finance and engineering industries.

The highest turnover rate was recorded for frontline staff at 4.18 per cent while middle-management positions had the highest vacancy rate, 4.66 per cent.

The increasing competition for talent has meant that one of the big-four accounting firms has had to offer at least a 20 per cent pay rise to senior management staff not to leave, a source said.

Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation business counsellor Spencer Ma Wai-pong warned that many firms were experiencing severe manpower problems that could not be solved simply by raising salaries.

He said staff were demanding more work-life balance and wanted more focus on career development, training opportunities and overseas exposure.

Unemployment edges up

19/09/2007

Unemployment in the three months to August edged up unexpectedly as a result of stronger-than-expected expansion in the labor supply as more new graduates and school-leavers entered the market, the government said yesterday.
The seasonally adjusted June-to- August jobless rate edged up to 4.2 percent from 4.1 percent in the May-to- July period, according to figures released by the Census and Statistics Bureau.

"This was the first increase in the jobless rate this year," said Peng Chen, an economist at JPMorgan Chase. "However, the rise was largely due to seasonal factors, as we saw more fresh graduates start to look for jobs, and in the meantime, existing employees jump into the job market to seek new opportunities."

Despite a 0.1 percentage point increase in the jobless rate, employment grew at a robust rate.

The city added about 10,100 more jobs between June and August from 9,200 in May to July, swelling the employed population to an all-time high of 3.5 million. But this was not enough to accommodate the strong expansion of the labor force, which increased by 18,500 to a new high of 3.67 million over the same period.

The labor force refers to those aged 15 years and above, and who are employed or seeking jobs.

A government spokesman said that in the summer more new graduates and school-leavers entered the market. The underemployment rate was stable at 2.3 percent for the three months ending August.

Daniel Chan, DBS Bank senior investment strategist, predicted the jobless number in coming months will remain steady at between 4.1 percent and 4.2 percent, before easing to 4 percent by year's end.

But Citigroup economist Joe Lo disagreed. "Private firms have reported a weaker workforce expansion and smaller salary hikes," he said. "Employers' intentions to hire may be undermined by growing risks of a US slowdown and China's policy tightening."

Workers still paid below minimum, says Oxfam
Hong Kong Standard
Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Ah Ping considers herself lucky, even though she survives on only HK$3,170 a month as a cleaner.

The 54-year-old woman, who can just make ends meet, said her part-time job pays about HK$24.40 an hour, which is better than many other private- sector offers.

"In the past I refused offers giving as little as HK$12 [per hour]. What can I do with this little money?"

Working under a government contract, Ah Ping's salary is protected by the mandatory wage scheme which has been in force since May 2004.

But many grassroots workers in the private sector are still not feeling the benefits of the government's Wage Protection Movement, unionists say.

This requires participating companies to pay cleaners and security guards at least the market rate set by the Census and Statistics Department.

"The voluntary and no-penalty movement has not helped all workers earn a decent pay - many still aren't paying the market rate," said Oxfam Hong Kong program manager Joseph Woo Man-lung.

According to an Oxfam study conducted between July and August, three out of four surveyed cleaners in the private sector received an increase from HK$17.50 to HK$22.50 after joining the movement but that is still below the HK$24.70 per hour market rate published by the government.

And for those who do receive an hourly salary higher than the market rate, it is not because of the movement, Woo said. They were already getting that rate beforehand.

Government figures show 59,000 employees are covered by the movement, but 20,000 of them are on government contracts already protected by the mandatory wage scheme.

"The government should set up a pay commission, with participation from employers and employees as well as the government, to decide and periodically review the minimum wage level and the number of working hours," Woo said, adding that Hong Kong is lagging behind other countries in legislating a minimum wage.

Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions organizing co-ordinator Mung Siu-tat also urged the government to have a comprehensive minimum wage law, covering not only cleaners and security guards but all industries.

Mung said surveys showed hospital canteen staff make an average of HK$18, carers at homes for the elderly HK$21.80, salon staff HK$22.30, and dishwashers HK$24.50. All are paid less than the market rate, he added.

The union, with 30 other unionist organizations, will march to the government headquarters on October 28 to call for minimum wage legislation.

Hong Kong unemployment falls slightly to 4.1 percent

HONG KONG, Oct 16, 2007 (AFP) - Hong Kong's unemployment rate fell slightly to 4.1 percent in the three months to September, the lowest level in more than nine years, official figures showed Tuesday.

This compared with a 4.2 percent in the three months to August.

Sustained economic growth supported the creation of new jobs during the period, a government spokesman said.

However, he added that the total labour force actually decreased by around 1,200 to 3.50 million in the same period due to the return of some summer workers to schools at the start of the new academic year.

Tired Hong Kong workers want a life - survey

HONG KONG, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Work stress getting you down? You're not alone - more than a quarter of workers in Hong Kong would consider moving overseas to achieve a better work-life balance, a survey shows.

Hong Kongers are working fewer hours than last year but say their work-life balance has not improved and 27 percent of those surveyed said they would consider moving out of the territory in search of a better lifestyle.

More than 60 percent of employees surveyed also said they suffer from prolonged fatigue and 33 percent said their productivity was affected as a result.

The survey, conducted in July by Community Business, which advises companies on corporate social responsibility, and sponsored by a host of multinational companies including Standard Chartered Bank, ABN AMRO and Cisco Systems, is based on responses from more than a thousand workers.

Hong Kong is already facing a shortage of talent in professional services like accountancy and Benjamin Hung, country manager of consumer banking at Standard Chartered Bank, said poor work-life balance posed a risk to the city's ability to attract the global talent and maintain its status as a leading financial centre.

"We must keep the topic at the top of the business agenda to improve work-life balance and ensure Hong Kong remains a first class business centre in the region as well as internationally," Hung told a press conference.

Hong Kongers work an average 49 hours a week, down from 51 hours in a similar survey last year, but still above the International Labour Organisation's maximum limit of a 40-hour week.

Being at the office appears to be a strain. Some 89 percent of employees in the survey said they are unhappy at work, up from 76 percent in last year's survey, and cited relationships with colleagues and superiors as the main reason.

Sixty five percent of workers said they regularly put in overtime and 70 percent have less than two hours a day for personal activities.

Most people are still having to work some of the time at weekends, despite government efforts to promote a five-day week. Only 35 percent of respondents said they work a five-day week, although that was up from 28 percent in the previous survey.

Employees said more annual leave would help improve work-life balance but the survey found that entitlement to paid annual leave has fallen to 13.9 days this year from 15.3 days last year. More than 35 percent of employees said they do not always take their full entitlement anyway.

Hong Kong unemployment falls to 9.5-year lows

HONG KONG, Nov 19, 2007 (AFP) - Hong Kong's unemployment rate fell to 3.90 percent for the August-October period, the lowest level in nine and a half years, supported by robust economic growth, official figures showed Monday.

This compared with a 4.10 percent in the three months to September.

Secretary for Labor and Welfare Matthew Cheung said the notable drop in the unemployment rate during the period reflected the robust state of Hong Kong's economy and buoyancy of the labor market.

He said there was a further contraction in both the total labor force and total employment upon the return to school of students who worked during their summer holiday.

Total employment dropped 7,300 to 3.49 million during the period, while the labor force fell 19,900 to 3.64 million.

Cheung added robust economic growth and sanguine consumer sentiment, particularly in the run-up to the Christmas and New Year holidays, may further improve unemployment in the near term.

Pay more or lose us, warn top bankers
Hong Kong Standard
Saturday, November 24, 2007

Hong Kong banks are facing pressure to raise salaries or lose employees.

Hongkong Bank says salaries need to be adjusted and the Hong Kong Association of Banks agrees that salaries should be raised.

Hang Seng Bank (0011) vice chairman and chief executive Raymond Or Ching-fai said on Friday the staff turnover rate of the bank is predicted to be 12 percent this year - a decrease from 13 percent to 14 percent last year, but an increase over the past average of 8-9 percent. "The turnover rate pressure is likely to continue next year and salaries have to be adjusted to retain talent," said Or, though he was unable to say by what percentage salaries were likely to increase.

Salaries at HSBC and Hang Seng Bank have already been adjusted twice this year.

They have also lifted the upper limit of bonuses from the equivalent of four months' salary to five months. Hong Kong Association of Banks chairman Peter Sullivan said there is "upside room" for salaries.

Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp chief executive Sandy Flockhart said there is inflationary pressure, and that salary adjustments would be necessary.

The pressure to recruit and retain the right staff in the financial services industry is more acute in Hong Kong than anywhere else in the world, except for Japan, according to a survey by Robert Half International, a recruitment agency specializing in financial services. The survey showed that 74 percent are worried about losing their top performers to other job opportunities in the coming year.

"There has been a bit of a war for financial talent," said Andrew Brushfield, director of the Hong Kong office of Robert Half.

LCQ1: Statutory minimum wage
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Government Press Release

Following is an oral reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, to a question by the Hon Jeffrey Lam on statutory minimum wage in the Legislative Council today (December 12):

Question:

Will the Government inform this Council whether it knows, among the countries which have implemented a statutory minimum wage system, the names and number of those which have set the average market wages as the statutory minimum wages, and how the statutory minimum wages set by the other countries compare with the local average market wages?

Reply:

Madam President,

The Labour Department is collecting information on statutory minimum wage regimes in other countries. According to the information collected so far, many countries with minimum wage legislation have put in place mechanisms to facilitate the determination of the levels of statutory minimum wage. The mechanisms differ from place to place as each would design a system that best suits its own needs and characteristics. Nevertheless, the nature of the social and economic indicators from which such countries draw reference is broadly similar. These indicators include, among others, the needs and attributes of the workers constituting the intended beneficiary group, the ability of the unemployed and low-paid to secure and remain in sustained employment, the cost of living, levels of social security benefits, labour market situation, wage level and rate of inflation as well as macroeconomic considerations such as the competitiveness of the local economy in a globalised world market, the cost of doing business and affordability for employers, etc. We are not aware of any country which has adopted the average market wage as the statutory minimum wage.

As regards the comparison of statutory minimum wages with local average market wages, research findings published in 2007 by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) made reference to the minimum wages in its 21 member countries as a percentage of their respective gross average wages. Expressed as an across-country overall average, the gross earnings of full-time minimum wage earners in 2006 amounted to nearly 38% of the gross average wages. Amongst the countries, Ireland ranked the highest at 52% while Mexico ranked the lowest at 24%. In countries like France, the United Kingdom and the United States, the respective figures were 47%, 35% and 33%.

Jobless rate falls to 3.6pc
Hong Kong Standard
Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Hong Kong's unemployment rate for September to November dropped to a 9-year record low of 3.6 percent, but economists are divided over whether this trend will continue into next year.

According to the Census and Statistics Department, the 3.6 percent unemployment rate it announced yesterday is the lowest since the 3.9 percent reported for February to April 1998. The figure is also lower than the market prediction of 3.9 percent.

"Employment has improved as domestic consumption continues to be strong and corporations are optimistic about hiring more staff," said Kelvin Lau Kin-heng, economist at Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong). However, David O'Rear, Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce chief economist, said the jobless rate is not significant as the total labor force is not growing as quickly as before.


Economists said the question of whether the unemployment rate will remain low next year is greatly dependent on US economic growth and its impact on Hong Kong exports. "Domestic consumption will remain strong in the first quarter of next year on the back of a robust stock market which will keep unemployment low," said Bank of East Asia (0023) chief economist Paul Tang Sai-on. But starting from the second quarter, Tang expects US domestic consumption to drop as the subprime mortgage situation takes hold. Hong Kong's exports may drop, which will see unemployment rise.

However, Lau said the negative impact from the United States can be discounted within the first two quarters. "The US economy is likely to report zero percent growth in the coming two quarters. I do not see the Hong Kong unemployment rate going down further until the second half next year," he said.

In September to November, total employment increased to 3.508 million from 3.495 million from August to October. Unemployment decreased by 15,900 to 127,700. The underemployment rate also fell slightly to 2.2 percent from 2.3 percent.

Pay rises expected in the new year for employees
Hong Kong Standard
Monday, December 24, 2007

Employees and their families will be celebrating the countdown to 2008 with extra joy on New Year's Eve - most employers are planning hefty pay rises of up to 25 percent in the new year.

The good tidings were revealed in a recent survey which said the expected pay rises are part of a bid to retain talent.

Wisdom Global Search polled mid to senior levels of management in 550 firms - 440 based in Hong Kong and the rest in Shanghai - with between 10 and 500 employees between August and November this year.

San Lee Yin-wah, Wisdom Global Search chief executive, told reporters yesterday that 83 percent of the companies are willing to offer pay rises ranging from 9 percent to 25 percent in 2008.

"Firms in the banking, finance, insurance and accounting industries are more willing to offer pay increases to their management staff at the upper end of that range. However those in retail, information-technology support and engineering are being less lavish with their offers," she said.

The 83 percent compares with the 88 percent of firms who said they had already offered pay rises this year with an average raise rate of 12 percent.

Looking forward, Lee said the hottest industries to enter in the upcoming 12 months are banking, finance and accounting, followed by insurance, retail, hospitality and travel, as well as IT and engineering.

The survey showed the top five jobs in high demand are business development or sales people, followed by frontline sales, sales and support staff, marketing employees and IT and engineering personnel.

Lee suggested firms could consider employing returnees who had emigrated as they tend to be more willing to accept salary packages, given that they have been out of the local market for some time.

She said to her knowledge the job switcher who gained the most over past year - a 50 percent pay rise - was a banker specializing in investments, whose annual salary at his original bank was already a lofty HK$1.2 million.

"The original employer wanted to retain the employee, but, because of the overall negative impact of having to match the deal with other employees, he was let go," she said.

According to the survey, nine out every 10 firms hired new recruits in 2007, up from 84 percent in 2006.

Among those hired in the past year, 68 percent were replacements and the rest were new positions.

Up to 19 percent also said they found it most difficulty to find skilled talent in business development and sales, followed by account management, frontline sales, finance and operations as well as senior management.

3.4pc jobless rate marks lowest since March 1998
Hong Kong Standard
Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Hong Kong's unemployment rate for the three months ended January was 3.4 percent, the lowest level since March 1998 and in line with market expectations.

However, economists believe a possible US recession could have adverse effects on Hong Kong's economic growth and employment rates.

Hong Kong's underemployment rate remained the same at 2.1 percent for the three months ending last month.

"The labor market remained buoyant in November to January 2008, with total employment surging to another record high of over 3.55 million and posting a faster increase than the labor force. The number of unemployed persons thus declined further," the Census and Statistics Department said.

"We could see further reductions [in the unemployment rate] in the first half, but a rise is possible in the second half depending on how the US economy develops," said Peter Morgan, chief Asia-Pacific economist at HSBC.

If the United States were to fall into recession, Hong Kong's economic growth would slow down even more with the possibility of unemployment rising, Morgan stated.

Already, the slowdown in export demand has been felt in Hong Kong as firms in a January PMI survey reported that the increase in new orders has been the slowest in four months, according to a release by Citi.

Sectors involved in exports, such as trade and shipping, are the most vulnerable to a global economic downturn, especially a slowdown in developed countries.

However, Hong Kong's close proximity to China, both geographically and economically, could prove to be a buffer against global economic problems.

"One of the major drivers has been growth in employment in the retail and services sector which has arisen from mainland tourist arrivals. You'll still see mainland tourists coming to Hong Kong and spending money," said Glenn Maguire, chief Asia economist at Societe Generale.

Finding ways to beat turnover blues in booming market
29 February 2008
South China Morning Post

When Oliver Leung Wing-hong took on his role as general store manager of the new B&Q superstore in Kowloon Bay, he knew that he could expect a 10 per cent staff turnover within three months.

Turnover turned out to be better than expected, at 7 per cent, but as the store opened in June last year, he still had the challenge of recruiting new staff.

Hong Kong's booming market has made this even less likely, with more and better paid jobs for people to choose from.

In addition, as new companies flock to Hong Kong to take advantage of its economy and recruit staff for their businesses, available staff are few and far between.

To attract staff to B&Q Mr Leung made every effort to ensure that the company was an "employer of choice".

He has shortened the working day to 8½ hours, which is lower than the average in retail; he has given six to seven days off a month and built a friendly and informal environment where staff feel quite happy to wear jeans to work.

"We don't talk about seniority here," he said. "As general manager, I am also part of the team. I have to serve the customers, just like the other staff, and I will also help set up the displays."

This approach encouraged staff to communicate openly with management, he said, and this was particularly important for a new venture.

"We are a bottom-up approach, and this is healthy in this type of environment, where we are entering a new market. There is a lot of concern, so we want to hear from our staff, because they are helping us to deliver the business," he said.

Demand reaches new highs
The fight to retain HK's professionals intensifies as regional developers offer lucrative career opportunities
29 February 2008
South China Morning Post

Hong Kong is still the land of opportunity for qualified, experienced professionals in the construction and property industry. The fight to recruit and retain talent is reaching a new high as many are lured into better paid jobs or higher positions in Macau, Southeast Asia, the mainland and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

The Hong Kong government is committing itself to mammoth infrastructure projects in the next 10 years such as the extension of the MTR lines, the Kowloon Bay cruise terminal and the construction of the Tamar site. These projects will bring new opportunities for Hong Kong's big contractors and their massive workforce of thousands of engineers, designers and architects.

Considering the massive workforce, these new modern methods of construction are not enough to sustain the thousands of engineers, designers and architects who are transient and follow world-class projects around the globe.

Chris Urban, consultant for property and construction at Michael Page International, said the major threat to Hong Kong was the retention of staff.

"Junior and middle-level candidates are increasingly seeking opportunities outside of Hong Kong to further advance their careers," Mr Urban said. "With inflated salaries being offered by cash-rich developers in the Middle East and Macau, it is easy to see why."

Mr Urban has seen the number of candidates leaving Hong Kong to take up job opportunities in high growth areas such as the mainland and the Middle East, creating intense competition for talent at home.

"These days, employers are providing generous incentives such as housing allowances, schooling and relocation costs to attract senior talent. Unless employers can provide ongoing training, career advancement and attractive incentives to retain their top performers, there will be a significant shortage of quality candidates."

Tom Banwell, associate director of Judd Farris Asia, said construction projects in Hong Kong had slowed down, but he added that jobs were bigger these days, if not as numerous.

"If you listen to the Chief Executive's policy speech, Hong Kong is committed to continue building," Mr Banwell said. "Take for example the extension of the MTR line which will provide much work. Also, things such as the Tamar site and the new Legislative Council building. Big contractors such as Gammon are going to benefit from this, and they need qualified people."

The transient construction world is such because contractors often follow the world-class projects around the world.

"We were losing many good people to Dubai three to five years ago," Mr Banwell said. "But now things are different. The push isn't so great there. Instead, many are opting to come back, or move on to China where there is great demand for retail and residential [development] from the government and investors. Let's not forget about Macau's boom, which is clearly driven by the resorts and casinos."

In Hong Kong, the property and construction market is facing some challenges due to several major development projects coming to an end. There is also limited available land at a premium which slows down construction.

"There has been a decrease in recruitment activity on the traditional construction side, largely due to the shortage of land," Mr Urban said. "However, construction in Hong Kong is no longer just to demolish and build. Instead, many residents and businesses are opting to upgrade their existing premises."

Times have changed. Keeping the shell and foundation of a building, Hong Kong companies are refurbishing older buildings to create A-grade retail and office space.

"This has led to a significant interest in interior designers and architects. As larger businesses look to consolidate their existing premises, a need for experienced leasing and transaction people has been apparent."

Hong Kong trained engineers, designers, architects and quantity surveyors are in great demand around the world. The vast hands-on experience of workers in Hong Kong is a global recruiter's dream.

"Employers in China, Macau and the Middle East are aggressively targeting candidates from Hong Kong to meet their ambitious growth plans," Mr Urban said.

"There is a trend for Hong Kong professionals to take up opportunities in these regions for career advancement and exposure to some of the world's biggest projects. This makes it increasingly difficult for Hong Kong employers to retain talent. More and more companies look to invest and expand in China; the demand for people with an investment strategy background has hit new heights.

"In Macau, the booming hotel and gaming industry is a major contributor to employment growth, and is becoming an increasing source of revenue for Michael Page International.

"This trend is likely to continue as the shortage of space in Hong Kong will force people to look elsewhere.

"The flip side is that there is a danger that upon completion of the region's major projects, there will likely be a mass return of candidates to Hong Kong," Mr Urban said.

As a gateway and partner of the mainland, Hong Kong still holds ground for many opportunities. "There are many well qualified people who were educated in Canada, the United States and Britain. They worked there and now see the opportunities here in Hong Kong as a potential employer for projects out of southeast Asia."

Demand reaches new highs
The fight to retain HK's professionals intensifies as regional developers offer lucrative career opportunities

sigh....... of course there are many opportunities in hk for local, mainland and regional projects. it isn't about the work, but about the money. the offers from a typical HK-based engineering/architect firm just isn't competitive to else where these days. for an educated entry to junior level professional who is working and living well in the Western world, s/he isn't going to give up what s/he has for less salary and/or longer work hours in a more dense living environment, unless s/he is at managerial level or desperate to work in hk, china or southeast asia.

^^ yup, the main reason I'm still trying to see what field I want to be in, and whether I really want to go back to HK

I wouldn't hesitate a second to live in HK, but the pay there is just shit compared to the US

Skills, not language, may favour young returnees
26 February 2008
South China Morning Post

Back in the 1980s, many Hong Kongers were migrating overseas because of the uncertainties that faced the city with the coming handover in 1997.

The mainland economy was not the global powerhouse it is today and there were fears in Hong Kong of political repression from the new masters-to-be in Beijing.

At farewell parties across the city, the most commonly heard speech usually contained the sentence: "I do not really want to migrate to another country, but I am only doing it for my children's future."

Twenty years on, the children of these migrants have grown up and are now flocking back to seek job opportunities in the surging economies of Hong Kong and the mainland.

Some of these young people may even be wishing their parents had stayed in Hong Kong. Many moved at a young age and their knowledge of the language and culture may have been limited to Saturday morning classes.

Christine Greybe, Asia-Pacific managing director of executive search firm DHR International and our video report guest this week, said this was not necessarily a big problem if they had special knowledge or ability that offset their lack of language skills.

"Of course, language skills are a consideration, but some mainland companies are more concerned about the technical knowledge of the expatriates," Ms Greybe said.

She said that while China was a prime career destination for overseas Chinese and westerners, the job's location was important.

"People like to work in Hong Kong, Beijing or Shanghai," she said. "For second-tier cities such as Tianjin, Dalian or Wuhan, people will be more hesitant before they accept a job offer."

Counting on accountants

The Ministry of Finance yesterday appointed as advisers 12 local accountants, including former legislator Eric Li Ka-cheung, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing director Marvin Cheung Kin-tung, PricewaterhouseCoopers tax partner Tim Lui Tim-leung and two former presidents of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants Paul Chan Mo-po and Edward Chow Kwong-fai.

The 12 will advise Beijing on how the mainland can update its accounting systems to meet international standards.

Adding to the list

The listing committee of the stock exchange is seeking new members.

The committee has 28 members, including Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing chief executive Paul Chow Man-yiu as an ex-officio member, 19 appointed members and eight appointed investor representatives.

The application period lasts until March 25.

Firm plans major expansion
JPMorgan will hire 1,900 new employees for its Hong Kong operations within the next three years to cope with growth
15 March 2008
South China Morning Post

Global financial services firm JPMorgan is looking to ramp up its headcount and a fresh recruitment drive is expected throughout its operations across Asia, according to a senior executive.

Caroline Johnston, head of human resources Asia-Pacific, said despite uncertainty in some areas of the financial services industry, the firm remained committed to stable growth.

The company is one of the few global financial organisations to experience negative impact linked to the United States subprime crisis and the subsequent credit crunch. Analysts said that this commitment would prove JPMorgan's ability to expand on investments even in the toughest of circumstances.

JPMorgan plans to add about 1,900 new employees to its staff level in Hong Kong - where it now employs about 3,200 people - over the next three years.

The bank has leased office space at One Island East in Quarry Bay on Hong Kong Island.

"We have firm plans to increase employee levels across nearly all areas of our business activities in Hong Kong including our private banking operation," said Ms Johnston, who is responsible for human resources activities in 15 Asian countries ranging from India to Australia.

The firm has grown from about 15,000 staff to its headcount of about 19,000 across Asia since 2005. India and the Philippines have been the major focus of recent recruitment initiatives where the firm has been strengthening its customer service and back-office support staff capabilities.

India is the centre for much of the firm's high-end operational and research activities which provide support for JPMorgan's bankers around the region.

India is also home to a high percentage of the firm's global financial reporting requirements.

"We have grown tremendously over the past couple of years and still have huge expansion plans for the Asia-Pacific region, which means we also have huge recruitment plans as well," Ms Johnston said.

The firm must nurture and maintain its own talent pipeline to meet its expansion and service objectives.

"We not only look for people with financial skills but also people with a broad range of skills including legal, compliance, technology and operations experience," Ms Johnston said.

She said the organisation had a reputation for attracting high-calibre job candidates and was prepared to invest in people who showed strong potential.

Ms Johnston said her career with JPMorgan began in Scotland, where she set up an application development centre in Glasgow. After three years she moved to India, where she took responsibility for the technology operation in the firm's investment bank activities, before moving to her present position.

"My experience shows there are plenty of opportunities to move around within the organisation and geographically," Ms Johnston said.

She said the India and the Philippines recruitment campaigns were part of a diversified expansion plan to grow front-office revenue generation capabilities, investment bank, private bank and treasury and security services.

JPMorgan hubs are centred in Mumbai and Bangalore in India, and Manila in the Philippines.

While the firm is recruiting many employees, candidates must still meet stringent internal hiring requirements and various criteria normal in financial services.

More than 50 per cent of candidates in the Philippines were recommended by existing staff while the majority of staff in India were recruited through agencies.

In jurisdictions where employee requirements are less, or where people are needed for specific functions, the firm takes a more targeted approach to hiring.

"Our expansion is creating exciting employment opportunities for high-end investment and private bankers, technology support staff and legal and compliance people," Ms Johnston said.

She said new recruits could look forward to extensive on-the-job training and practices, and training programmes designed to boost skill levels to perform specialist functions.

Programmes have also been designed to develop soft skills such as people management and business management techniques.

Graduate recruits also receive mentoring, peer support and additional training through informal development channels.

The firm is adding strength to its recruitment programmes by offering about 1,500 graduate internships to graduates from the Asian region.

"No matter where they are recruited from, when people join JPMorgan's graduate recruitment programmes they take part in the same global training programmes in New York, London and Mumbai.

"Our recruitment policies are designed with an international perspective, which is one of the big draws of joining our organisation.

"The scale of the bank and global network provide career development and mobility opportunities across regions and globally," Ms Johnston said.

" JPMorgan has a good reputation in the marketplace. People understand what our value proposition is and what differentiates us from our competitors," she said.

Unemployment and Underemployment Statistics for December 2007 - February 2008
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Government Press Release

According to the latest labour force statistics released today (March 18) by the Census and Statistics Department, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased from 3.4% in November 2007 - January 2008 to 3.3% (provisional figure) in December 2007 - February 2008, the lowest level since January - March 1998. Over the same period, the underemployment rate edged down from 2.1% to 1.9% (provisional figure).

Comparing December 2007 - February 2008 with November 2007 - January 2008, decreases in the unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted) were mainly observed in the insurance, welfare and community services, amusement and recreational services, and restaurants sectors. As to the underemployment rate, decreases were mainly seen in the construction, amusement and recreational services, and hotels sectors.

Total employment decreased by around 10 200, from 3 550 500 in November 2007 - January 2008 to 3 540 300 (provisional figure) in December 2007 - February 2008. Over the same period, the labour force decreased by around 11 600, from 3 663 900 to 3 652 300 (provisional figure).

The number of unemployed persons (not seasonally adjusted) decreased by around 1 400, from 113 400 in November 2007 - January 2008 to 112 000 (provisional figure) in December 2007 - February 2008. Over the same period, the number of underemployed persons also decreased by around 6 700, from 75 500 to 68 800 (provisional figure).

Commentary

Welcoming the continued decline in the unemployment rate, the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, noted that the latest seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 3.3% and the underemployment rate of 1.9% were the lowest levels in ten years. The number of unemployed persons (not seasonally adjusted) fell further to 112 000.

He pointed out that in February 2008, the Labour Department (LD) netted 52 187 vacancies from the private sector, an increase of 8.4% over January this year. On average, the Department received over 2 700 vacancies per working day.

"Although the employment scene has continued to improve, the Administration would keep up its efforts to promote employment on all fronts," he said.

To strengthen employment support for the youths, LD will open the second Youth Employment Resource Centre called "Youth Employment Start" (Y.E.S.) tomorrow (March 19) in Metroplaza, Kwai Fong.

In addition to the first Y.E.S. which opened in December 2007 in Langham Place, Mongkok, the two Centres provide one-stop advisory and support services on employment and self-employment to youngsters aged between 15 and 29. "This underlines the Administration's determination to promote youth employment," Mr Cheung said.

Looking ahead, Mr Cheung indicated that as stronger seasonal demand abated after the Lunar New Year holiday, any further decline in the unemployment and underemployment rates would depend on the growth in total employment relative to that in the labour supply in the corporate sector.

He added that the Government would closely monitor the possible impact on local employment arising from the highly volatile global financial markets and the recent downward adjustment in the local stock market.

Further Information

The unemployment and underemployment statistics were compiled from the findings of the continuous General Household Survey.

The survey for December 2007 - February 2008 covered a sample of some 23 000 households or 72 000 persons, selected in accordance with a scientifically designed sampling scheme to represent the population of Hong Kong.

Data on labour force characteristics were obtained from the survey by interviewing each member aged 15 or over in the sampled households.

In the survey, the definitions used in measuring unemployment and underemployment follow closely those recommended by the International Labour Organisation.

Detailed analysis of labour force characteristics is given in the Quarterly Report on General Household Survey which is published four times a year. The current issue of the report covering the quarter October - December 2007 is now available and the next issue covering the quarter January - March 2008 will be available by end May 2008. Users can download this publication free of charge at the website of the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) (www.censtatd.gov.hk/products_and_services/products/publications/index.jsp).

Print version of the current issue of this publication is available for sale at HK$56 per issue. Purchase can be done in person at the Publications Unit of the C&SD (Address: 19/F Wanchai Tower, 12 Harbour Road, Wan Chai; Tel: 2582 3025) or through mail order by returning a completed order form which can be downloaded from the C&SD's website (www.censtatd.gov.hk/products_and_services/other_services/provision_of_stat/mail_ordering_of_publications/index.jsp). Print version of this publication is also available for sale online at the Government Bookstore of the Information Services Department (www.bookstore.gov.hk).

Enquiries for more detailed labour force statistics for November 2007 - January 2008 can be directed to the General Household Survey Section (2), Census and Statistics Department (Tel: 2887 5508; Fax: 2508 1501; E-mail: ghs@censtatd.gov.hk).

LCQ7: Employment statistics for 2007
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Government Press Release

Following is a question by the Hon Lee Cheuk-yan and a written reply by the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Professor K C Chan, in the Legislative Council today (April 9):

Question:

Regarding the employment statistics for 2007 compiled by the Census and Statistics Department, will the Government provide the statistics on employed persons for that year (excluding unpaid family workers, foreign domestic helpers and employed persons who worked less than 35 hours during the seven days before enumeration due to vacation), broken down by the groupings in the form at Annex 1?

Reply:

According to the findings of the General Household Survey conducted by the Census and Statistics Department, the number of employed persons (in thousand), excluding unpaid family workers, foreign domestic helpers and those working less than 35 hours during the seven days before enumeration due to vacation, broken down by sex, hours of work during the seven days before enumeration and monthly employment earnings for 2007 are set out in Annex 2.

Annexes : http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200804/09/P200804090180.htm

失 業 率 半 年 來 首 度 回 升

【 本 報 訊 】 本 港 失 業 率 半 年 來 首 度 回 升 ， 統 計 處 昨 日 公 佈 今 年 1 至 3 月 失 業 率 為 3.4% ， 較 對 上 一 期 上 升 零 點 一 個 百 分 點 。 一 項 調 查 顯 示 ， 兩 成 本 港 企 業 管 理 層 認 為 ， 未 來 半 年 香 港 會 出 現 經 濟 衰 退 ， 當 中 64% 認 為 他 們 從 事 的 行 業 會 因 此 受 影 響 ， 銀 行 及 金 融 服 務 業 將 首 當 其 衝 。



關 注 內 地 通 脹 問 題

失 業 率 回 升 ， 令 本 港 失 業 人 數 增 加 了 6,900 人 至 118,900 人 ， 失 業 率 上 升 主 要 見 於 裝 修 及 保 養 業 、 通 訊 業 和 飲 食 業 。 就 業 不 足 率 方 面 ， 則 連 續 兩 期 維 持 1.9% ， 70,400 人 出 現 開 工 不 足 情 況 。 勞 工 及 福 利 局 局 長 張 建 宗 表 示 ， 政 府 會 密 切 注 意 美 國 經 濟 放 緩 及 環 球 金 融 市 場 波 動 對 本 港 就 業 情 況 的 影 響 。
人 力 顧 問 公 司 翰 德 早 前 訪 問 了 中 國 大 陸 、 香 港 、 日 本 、 新 加 坡 四 地 2,600 名 負 責 招 聘 的 企 業 管 理 人 員 ， 當 中 740 人 來 自 香 港 。 結 果 顯 示 ， 57% 本 港 企 業 計 劃 今 年 第 二 季 增 聘 人 手 ， 較 第 一 季 輕 微 下 跌 一 個 百 分 點 。

預 計 香 港 半 年 內 會 出 現 經 濟 衰 退 的 企 業 中 ， 64% 認 為 他 們 的 行 業 會 受 影 響 ， 銀 行 及 金 融 服 務 、 製 造 業 及 消 費 品 業 有 較 多 受 訪 企 業 預 計 受 到 衝 擊 。 凍 結 招 聘 成 為 最 多 企 業 採 取 應 付 經 濟 衰 退 的 策 略 。

翰 德 香 港 總 經 理 Gina McLellan 表 示 ， 美 國 經 濟 衰 退 暫 時 對 亞 洲 企 業 影 響 相 對 輕 微 ， 本 港 企 業 現 時 最 關 注 反 而 是 內 地 通 脹 問 題 ， 以 及 奧 運 後 經 濟 是 否 有 變 ， 雖 然 企 業 願 意 增 聘 人 手 ， 但 出 手 已 不 如 以 往 闊 綽 。

Salary woe brings warning
Hong Kong Standard
Monday, April 21, 2008

Workers in 43 percent of 144 jobs in 14 industrial sectors got less pay last year despite the economic recovery, a Confederation of Trade Unions survey shows.

The group also warned of a widening of the wealth gap as those in five white-collar jobs enjoyed pay rises of up to 50 percent.

Those receiving salary hikes of under 2 percent, or less than the inflation level for 2007, were mostly casual and unskilled workers with the catering industry being a "disaster area."

Those with the greatest wage increases were logistics call center representatives at 50.8 percent, banking secretaries 26.6 percent, retail sales officers 25.4 percent, insurance claims supervisors 24.9 percent, and cleaning company secretaries 20.9 percent.

Among the 15 jobs offering less than HK$30 an hour, 11 belonged to the catering industry.

Security guards working on shifts, cleaners and salon hair washers also made less than HK$30 an hour on average.

The group said workers in 61 jobs received pay rises of 2 percent while the wages in 37 other jobs actually dropped.

Insurance secretaries suffered the biggest salary drop of 22.1 percent; security companies accounting officers took home 20.7 percent less pay; wholesale accounting clerks saw a 13.2 decline, masseuses were down 10.2 percent and insurance salesmen lost 8.2 percent.

Unemployment and underemployment statistics for March-May 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Government Press Release

According to the latest labour force statistics released today (June 17) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 3.3% (provisional figure) in March - May 2008, same as that in February - April 2008. The underemployment rate also held stable at 1.8% in both periods (provisional figure for March - May 2008).

Comparing March - May 2008 with February - April 2008, decreases in the unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted) were mainly observed in the construction, sanitary services and transport sectors, while increases were more apparent in the amusement and recreational services, restaurants and retail trade sectors. As to the underemployment rate, decreases were mainly seen in the communications and miscellaneous personal services sectors, offsetting the increases in the decoration and maintenance, and amusement and recreational services sectors.

Total employment decreased by around 2,100, from 3,537,300 in February - April 2008 to 3,535,200 (provisional figure) in March - May 2008. Over the same period, the labour force decreased by around 900, from 3,658,200 to 3,657,300 (provisional figure).

The number of unemployed persons (not seasonally adjusted) increased by around 1,200, from 120,900 in February - April 2008 to 122,100 (provisional figure) in March - May 2008. Over the same period, the number of underemployed persons increased by around 1,400, from 65,800 to 67,200 (provisional figure).

Commentary

Both the labour force and total employment showed a slight decrease in March - May 2008 while the number of unemployed persons (not seasonally adjusted) increased moderately. After discounting the seasonal effect, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stayed at 3.3% in March - May 2008. Meanwhile, the underemployment remained stable at 1.8%. Both figures were at their lowest level in the recent ten years.

Commenting on the latest figures, the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung noted that the labour market remained buoyant.

In May 2008, the Labour Department (LD) netted 56,242 vacancies from the private sector, up 21.7% over the same period last year. On average, the Department received over 2,800 vacancies per working day.

To facilitate access by job-seekers to information on job vacancy, LD will continue to organise job fairs. A two-day job fair will be held on July 9-10, 2008 in Maritime Square, Tsing Yi, offering over 2,000 vacancies in various industries such as catering, retail and security services.

"With more and more fresh graduates and school leavers entering the labour market in the next few months, labour supply is expected to expand at a faster pace. Whether the unemployment rate will remain low hinges on whether the pace of job creation in the economy is sufficient to absorb the new batch of job-seekers.

"The Government will keep up its efforts in promoting employment, enhancing the employability of our workforce as well as minimising skills mismatch through training, retraining and skills upgrading," Mr Cheung said.

Further Information

The unemployment and underemployment statistics were compiled from the findings of the continuous General Household Survey.

The survey for March - May 2008 covered a sample of some 24,000 households or 73,000 persons, selected in accordance with a scientifically designed sampling scheme to represent the population of Hong Kong.

Data on labour force characteristics were obtained from the survey by interviewing each member aged 15 or over in the sampled households.

In the survey, the definitions used in measuring unemployment and underemployment follow closely those recommended by the International Labour Organisation.

Detailed analysis of labour force characteristics is given in the Quarterly Report on General Household Survey which is published four times a year. The current issue of the report covering the quarter January - March 2008 is now available and the next issue covering the quarter April - June 2008 will be available by end August 2008. Users can download this publication free of charge at the website of the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) (www.censtatd.gov.hk/products_and_services/products/publications/index.jsp).

Print version of the current issue of this publication is available for sale at HK$57 per issue. Purchase can be done in person at the Publications Unit of the C&SD (Address: 19/F Wanchai Tower, 12 Harbour Road, Wan Chai; Tel.: 2582 3025) or through mail order by returning a completed order form which can be downloaded from the C&SD's website (www.censtatd.gov.hk/products_and_services/other_services/provision_of_stat/mail_ordering_of_publications/index.jsp). Print version of this publication is also available for sale online at the Government Bookstore of the Information Services Department (www.bookstore.gov.hk).

Enquiries for more detailed labour force statistics for February - April 2008 can be directed to the General Household Survey Section (2), Census and Statistics Department (Tel.: 2887 5508; Fax: 2508 1501; E-mail: ghs@censtatd.gov.hk).

Employment and vacancies statistics for March 2008
http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200806/20/P200806200194.htm

According to the figures released today (June 20) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), total employment in the private sector surveyed increased by 2.5% or 59,400 persons in March 2008 compared with a year earlier. The total number of vacancies was 56,250, representing an increase of 14% or 6,920 over last year.

Employment Statistics

In March 2008, the selected sectors as a whole employed 2,467,200 persons. The import and export trade engaged 521,300 persons, followed by the retail trade engaging 236,800 persons, the business services sector 235,300 persons and restaurants 205,600 persons.

Employment increased in most of the surveyed sectors compared with a year earlier. Increases in employment were recorded in the financing and insurance sector (9.0% or 15,200), the medical, health and related services sector (6.6% or 5,400), the real estate (5.9% or 5,900), the transport and storage sector (4.9% or 7,600) and the business services sector (4.8% or 10,700). On the other hand, employment decreased in the manufacturing sector (-3.6% or –5,600), the sanitary and similar services sector (-2.5% or –1,500) and the wholesale trade (-1.3% or -800). Employment figures for selected major sectors are shown in Table 1.

Vacancies Statistics

Among the 56,250 private sector vacancies, 8,960 were from the import and export trade, 6,970 from the business services sector, 5,860 from the retail trade, 5,810 from the recreational and other personal services sector, and 5,200 from the financing and insurance sector.

Vacancies increased in most of the selected sectors in March 2008 over a year earlier. Increases were mainly from the recreational and other personal services sector (2,180 or 60%), the business services sector (1,100 or 19%), restaurants (1,000 or 28%), the retail trade (780 or 15%) and the medical, health and related services sector (720 or 42%). On the other hand, vacancies decreased in the import and export trade (-350 or -4%) and the real estate (-160 or -4%). Job vacancies figures for selected major sectors are shown in Table 2.

Analysed by major occupation category, private sector vacancies were observed mainly for associate professionals with 17,010 reported ones, service workers and shop sales workers 12,160 and clerks 11,430. Job vacancies figures by major occupation category are shown in Table 3.

Seasonally Adjusted Statistics

For discerning the latest trend in employment and vacancies in the private sector, it is useful to look at the quarterly changes in the respective seasonally adjusted figures. Compared with the previous quarter, the seasonally adjusted total employment in the surveyed sectors increased by 0.7% in March 2008, while total vacancies showed a decrease of 3.5%. The quarter-to-quarter changes in the seasonally adjusted series of employment and vacancies are shown in Table 4.

Other Information

The above employment and vacancies statistics were obtained from the Quarterly Survey of Employment and Vacancies (SEV) and the Quarterly Employment Survey of Construction Sites (Site Survey) conducted by the C&SD. In the former survey, some economic activities (e.g. those dominated by self-employment, including taxi operators and hawkers) are not covered. Therefore, the respective employment and vacancies figures relate only to those selected industries included in the survey. In the latter survey on construction sites, employment and vacancies figures relate to only manual workers working at major construction sites.

Detailed breakdowns of the above statistics are published in the March 2008 issue of Quarterly Report of Employment and Vacancies Statistics and Quarterly Report of Employment and Vacancies at Construction Sites. Users can download these publications free of charge at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/products_and_services/products/publications/index.jsp). Print versions of these publications are available for sale at HK$33 and HK$28 per issue respectively. Purchase can be done in person at the Publications Unit of the C&SD (Address: 19/F Wanchai Tower, 12 Harbour Road, Wan Chai; Tel.: 2582 3025) or through mail order by returning a completed order form which can be downloaded from the C&SD’s website (www.censtatd.gov.hk/products_and_services/other_services/provision_of_stat/mail_ordering_of_publications/index.jsp). Print versions of these publications are also available for sale online at the Government Bookstore of the Information Services Department (www.bookstore.gov.hk).

Enquiries on more detailed employment and vacancies statistics can be directed to the Employment Statistics Section, Census and Statistics Department (Tel.: 2582 5076; Fax: 2827 2296; E-mail: employment@censtatd.gov.hk).

Ends/Friday, June 20, 2008

Bosses back salary call
Hong Kong Standard
Friday, July 04, 2008

The majority of Hong Kongs bosses organizations have thrown their weight behind the introduction of a minimum wage.

Of the four major chambers of commerce, only the Federation of Hong Kong Industries has voiced opposition. Chinese Manufacturers Association of Hong Kong president Paul Yin Tek- shing visited Britain recently to study its implementation there.

He told The Standard the British model covers workers in all sectors and is set at 40 percent of the average wage. As Hong Kong used to be a British colony, it is worth making reference to the British model.

Yin added that Hong Kongs labor sector wants the minimum wage set at 60 percent of the territorys average but the business sector has yet to reach a consensus on the figure. In Britain the level is reviewed every two years, which has led to rises in the minimum wage.

He also said his association agrees that the government complete the enactment of legislation by the end of this year and implement it in 2009.

According to the British experience, there is not any big impact after implementation, Yin said. But he added some employers may cut staff benefits and training.

We give the green light to a minimum wage because we want to show social responsibility and want to have a good employer image, Yin said.

He believes the Chinese Chamber of Commerce also backs the plans.

Meanwhile, a source told The Standard that the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerces general committee which composes many major corporations also has a consensus on minimum wage laws.

Many places in the world apply a minimum wage across every sector. As responsible employers, the chamber does not want to use delaying tactics, the source said.

However, Federation of Hong Kong Industries chairman Clement Chen Cheng-jen says the move violates laissez-faire principles. We believe wages can be adjusted through the supply and demand mechanism of the market, Chen said.

Employers Federation of Hong Kong vice chairman Brian Renwick also opposes the legislation, fearing it will reduce job opportunities but said no firm position has been reached.

Minimum wage for maids increased
Hong Kong Standard
Thursday, July 10, 2008

The minimum wage for foreign domestic helpers rises by HK$100 - from HK$3,480 to HK$3,580 - from today.

The increase applies to employment contracts signed on or after July 10. The adjustment was based on Hong Kong's economic and employment environment, a government spokesman said.

Any employer who pays less than the wage stated in an employment contract can be fined up to HK$350,000 and jailed for three years.

Expert warns of jobs gloom
Hong Kong Standard
Friday, July 11, 2008

Finding work will become harder, salary rises will be minimal and redundancies are likely in investment banking, advertising and airlines.

That's the bleak forecast from recruitment consultancy Ambition.

The firm's Asia managing director Guy Day said caution on the part of employers in an uncertain economic climate is behind the pullback.

Stock market fluctuations and tight cash flows have affected many companies and in an attempt to cut costs, they are cutting advertising budgets.

Day said the deteriorating economy in the United States and the weak greenback means fewer foreign companies are listing in Hong Kong and he believes the banking sector may see a 25 to 30 percent drop in job vacancies in the second half of 2008 when compared with last year.

He said salary rises for loyal employees in 2009 are likely to remain in single digits, even if they excel in their duties. In addition, top professionals jumping ship for better jobs should not expect increases of more than 10-15 percent compared with 15-20 percent in the past.

Day said jobs would be harder to come by since employers would be seeking those with better qualifications.

"Last year, many companies were willing to compromise on qualifications but today any candidate falling below their expectations is likely to be passed over," Day said.

He also believes fewer employees will be taking risks and seeking better jobs given the current situation.

But those whose jobs are tied to the United States market may opt for more secure occupations.

$7,200 pay the bare minimum
Hong Kong Standard
Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Hong Kong's minimum wage should be legislated at about HK$7,200 per month, a Hong Kong University opinion poll has determined.

"The level is high," researcher Robert Chung Ting- yiu said yesterday. That was due to an improved economy, he said, but it would be "quite difficult" for the government to bring in legislation to meet that level.

The figure came from a May 22-23 Oxfam-commissioned survey of 512 people.

Oxfam Hong Kong program manager Joseph Woo Man-lung said the emphasis should not be on a specific figure. Rather, he said, the focus should be on achieving a wage level that can provide at least a basic living standard for workers.

He said the minimum wage law should aim at eliminating the plight of the working poor - the 418,600 people who earn less than the median monthly salary of HK$5,000.

The study found 71.6 percent of respondents supporting minimum-wage legislation - a 13-point jump on a study in 2005.

More than 60 percent back legislation to cap working hours, and almost 70 percent think the maximum should be between 40 and 49 hours a week.

Oxfam Hong Kong director Ho Wai-chi said a minimum wage and maximum hours should be legislated for a balance in life.

HK staff work some of longest hours in world
Hong Kong Standard
Friday, July 18, 2008

Hong Kong people work among the longest hours in the world, according to a league table drawn up by the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions.

The city ranked fifth out of 50 countries in terms of the number of hours worked in a week. The study found that 40.9 percent of employees here work more than 48 hours a week.

Long hours are most common in the catering, retail, security and cleaning sectors.

The findings were based on government figures and a study by the International Labour Organization.

Peru tops the list - more than 50 percent of its workers are on the job more than 47 hours a week, followed by South Korea, Thailand and Pakistan.

Russians are the least tied to their jobs - 97 percent of employees there work less than 50 hours a week.

And, according to the HKCTU, things could get worse for Hong Kong's workforce. They say the trend will be toward even longer working hours as 2008 unfolds.

"Under the pressure of inflation, many employees like those in the security sector are made to work overtime without pay or even skipping their holidays in order to keep employers happy," HKCTU organizing coordinator Tam Chun-yin said.

Clerical and Retail Trade Employees General Union clothing industry general secretary Cheung Lai-ha said some workers in retail were recently asked to work an hour extra every day for the same pay.

"Working six days a week and eight hours a day is still classified as a part-time job in the retail industry; only those who work for 12 hours or more are full-time employees," Cheung said, adding about 70 percent of employees in the sector work more than 11 hours a day.

Employees in the security sector have an office but no home in their lives, according to Hong Kong Buildings Management and Security Workers General Union executive committee member Chung Kwai- keung. He said half his members work more than 12 hours a day.

Legislator and HKCTU general secretary Lee Cheuk-yan said it was time for laws regulating working hours. The organization is expected to ask the government to cap working hours at 44 a week and to regulate rest periods and overtime pay.

Weakest could be first victims of wage law
Hong Kong Standard
Monday, July 21, 2008

Young, elderly and handicapped workers face being laid off under a minimum-wage law if the government does not offer other welfare policies and mechanisms, an academic has warned.

"These people may be the first to be laid off because their experience or their bargaining power is not as high as others," City University social studies lecturer Lee Kim-ming said.

He said a "modest" rise in unemployment was seen in Britain after it enacted a similar law. "But the government can lower the economic cost [with] policies to balance social inequalities and the advantages of the law."

In a recent Oxfam-commissioned study, Lee said Hong Kong may follow practices in Britain, Ireland and New Zealand.

The government may consider offering a reduced rate for youths, as practiced in Britain; subminimum rates for adult workers with no experience, as practiced in Ireland; and 80 percent of the adult's minimum rate for people with entry-level job experience, he said.

Other policies to minimize the potential negative impact include tax credits, comprehensive employment programs and work-life balance policies.

Lee said the government also needs to set up a mechanism to monitor, evaluate and review the law.

"Britain has a Low Pay Commission, an independent government-commissioned body, that consults representative employee and labor organizations, monitors, evaluates and reviews the law and its impact on pay and employment."

Ireland's social partnership program aims to overhaul social policies with help from nongovernmental organizations, unions, employees and employers. The government only steps in when there is no consensus on certain issues.

"In New Zealand, the government takes a leading role in reviewing the minimum wage rates," Lee added.

Oxfam Hong Kong program manager Joseph Woo Man-lung said combining Britain's and Ireland's models is most suitable for Hong Kong.

"It must be an independent tripartite body with employers, unions and employees to ensure high stakeholders' consensus and also help the government in policy implementation," Woo said.

Other measures such as an all-round macroeconomic policy and a retirement policy are also needed, Woo said.

科大內地研究生 獲聘工程師月薪2萬


(明報)7月22日 星期二 05:10


【明報專訊】投身商界，內地生不愁沒出路，即使修讀理工科亦非沒有發展機會。去年於科技大學 畢業的內地研究生江興川，找工作時僅以1個月時間獲國際知名的半導體公司聘任為工程師，月薪近2萬元。加上讀書時間，他留港已有4年多，新婚的他9月更將迎接重慶妻子來港，盼再等兩年取得香港永久身分證，長遠以港為家。

面試兩次即獲聘請

江興川是重慶人，於科大修讀工程研究。他說，非常喜歡本港體制、生活環境及中西匯集的文化，在學時已決定留港發展。雖然本港科技發展不及台灣 或新加坡 ，部分讀理工科的內地生找工作也不順利，但江興川經兩次面試即獲得最心儀的公司聘請。

他說，從未見過有本地同學眼紅內地生的成績或發展，認為兩者各有優勢，港生靈活度高，內地生則國際視野及時事常識強，「內地同學對社會、文化及國家都會比較關注，具時代感、責任感」。

他建議，有意留港發展的內地生練好廣東話，找工作時不要心急，以開放態度融入本港生活。

科大內地生薪酬高港生四成 平均1.9萬元 校方籲本地生增值


(明報)7月22日 星期二 05:10
【明報專訊】內地生就業競爭力勝過香港學生？科技大學 昨公布2007年畢業生就業調查，發現整體本科畢業生平均起薪點達1.3萬元，但內地畢業生平均薪酬卻達1.9萬元，較本地生高逾四成。校方分析，來港內地生屬「精英中的精英」，競爭力強，對港生造成衝擊，呼籲港生加把勁為自己增值。

整體畢業生平均薪酬1.3萬

科大於去年10月至12月間展開就業調查，共收到去屆九成畢業生、即1647人回應，整體受聘及升學率達98.6%。至於薪金方面，本科畢業生平均起薪點為13,604元，較06年增加9.5%，創7年來的新高。調查又發現，商界仍是最多科大畢業生投身的界別，愈七成科大生從事商界。校方指出，以免誤導學生選科，拒絕公布去年畢業生最高薪酬，只指該學生畢業於商學院，從事投資銀行。

科大首次向內地畢業生進行就業調查，結果發現去屆畢業的59名內地生當中，有43%留港工作，當中有85%從事商界，平均收入高達19,629元。與整體本科生相比，內地生的薪金高逾整體44%。

科大本科生教務長譚嘉因指出，這批畢業生屬於首批入讀該校的內地生，學業成績優異，且在港讀書4年，已精通兩文三語，競爭力必然較一般本地生強，「他們對香港學生構成一定衝擊，但始終內地畢業生的人數很少，還有待未來數年的調查才可看到長遠影響」。他呼籲港生為自己增值，學好普通話增強競爭力。

熟悉中港文化成應徵優勢

科大內地學生會幹事兼二年級學生王子源發現，個別內地生就業非常理想。但她指，今年不少內地生進入國際四大會計師事務所，起薪點僅萬多元，相信整體起薪點將稍降。提及本港及內地同學的就業競爭力，她坦言︰「內地同學的確高一點。」因內地生成績普遍較佳，加上個人經歷及熟悉本港和內地等的文化制度，成為應徵優勢。

公司：內地生處事較沉實

中原人力資源顧問有限公司董事總經理周綺萍指出，內地生的工作態度佳，處事較沉實，懂得珍惜學習機會，「不像香港學生般驕縱」。

Classic example of how growth needs to be balanced against the well-being and quality of life measures, which don't always go together so well ...

Minimum wage could harm HK, warns chamber
Hong Kong Standard
Monday, July 28, 2008

Implementing regulatory policies such as the competition law or minimum wage could undermine Hong Kong's economic growth, the chairman of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce has warned.

Andrew Brandler also told The Standard he thought the government's HK$11 billion inflation relief package was linked to the upcoming Legislative Council election and disagreed with the prediction of Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen that inflationary pressures would cease once the government's infrastructure projects were in full swing in 2010.

But Brandler held out hope, saying an economic downturn on the scale of that seen 10 years ago is unlikely.

"The government has to be careful when formulating policies. Increasing regulations may bring unforeseen and undesired consequences as they may increase costs, especially under such a fragile economy as we have now," Brandler said, adding the chamber will reflect such an opinion when the government consults members on its upcoming policy address.

"If it [minimum wage] is to be implemented without thinking it through properly, the poor whom the policy is supposed to help can be at a disadvantage. Labor costs will be driven up and demand will be reduced."

With regard to a competition law, Brandler said it should be minimalist and concentrate on behavior.

He said global inflation was likely to continue for a while but the chamber still anticipates it to be 5 percent for this year, which is lower than a number of Asian developing markets.

"The [inflation] relief package can soften the blow to the community in the short term. But the timing suggests the government brought the package forward because of the election," Brandler said, adding that he does not agree inflation will level off when infrastructure projects begin in 2010.

"There is no direct link between infrastructure and inflation. In Hong Kong, it is the rising cost of imported goods that leads to inflation. But the economy can benefit with more infrastructure projects and there will be more jobs."

He said firms are now more cautious in making investments but the statistics do not show a dramatic slowdown.

"I fear the global economic problem. Further subprime problems will lead to another round of writedowns of companies. The Chinese decoupling theory is rubbish, the global economy integrated more than 10 years ago," Brandler said.

He said an economic downturn like the one 10 years ago is unlikely and that "there is no evidence the economy will be rocky in the next couple of years."

Hong Kong's unemployment rate stays at 3.2 percent
18 September 2008
Agence France Presse

Hong Kong's unemployment rate for the three months to August stayed at 3.2 percent, the same as the previous period, official figures showed Thursday.

The figure was unchanged from the May-to-July period, the Census and Statistics Department said in a statement.

Total employment increased by around 13,100 from the previous three-month period to 3.53 million, the government said. Over the same period, the labour force increased by around 17,600 to 3.68 million.

Jobs were lost in the decoration and maintenance, communications, and manufacturing sectors, while the education and welfare sectors experienced increases, the statement said.

Hong Kong's secretary for labour Matthew Cheung warned although the unemployment rate remained stable, there was no ground for optimism in face of the global financial turbulence.

"With the further downside risks to the already challenging external environment, the uncertainties clouding over near term outlook for the local economy have increased," he said in the statement.

"The government will closely monitor the impact on job creation and employment while continuing to enhance training, retraining and employment services," he said.

Hong Kong's unemployment rate jumps to 3.4 percent
20 October 2008
Agence France Presse

Hong Kong's unemployment rate for the three months to September increased to 3.4 percent, figures showed Monday, as the government warned the job market may suffer further from the global economic crisis.

The rate increased from 3.2 percent during the June-to-August period, with the retail, manufacturing, restaurant and financial sectors hit hardest, the census and statistics department said in a statement.

Total employment decreased by around 3,200 to 3.54 million during the period, the government said, while the labour force increased by around 1,800 to 3.68 million.

The city's labour department said there was a decrease in the number of new vacancies in the finance and real estate sectors over the period, highlighting the city's under-pressure banking and property sectors.

Hong Kong's Secretary for Labour Matthew Cheung said it was unlikely the figures showed the full extent of the fallout from the global slowdown and worse could be in store.

"Looking ahead, unemployment is likely to rise further in the near term," he said in a statement.

"Some sectors are bound to be affected by a contraction in business triggered by the global economic crisis."

Cheung said government infrastructure projects would help create employment in the future and that it was proposing new measures to help small and medium-sized enterprises.

A cultural divide? While the West axes jobs, Asia cuts pay

SINGAPORE, Nov 3 (Reuters) - From bankers to factory staff, workers in the West face the bleak prospect of losing their jobs as a global recession starts to bite. For colleagues in the East, the pain is more likely to come through a pay cut.

Human resource experts say cultural differences explain why Asian firms try harder to preserve jobs in difficult times, which will stem unemployment and may help keep Asian economies afloat at a time of slowing exports.

The more paternalistic East Asian attitude may also make it easier for firms to recover quickly from the economic downturn since they will not need to rehire or train new staff, leaving some experts predicting a Western shift to Eastern flexibility.

"In the Confucian mindset, the right thing to do is to share the burden. There's that sense of collective responsibility whereas in the West, it's more about individual survival," said Michael Benoliel, associate professor of organisational behaviour at Singapore Management University (SMU).

In Hong Kong, senior staff at CLSA, the Asian brokerage arm of Credit Agricole, have agreed to a voluntary pay cut of up to 25 per cent to stave off the threat of redundancy. CLSA made similar cuts in 2003 when business slowed due to SARS.

A Western CLSA employee, who declined to be identified, told Reuters he accepted the cut because he would have looked like "scum" in the eyes of his colleagues if he did not agree.

Singapore's Chartered Semiconductor also implemented temporary salary reductions of 5-20 percent after posting a loss, with senior management taking the biggest hit. And in Japan, chipmaker Elpida cut its chief executive's pay by 50 percent. Steven Pang, Asia regional director for Aquent, a headhunting firm, said in many East Asian companies there was an obligation "to take care of members of the family and go through the pain together" even if that meant incurring losses.

In contrast, Western counterparts often felt compelled to make dramatic statements to show investors they were serious about cost-cutting, Pang said.

U.S. firms from General Motors to Goldman Sachs plan to lay off workers by the thousands, but at the Asian units of Western multinationals, job cuts will probably be less severe.

Firms have to adapt labour practices according to the countries they operate in, which means they tend to be more restrained when sacking staff lest it hurt their ability to sell products and attract people, Benoliel said.

JOB FLEXIBILITY

Mark Ellwood, who heads the Singapore, Malaysian and Thai operations of Robert Walters, an executive search firm, said labour laws in most Western nations favoured employees and made it difficult for firms to reduce salaries without attracting lawsuits from disgruntled employees.

"In many cases, it's easier to make the retrenchments."

Employment law in East Asia tended to favour employers, allowing them to be more creative, and there was also government and public support for measures that help save jobs.

Singapore, for instance, encourages firms and unions to develop "flexi-wage" packages that allow employers to adjust salaries according to economic conditions.

According to the city-state's Manpower Ministry, about 83 percent of people in the private sector were employed under some form of flexible wage system, and 38 percent had variable components built into their monthly wages as at end-2006.

The monthly variable component could run as high as 70 percent in the case of top executives, said Ho Geok Choo, president of the Singapore Human Resources Institute (SHRI).

The policy has kept the city-state's unemployment at a low 2.2 percent, versus 1.7 percent in last year's fourth quarter.

Japan's jobless rate was 4 percent in September, up from 3.8 percent in January, while Hong Kong's was flat at 3.4 percent. But U.S. unemployment is expected to have jumped to 6.3 percent last month from below 5 percent in January.

WEST MEETS EAST?

Experts say that while there are noticeable differences in labour practices in East and West, the gap will narrow as more firms become more multinational and competition forces firms to adopt the best practices of rivals from abroad.

Aquent's Pang noted many large Japanese firms no longer offer jobs-for-life, while Western multinationals now employ a large number of people in Asia.

"With the trend of major Japanese companies being run by non -Japanese CEOs, slowly but surely they are starting to adopt more of a Western management style and philosophy."

However, SHRI's Ho said the global crisis has raised questions about the Anglo-Saxon way of doing business, and he predicted a shift towards a more paternalistic work culture.

Western firms are trying harder to put on a more human face amid growing distrust among the youth in their home countries.

In the past, layoffs meant an empty box and an escort to the carpark, but firms now offer counselling and consultants to help staff find jobs elsewhere, said SMU's Benoliel.

"They'll still kill you, but they now do it gently."

HK's financial and property firms forced to cut staff amid crisis
6 November 2008
Agence France Presse

Financial and property firms in Hong Kong have started laying off staff as they feel the full force the global financial crisis, newspapers reported Friday.

US investment bank Goldman Sachs has cut 10 percent of its team, or about 100 staff, the South China Post quoted a source as saying.

The bank Goldman Sachs would not offer salary cuts as an option to layoffs, a source close to the company told AFP.

The group had in October revealed plans to slash a tenth of its global workforce of 32,500.

Swiss banking giant Credit Suisse has sacked at least 10 equity analysts and sales people last week, according to the Post.

Ricacorp Properties, one of the largest estate agents in the southern Chinese city, said it had cut 400 employees, or about 30 percent of its workforce, since June. It has also closed 40 of its 120 branches over the same period, although a spokeswoman said many of them were only temporarily.

"Some of the landlords of these offices have offered to lower the rent in view of the difficulties we are facing. We will closely monitor the property market in the next few months to see if there is a chance to re-open some of them," she said.

Analysts said they also expect to see rounds of massive layoffs in the catering and retailing industries as the new year nears, when companies will be forced to downsize or go bust as they fail to clear debts.

100,000 jobs on the line
Hong Kong Standard
Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Almost 100,000 more Hongkongers are in line to lose their jobs, with unemployment set to spike in the fourth quarter, economists predict.

The worrying news comes even though the government said yesterday the unemployment rate rose only slightly to a lower-than-expected 3.5 percent for the August-to-October period.

KPMG, one of the "Big Four" global accounting firms, added to the misery yesterday by laying off about 100 staff from its Hong Kong office, a source told The Standard.

Economists now estimate that up to 154,500 people, or 4.2 percent of the workforce, may be without a job by the end of the year, up from 131,800 at the end of October. As many as 220,700 people, or 6 percent of workers, from a wide range of sectors will be without paychecks by the time unemployment peaks some time next year, they predict.

Hong Kong has not seen unemployment levels that high since early 2005. "Things will get worse rather quickly in coming months," Bank of East Asia (0023) chief economist Paul Tang Sai- on said.

Still, the situation is not predicted to be as gloomy as the 2003 SARS crisis, when unemployment surged to 8.6 percent.

The government said unemployment rose to 3.5 percent for the August- to-October period, up from 3.4 percent in the July-to-September period.

The figure was lower than the 3.6 percent median forecast of eight economists surveyed by Reuters.

Total employment actually increased by 3,600 during the period, while the number of unemployed people fell by 2,200.

"In the coming quarters we are going to have a much deeper recession," Hang Seng Bank (0011) senior economist Irina Fan Yuen-yee said.

Secretary for Labour and Welfare Matthew Cheung Kin-chung said yesterday the government expects 100 public works projects to come on stream in the next nine months, which will create 40,000 jobs for the construction sector.

"We will leave no stone unturned to promote employment on all fronts," Cheung said.

Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah said that under the current circumstances it is hard for Hong Kong companies to avoid layoffs. He added he believes the unemployment rate will probably rise further in the near term.

DBS Bank (Hong Kong) senior investment strategist Daniel Chan Po- ming said the trend in the labor market is "quite worrisome."

Chan added: "The unemployment rate may start to increase sharply later. If you look at the export orders, the outlook is very bad."

Chan said the poor performance of Hong Kong's banking sector will have a spillover effect on small and medium- sized enterprises. The pain will also spread beyond the trade and finance sectors into tourism and consumption- related sectors, which will see high-end hotels and pricey restaurants take a hit, he explained.

"Only the fast-food industry can have a good performance," Chan said.

Citi economist Joe Lo said fears about job security will continue to keep consumers and home buyers cautious in spending and home purchase decisions.

Meanwhile, KPMG is laying off about 100 staff, sources said.

Just last month, KPMG International deputy chairman John Harrison said the firm did not plan to change its hiring plans because of the financial tsunami.

HK's civil service a hot choice for job seekers amid crisis
26 November 2008
Agence France Presse

The number of Hong Kong jobseekers applying to the civil service has soared, officials said Wednesday, amid widespread redundancies by private sector firms hit by the global financial crisis.

The Civil Service Bureau said it had received more than 24,000 applications for just 400 assistant clerical officer vacancies.

"Perhaps the poor economy has turned jobseekers' eyes back to the government," a government spokeswoman told AFP.

Clerical positions in the Hong Kong civil service offer salaries of between 10,190 and 20,835 Hong Kong dollars (1,306-2,671 US) a month.

Leung Chau-ting, president of Hong Kong Clerical Grades Civil Servants General Union, said he had not seen as many applications to the civil service in years, according to newspaper Apple Daily.

The global financial crisis has severely dampened the economic outlook of the southern Chinese city, with banks and property firms resorting to laying off their staff in recent weeks to cut costs.

Jobseekers are turning back to the public sector for their "iron rice bowl", a chinese expression to denote the security that government jobs could offer.

The government said earlier Hong Kong's unemployment rate for the third quarter had jumped to 3.5 percent from the previous quarter's 3.4 percent, warning that the situation would get worse.

Meanwhile, Secretary for Development Carrie Lam has proposed to create 40,000 building jobs by allocating 100 billion dollars for 10 large infrastructure and community projects.

Exodus of expats foreseen as crisis takes toll on jobs
Lay-offs in financial sector could drive westerners away
1 December 2008
South China Morning Post

The tinsel and carols have gone up to signal that Christmas is on the way, but for John, a banker, the past few weeks have been "a logistical nightmare".

The reason? He lost his job last month and has to head home this week.

John has spent the past month in discussions about breaking his lease, taking his children out of school, packing up his home and also saying farewell to friends.

"It has been terrible. It was a surprise. It took everyone by surprise," said the Australian, who has lived in Hong Kong for nine years with his wife and two children, aged 9 and 11.

"In the current climate, we decided it was the best option," he said.

He plans to wait in Australia for the economic turmoil to calm down and apply for jobs in Hong Kong as soon as possible.

The Immigration Department, the Trade Development Council and consulates do not keep figures on the number of foreign workers leaving the city permanently, but many expatriates say they are going home.

Some predict an exodus and a repeat of the situation during the 1998 financial crisis and the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome in 2003. Restaurants, bars, recruiters and property companies are watching for a major shift in business, while schools are monitoring changes in enrolment and waiting-list numbers.

Ben Tyrrell, director of removals firm Relocasia, said: "This is not dissimilar to what happened during Sars, when we had people wanting to move the next day. People don't do that unless they sense dark clouds on the horizon."

Mr Tyrrell has seen many foreigners - including chief financial officers, middle-class corporate staff and recent graduates - deciding to move and leaving the city within days.

The company, most of whose clients work in banks and live in upmarket areas, saw outbound orders rise by 65 per cent last month and expects a 100 per cent increase for this month, compared to the same month last year. Most of the orders for last month were made by Britons, Australians and Americans.

"They're either deciding to take redundancy packages or are being forced to leave," he said. "It's been phenomenally busy."

Recruitment agencies predict expatriates will leave when they fail to find jobs.

The agencies would be able to source positions for lower-level staff - compliance officers, auditors, product controllers and technical staff - but it would be difficult for senior candidates, said Mark Enticott, associate director of banking and financial services at executive search firm Michael Page.

He predicted that many people would move in the next six to 12 months. "Naturally that happens. We saw it during the last two financial crises," he said.

Restaurants are bracing for a drop in business. "There's probably going to be a bit of an exodus," said Chris Lenz, founder of Igor's Group of Restaurants, which includes Stormy Weather, The Keg and Wildfire.

He said one of his regulars lost a job last Monday, and another last Tuesday. He expects a 20 to 25 per cent drop in income next month and in February compared to the same months in recent years, partly because expatriates would leave.

Buggle Lau, chief analyst at Midland Realty, said luxury property rents would drop when expatriates left. "Even those who are lucky enough to keep their jobs upon the expiry of their contracts will relocate or they will negotiate with their landlords," he said. Rents on the south side of Hong Kong Island, in Mid-Levels and in West Kowloon had dropped by 15 to 20 per cent up to October, he said. He expects another 10 to 15 per cent fall in the first quarter of next year.

The only places reporting stability are schools, possibly because parents do not want to uproot children mid-term. Hong Kong International School and the English Schools Foundation say enrolment and waiting list numbers have not changed from last year. The ESF even received 10 per cent more applications than last year for first-year spaces, said Peter Craughwell, head of corporate communications. But he said they were monitoring the situation.

Businesses say worse is yet to come. HSBC, Citibank, DBS, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch only announced job cuts last month. They say the period from now until the end of the year will be the lull before the storm as the unemployed seek new jobs.

However, some expect fewer people to leave than in 1998 and 2003.

"There is a fundamental difference between expats now and then," Mr Lenz said, noting they had started owning property, which was very rare in the 1990s.

"A lot of expats see Hong Kong as their home. Even if we see them losing their jobs, they will try to look for work here," he said.

Mr Enticott, from Michael Page, even expects new arrivals. "Asia is still seen by banks as an area where they can grow their revenue base," he said.

Joe, a broker from Britain, lost his job along with several others at his company last month, and his visa expires in June. He says the mood among his friends has been very grim, but he wants to tough it out in Hong Kong, where he has lived for several years.

"I don't want to go back to the UK unless I have to. I will stay as long as I have a visa," he said.

He plans to send out CVs in January and hopes to land a job with a visa. "You have to look at the economies in the rest of the world. Our prospects are better here," he said. "There are still firms coming to Asia."

Hong Kong to create 250,000 jobs through projects

HONG KONG, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Hong Kong's government aims to create 250,000 jobs by launching 10 big infrastructure projects in 2009, its financial secretary said on Saturday, in an effort to slow the growing jobless rate in an economic downturn.

"(The) Hong Kong SAR government will facilitate the launch of 10 major infrastructure projects next year, hoping to bring in 250,000 jobs," John Tsang said in a radio programme, adding he had urged all government departments to propose ways of creating more jobs. He gave no time frame for the 250,000 job target.

Tsang had said earlier this week that he expected Hong Kong's economy to worsen in coming few months. The government recently cut its 2008 GDP growth forecast to 3 to 3.5 percent from 4 to 5 percent.

The unemployment rate rose to 3.5 percent in August-October, from 3.4 percent in July-September quarter. The government said the jobless rate was a lagging indicator and had yet to truly reflect the impact of the global financial crisis.

Economists see it topping 4 percent within a few months as Hong Kong is now in recession and as a trading and financial hub is being hit by the global economic downturn.

The jobless rate has come down from a record 8.5 percent in the past five years as the economy has rebounded, but it now looks set to rise sharply in the next year as a global economic downturn hurts Hong Kong businesses.

Hong Kong's unemployment rate rises to 3.8 percent
18 December 2008
Agence France Presse

Hong Kong's unemployment rate rose to 3.8 percent in November, government figures released Thursday showed, the latest sign of economic slowdown in the southern Chinese financial hub.

The rate for the three months to November increased from 3.5 percent during the three months to October, the Census and Statistics Department said in a statement.

Workers in retail, construction, manufacturing and import/exports were hit hardest, the statement said.

Total employment decreased by around 13,500, to 3,533,100. Over the same period, the labour force decreased by around 8,900.

The underemployment rate increased from 1.7 percent to 1.8 percent over the same period.

Secretary for Labour Matthew Cheung said he was concerned about the effect the global slowdown was having on the city's economy.

"The financial tsunami has caused a significant impact on economies around the globe and, as an open economy, Hong Kong will also be affected," he said in a statement.

"It is vitally important that we should work closely together to weather the storm and reduce as far as possible the negative impact on employment," he said, adding that planned infrastructure projects would create 60,000 jobs in 2009.

Hong Kong's unemployment rate jumps to 4.1 percent
19 January 2009
Agence France Presse

Hong Kong's unemployment rate rose to 4.1 percent in the last quarter of 2008, official figures showed Monday, as the chief executive warned a lack of jobs was a major threat to economic recovery.

The figure was up from 3.8 percent during the three months to the end of November, the Census and Statistics Department said in a statement.

Workers in restaurants, imports and exports, transport and manufacturing were among the hardest hit, the statement said.

Total employment actually increased by around 11,200 to 3,544,300 during the October-December period, but at the same time the labour force increased by around 16,200 to an all-time high of 3,685,700.

The underemployment rate increased from 1.8 percent to 1.9 percent over the same period, the figures showed.

Chief executive Donald Tsang said the government was fast-tracking infrastructure projects in an effort to compensate for the shortfall in private sector jobs.

"Rising unemployment is one of the biggest risks to economic recovery at the moment," he told the Asian Financial Forum, a meeting of government and business figures from across the region.

Tsang said he hoped to create more than 60,000 new jobs this year, mainly in construction and temporary civil service posts.

Labour secretary Matthew Cheung said he hoped the city would not face a further spike in unemployment after the Lunar New Year, a traditional time for employers to reassess their position.

"I sincerely call on employers to seriously explore measures other than staff redundancy to weather the financial tsunami," he said.

Vacancies slump as gloomy forecasts rise
Hong Kong Standard
Tuesday, March 17, 2009

The number of jobs available in Hong Kong has slumped to levels not seen since the city was gripped by the deadly SARS outbreak of 2003.

And according to the Hong Kong Institute of Human Resource Management, things are going to get worse before they get better.

Adding to the gloom is a prediction by human resources consultants HR-TotalSolution that the unemployment rate will surge to 7 percent in the first half of this year from its current rate of 4.5 percent.

Hong Kong's unemployment rate peaked at 8.7 percent in 2003 during SARS.

A survey of 100 companies, which employed a total of 105,000 at the end of last year, showed just 0.01 percent growth in new positions in the fourth quarter, the worst since 2004, the institute said.

Some sectors even recorded negative growth: minus 2.38 percent for manufacturing; and minus 1.03 percent for business and professional services which include accountancy, legal and professional consultancy.

But the community/social and personal services sectors recorded a relatively higher net growth in job positions of 2.32 percent. The institute said this was because the sector has been relatively stable all along.

Other sectors with higher vacancy rates are property development, real estate, engineering and construction.

The survey also found that frontline and clerical employees have been most affected by cutbacks and layoffs.

The highest vacancy rate was found in the supervisory and officer segment.

Among the companies that took part, 63.5 percent indicated a recruitment freeze in the first quarter, 18.8 percent said they had reduced hiring, 12.5 percent increased hiring and 5.2 percent remained unchanged.

"A freeze in hiring is the prevailing trend. Some companies such as the hotel, retail and telecommunications sectors, still have hiring plans but will be more prudent," institute president Wilfred Wong Kam-pui said.

Despite a lower turnover, staff had a higher absence rate overall with 1.62 percent, the second highest in the past three years.

Meanwhile, Sincere department store sacked 30 employees last week. It also asked those with monthly salaries above HK$6,500 to take a 10 percent pay cut and the rest to accept a pay freeze. All staff have been asked to take three days' no-pay leave a month.

Bucking the trend, Hong Kong and China Gas will offer 20 vacancies to graduates with monthly pay of HK$8,000 over a six-month period.

Expatriates still heading for HK despite the recession
Number of foreigners moving to the city is rising
22 March 2009
South China Morning Post

Immigration Department statistics appear to reflect a trend seen by local relocation experts - expatriates are moving to Hong Kong despite the financial crisis.

There was a slight rise in the number of US expatriates, up from 27,230 at the end of 2007 to 28,624 at the end of last year. The number of Canadians also increased marginally, from 19,584 in 2007 to 20,598 last year.

Restaffing, reshuffling and new opportunities may explain why people are relocating to the city amid the economic downturn.

"I'm almost afraid to talk about it because I'm afraid it's going to bring bad luck down, the bad mojo," said Rob Chipman, CEO of Asian Tigers, a removals and relocation company based in Hong Kong.

"But we're seeing it. I'm looking at the board right now, and we colour-code it. Red is inbound and I'm seeing a lot of red. It flies in the face of every single thing I hear or read."

Overall, Mr Chipman estimated that 1,000 to 3,000 expatriate families have arrived in Hong Kong since the beginning of 2008.

He said the reason could be that more Asian companies were sending workers here, and companies from elsewhere may perceive Hong Kong and Asia on the whole as safer bets than other regions.

Mr Chipman would not predict whether the trend would wane in the coming months. Five months ago, he asked himself: "Who's going to move to Hong Kong now?"

Lance Allen, managing director of Santa Fe Relocation Services, said the firm's inbound numbers had increased 20 per cent a year over the last three to four years. This year's numbers were similar to last year's, he said.

"Inbound remains strong. People are still coming in," Mr Allen said. He could not say why workers were still heading this way - especially since most people would have predicted the exact opposite amid the downturn.

"For us right now, it just seems like the normal in-and-out flows of corporations doing business in Hong Kong. There are occasional accounts that have slowed down, but there are other companies who have sped up as well."

Stacy Tucker, owner of Ferndale Kennels & Cattery, which transports family pets on international moves, said her company "is still getting quite a lot of imports", assisting many people from Australia and the US.

"I think that people coming in are on different contracts from the ones going out ... they may be getting lower salaries and not quite so many benefits," Ms Tucker said.

Shriram Chaubal, chief operating officer of GeoClicks, which owns Geoexpat.com, noted there were a "fair number of posts" on the site's "Moving to Hong Kong" forum.

"There ... seems to me like there are still plenty of jobs [in Hong Kong], maybe not the high-paid jobs," Mr Chaubal said. "But we're seeing people moving in [for] all sorts of things, especially like education [positions]."

Gravy train off tracks for finance graduates
Hong Kong Standard
Friday, April 17, 2009

The high-paying jobs for finance graduates are gone, at least for now, according to a survey.
In a similar poll conducted last year, the newly minted graduates with the highest annual salaries in 2007 were two investment bankers, at HK$1.2 million and HK$1.04 million respectively.

The best paid new doctor got only HK$800,000.

But in the survey of 3,384 graduates by the University of Hong Kong Centre of Development and Resources for Students between last October and March this year, the top two jobs in 2008 at HK$1.04 million and HK$780,000 went to doctors.

The highest paid investment banker was only worth HK$740,000.

What is worse, the survey also suggests the average starting salaries for fresh investment-bank analysts in 2009 could drop from around HK$40,000 a month to between HK$20,000 and HK$30,000.

Careers and Placement director Herman Chan Ping-kong said job offers could plunge 50 to 60 percent, while jobs in the banking and financial sector could drop by 80 to 90 percent.

He expected the average monthly salary of all graduates to decrease from HK$15,460 last year to between HK$13,000 and HK$14,000.

The percentage of unemployed graduates increased from 0.2 percent in 2007 to 0.6 percent last year. But Chan estimated it could reach as high as 6 percent this year, compared with 3 percent during the SARS outbreak in 2003.

Chan advised students to be open to offers from various sectors and not to switch jobs.

The survey also shows mainland students prefer to stay in Hong Kong to work after graduating from local universities. Student affairs dean Albert Chau Wai-lap said local firms preferred to employ them as they are generally more active.

Chau said they were paid an average of HK$18,026 a month in 2008, compared with around HK$15,000 (excluding medical subsidies) earned by their Hong Kong classmates.

In 2007, mainland graduates earned an average of HK$16,828 per month while locals got HK$14,582.

Chau said Hong Kong banks preferred to employ mainland graduates to work in China because of their broader outlook.

The Chinese University and the University of Science and Technology have yet to finalize data on last year's job situation.

Hong Kong's unemployment rate rises to 5.2 pct
20 April 2009
Agence France Presse

Hong Kong's jobless rate jumped to 5.2 percent in the three months ending March, government statistics showed Monday, the highest level in three years.

The figure increased from 5.0 percent in the three months ending February, as the construction, finance and transportation sectors were hit by a reduction in work, the Census and Statistics Department said in a statement.

The number of unemployed increased by around 15,200 to 187,200 over the period, while the workforce increased to an all-time high of 3,694,900, the figures showed.

Secretary for Labour Matthew Cheung said the job market would continue to suffer in the near term, but insisted the government was doing all it could by providing extra training.

"We will... make the best of the current adversity to re-equip and upgrade our workforce as well as enhance their employability," he said in a statement.

Hong Kong's economy is expected to contract by between two and three percent in 2009, as the export and financial hub is buffeted by the global slowdown.

Another 110 jobs cut as TVB adjusts picture
Hong Kong Standard
Thursday, May 21, 2009

For the third time in six months, Television Broadcasts Ltd (0511) has wielded the ax, with another 110 employees being told to join the growing queue of unemployed.

But the station characterized the latest sackings as a realignment of human resources, saying yesterday that about half of those affected could be rehired if they meet certain criteria.

Just last week, TVB denied rumors that 30 staff members could be sacked.

"The headcount reduction is to tie in with the new media developments rather than to save cost," broadcasting general manager Stephen Chan Chi- wan said. He said letters of termination were sent to more than 100 employees, starting yesterday.

But Chan claimed that 200 vacancies will be generated by the expansion of online services, construction of new studios and development of a metadata system, plus new movie productions.

"About half the affected employees are suitable for the new positions and may be hired again by the end of July when jobs become available," finance and administration general manager Mark Lee Po-on said.

Yet the Television Broadcast Ltd Staff Association cast doubts on TVB's claims, saying the station could have transferred people to other positions and provided retraining instead of sacking them.

"The so-called reconstruction is a cover-up for a layoff," the association said in a statement.

It went on to urge the company to negotiate with the staff to find a reasonable solution.

Confederation of Trade Unions l
awmaker Lee Cheuk-yan condemned TVB for sacking staff when the company remained highly profitable.

"The unemployment rate is already so high, yet it is creating more unemployment," Lee said.

"It has no heart. It deserves to be condemned, and we are very angry about this."

Baptist University Cinema and Television department head Cheuk Pak-tong said even new media needs content and people to develop the material.

"TVB's profit is not small," Cheuk said, "so it is not a good thing that it is firing staff."

The lack of competition among free-to-air broadcasters in Hong Kong discouraged the retention of talented staff, he added.

TVB terminated the employment of more than 200 employees last December - what it said was a one-off happening. It then fired about 50 staff - mostly engineers - in February, claiming those departures were a continuation of the December layoff scheme.

On Wednesday, rival ATV fired 36 staff in its fourth round of dismissals since last November.

TVB's advertising revenue after agency deductions totaled HK$2.76 billion last year, up 2.6 percent from HK$2.69 billion in 2007.

The broadcaster reported net profit of HK$1.06 billion for the year to December 31, down 17 percent from HK$1.26 billion on 2007. Turnover climbed 2 percent to HK$4.4 billion.

Pay slashed 5pc
15 June 2009
The Standard

Top government officials and controversial political appointees are to have their pay cut by just over 5 percent, while civil servants will face a pay freeze, according to sources.

The new pay arrangements will be endorsed by the Executive Council tomorrow and announced later the same day.

The decision to reduce the salaries of Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam- kuen and his 32-member political team by about 5.38 percent follows the recent pay trend survey that recommended cuts of 5.38 percent for top-salaried civil servants, 1.98 percent for those in the middle bracket, and 0.96 percent for those in the lower band.

One source said the pay trend survey is a reliable reference point as it was completed with the participation of 121 top companies.

"We did not want to give an arbitrary reduction rate of, say, 10 percent or 20 percent," the source said. "However, we don't rule out the possibility that the political appointees may experience further paycuts."

Tsang will earn about HK$20,000 less each month, while the monthly salaries of the 15 secretaries will drop by between HK$15,000 and HK$17,000.

The 17 appointees, whose appointments stirred a political storm last year, will see their salaries reduced by HK$7,217 to HK$12,029 per month.

Tsang said last month he and his political team were prepared to accept lower salaries to show their commitment. Another source said the government did not want to announce the paycuts earlier to avoid exerting pressure on senior civil servants.

Currently, permanent secretaries, the most senior ranking of civil servants, receive HK$202,000 a month, and will get HK$10,868 less.

Former chief executive Tung Chee- hwa and his political team took a voluntary 10 percent pay cut in 2003.

Meanwhile, Chinese Civil Servants' Association president Peter Wong Hyo said yesterday the association is seeking legal advice on how to repudiate the pay trend survey findings.

The Pay Trend Survey Committee has endorsed the findings, despite objections from the association and the Police Force Council Staff Side. Both parties said it was unfair for the survey to include two companies that underwent drastic changes in pay.

Wong said there is no such thing as an endorsement by the majority because, according to standing rules, the findings must be endorsed by every member of the commission.

"I fear the committee will become a rubber stamp. Why don't we dismiss a committee which acts like this?" Wong asked.

HK aims to introduce minimum wage by early 2011

HONG KONG, June 24 (Reuters) - Hong Kong aims to introduce a minimum wage by early 2011 to protect low-income groups as pay continues to be depressed by the loss of jobs to lower cost mainland China.

Economic recession is putting further pressure on wages and the government said on Wednesday that it would table a minimum wage bill to legislators on July 8, but did not reveal the proposed wage level.

The city prides itself on its laissez-faire economic policy and flexible labour markets, which it says boost its competitiveness with other Asian centres. However, the government on Wednesday acknowledged a need to protect the vulnerable and promote social harmony.

"Our aim is to establish an optimal statutory minimum wage regime which strikes an appropriate balance between forestalling excessively low wages and minimising the loss of low-paid jobs, while sustaining Hong Kong's economic growth and competitiveness," Secretary for Labour and Welfare Matthew Cheung said in a statement.

Economic recession has pushed up the unemployment rate to 5.3 percent, a near four-year high, and it is likely to rise further as the government forecasts the economy will shrink by up to 6.5 percent this year as a result of the global downturn.

However, Tommy Cheung, deputy chairman of the pro-business Liberal Party, said a minimum wage would hurt the city's competitiveness.

"The minimum wage is not good for low earners and people of minimal education," Tommy Cheung told Reuters. "This is going to hurt overall unemployment. We think market forces are the best way to go about things ... you will see all the CSSA (social welfare payments) go up.

"It will do perpetual damage to our competitiveness. If we do this, we'll lose out."

Mainland China introduced a minimum wage in recent years. In the manufacturing hub of the Pearl River Delta adjoining Hong Kong, minimum wages range from about US$100 per month in key industrial areas. Coupled with a labour contract law introduced early last year, these measures have bolstered the wage and labour rights of millions of Chinese migrant workers.

Rival financial centre Singapore does not have a minimum wage.

If passed, the wage bill would come into effect by the end of 2010 or early 2011, the government said.

It will not apply to the wages of hundreds of thousands of live-in foreign domestic workers in the city, most of whom are from the Philippines.

SLW's remarks on latest unemployment statistics
Monday, July 20, 2009
Government Press Release

Following is the transcript (English portion) of the remarks made by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, on the latest unemployment statistics at a media stand-up today (July 20):

The rise in the unemployment rate is narrowing and shows signs of tapering off in recent months. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased slightly by 0.1 percentage point from 5.3% to 5.4% in April - June this year. This is mainly due to the influx of school leavers and graduates into the labour market. The underemployment rate remained unchanged at 2.3%.

Increases in the unemployment rate were mainly observed in the arts, entertainment and recreation sectors and wholesale trade sectors. But decreases were apparent in a number of major sectors including warehousing and support activities for transport sectors, financing and accommodation and food services sectors.

The unemployment situation of the construction sector has also seen signs of improvement. The latest figure stands at 11.8%. Specifically the unemployment rate of the decoration and maintenance sub-sector has fallen notably for two consecutive periods and the latest figure is 16.6%, down 2.1%. This shows that the Government's all-out efforts to speed up infrastructural projects and the launch of Operation Building Bright, and also accelerated minor works, are having a positive effect on the labour market. That's why this is helpful, to a very large extent, to decrease the unemployment for the construction sector.

Although the local business environment remains weak, the global economy seems to have stabilised recently. The relative stability of our external trade and domestic economic sectors in recent months as compared to that of early this year, coupled with the effect of the Government’s various relief packages, have helped ease unemployment.

Looking ahead, given the current economic situation and the entry of fresh graduates and school leavers into the labour market in the coming months, the unemployment rate is expected to face upward pressure in the near term. We will continue to be vigilant and monitor the situation closely.

Meanwhile, the Internship Programme for University Graduates will kick off on August 1 and will create 4,000 internship places for our university graduates. I am sure this programme will help sooth employment for graduates and school-leavers as well.

Reporter: The unemployment rate has increased again. You just said that it will face further pressure despite the fact that the economy is picking up. So when do we expect the unemployment situation to catch up with the economy?

The Secretary for Labour and Welfare: It is early to say. But as I said before, we are not out of the woods yet. We are still locked in an economic recession. The economic indicators in recent months are improving. If we particularly look at, for example, a very typical sector, the construction sector which has been described as the worst hit sector, the situation is improving steadily over the last two months primarily because of the Government's efforts to boost infrastructural development, to speed up works programme and also to launch this massive Operation Building Bright, involving 2,000 building refurbishments. All these have had a definite positive effect on the labour market. Also if your look at the figures, even hotel business, food business, and in overall terms, transportation as well are improving. But of course, we are still talking about high unemployment. But they are not worsening. They are actually turning for the better. So it takes time.

Reporter: What is the impact on employment when fresh graduates enter the labour market and do we face other pressures as well?

The Secretary for Labour and Welfare: The entry into the labour market of fresh graduates is a yearly phenomenon. It is nothing new. It is a seasonal factor that we've factored in in our general assessment. But bearing in mind this year, despite the fact that jobs will be less compared with previous years, we have had various employment schemes in place. For example, catering for university graduates, we've got this Internship Programme which will come on stream on August 1, creating 4,000 places, 3,000 in Hong Kong and 1,000 on the Mainland. This will certainly have a very, very positive effect on the labour market, and help equip our university graduates. When the market revives, they can then take off. And also for sub-degree holders and below, Form Five school leavers and so on, and even Form Three school leavers, we've had the Youth Pre-employment Training Programme, and the Youth Work Experience and Training Scheme, again revamped, completely re-energised, ready to absorb 35,000 of them in the next two years. We have already got funding for $400 million secured in the Finance Committee. So we are ready for the entry into the labour force of the graduates and school leavers. We are well prepared for them.

Workers give low priority to language skills
The Standard
Friday, July 24, 2009

Four out of every five white-collar workers admit being weak in Putonghua and English yet fewer than one in five take action to improve their language skills.

According to the Hong Kong University public opinion program, 84 percent of 500 respondents interviewed in June felt they needed to improve their English and Putonghua to improve their careers.

Yet only 17 percent enrolled in either Putonghua or English courses over the past two years.

Program director Robert Chung Ting-yiu said one of the main reasons for the lack of effort was because workers did not see immediate benefits from improving their language skills.

He said about 60 percent said they would enroll in language courses only if they were transferred somewhere where English or Putonghua was the dominant language.

"About 80 percent said they would not reap immediate rewards, such as a salary rise, and consequently they were reluctant to take action," Chung said.

"Hong Kong employees are very shortsighted in that they don't realize the long-term benefits on their careers."

Anchor HRM Consulting consultant G Lam said white- collar workers should look to the future as both Putonghua and English are becoming increasingly essential.

"The ability to communicate in Putonghua and English is no longer a bonus talent, as one or the other has become the most basic requirement for jobs in trade, service and management," he said.

As local businesses become increasingly intertwined with businesses based in the mainland, there has been a noticeable rise in the use of Putonghua in business communications, he said.

非本地畢業生留港申請增
2009年07月27日



【本報訊】政府自去年 5月推出非本地畢業生留港工作計劃，至今年 6月底為止，共接獲 3,617宗申請， 97%為內地學生。


68%碩士以上學歷
入境處首席入境事務主任（簽證管制）黃然生指出， 68%非本地畢業生計劃申請者擁有碩士或以上學歷，其餘為擁有學士學位。從事行業以金融服務業及學術研究為主，分別佔四成及三成。一名去年於香港大學畢業的內地男生，透過這計劃留港從事財經分析工作，月入逾 5萬元。
不過，輸入內地人才計劃申請卻下跌，該處於今年上半年只接獲 2,936宗申請，較去年同期下跌 15%。黃相信與金融海嘯有關，也不排除部份內地人才轉往申請非本地畢業生計劃，免除轉工申請限制，「有一名科大畢業嘅內地女碩士生，原本已透過內地人才計劃留港工作，但舊年都轉咗去非本地畢業生計劃。」

Hong Kong's jobless fails to budge from near 4-year high last quarter despite recession ending
18 August 2009

HONG KONG (AP) - Hong Kong's jobless rate stayed at a near four-year high last quarter even as the local economy emerged from its yearlong recession, the government said Tuesday.

The Chinese territory's unemployment rate was 5.4 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis for the three months ended July 30, the government said in a statement.

The latest figure came as Hong Kong broke free from its slump last quarter, growing by 3.3 percent on a quarter-to-quarter basis.

The jobless rate could rise further as companies hold off on new hires until the economy shows signs of a lasting turnaround, said Matthew Cheung, Hong Kong's secretary for labor and welfare.

"The unemployment rate will continue to face upward pressure as business sentiments remain cautious and employers are generally conservative in hiring new hands," Cheung said.

Among the sectors shedding more jobs during the period were education, insurance, laundry and personal services.

青少年失業率續惡化
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2009年09月18日(五)

【本報訊】本港失業率連續三個月維持平穩，但青少年的失業卻有升無跌。政府昨公布今年六至八月失業率維持在百分之五點四，就業不足率亦保持不變，但十五至二十四歲青少年失業率卻進一步攀升至百分之十四點八，其中十五至十九歲組別的失業率更升至百分之二十八點七，整體青少年失業人數突破五萬二千一百人。政府承認就業市場吸納應屆畢業生及離校生速度緩慢，預計失業率短期內仍處於高水平。

住宿業批發業重災

統計處指出，失業率顯著上升行業包括住宿業、藝術、娛樂及休閒服務業和批發業，而建造業、倉庫及運輸輔助服務業和地產業的失業率則下跌，其中過往是失業重災區的建造業失業率由高峰期的百分之十二點七，降至百分之十點一。就業不足率方面，上升主要集中在教育業及批發業，而建造業和倉庫及運輸輔助服務業則下跌。

整體失業人數增加三千人至二十一萬六千八百人，就業不足人數則微跌至八萬八千二百人。不過，青少年失業率繼續惡化，今年五至七月數字顯示，十五至十九歲失業率升至百分之二十八點七，失業人數達一萬六千三百人；二十至二十四歲失業率亦升至百分之十二點一，失業人數達三萬五千八百人。

勞工處將於本月二十九及三十日在奧海城二期商場舉辦物業管理業及零售業招聘會，合共提供約二千個職位空缺。

Jobless rate falls to 11-month low
The Standard
Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Hong Kong's jobless rate between October and December fell to 4.9 percent - the lowest in 11 months - as the local economy continues to recover.

"A solid recovery of the labor market in the longer term would hinge on the pace of job creation in the corporate sector," said Secretary for Labour and Welfare Matthew Cheung Kin-chung.

He said employment in the construction sector improved for the eighth straight month. The jobless rate in that sector for the three months to December was 7.4 percent from the peak of 12.7 percent in February to April 2009.

Unemployment among the young, aged 15 to 19 and 20 to 24, declined 20.1 percent and 10.5 percent respectively. The number of people unemployed fell to 172,800 from 181,000 while the workforce contracted to 3.67 million from 3.68 million. Cheung said labor demand during the Lunar New Year can ease pressure on unemployment.

Daniel Chan Po-ming, a senior investment strategist at DBS Bank (Hong Kong), expected the pace of the decline in the jobless rate to slow down after the festival.

"The unemployment rate may drop to 4.5 percent or 4.6 percent in the middle of the year and is not expected fall below 4 percent," said Chan.

Goldman Sachs projected unemployment to retreat to 4 percent by the end of the year. "We expect both the continued improvement in domestic demand and the external environment to lend further support to hiring demand, which would be seen in better employment growth," wrote Goldman economists Shiria Sum and Enoch Fung.

Unemployment in manufacturing dropped the most, to 5.1 percent from 5.7 percent, while in the export trade it slid to 4 percent from 4.4 percent.

"This year there will be a steady and slow improvement in the job market as employers are still being cautious although the market sentiment is much more positive," said Matthew Bennett, Hong Kong managing director of recruitment consultant Robert Walters.

RTHK - 20-04-2010
Equal Opportunities Commission chairman W K Lam
The chairman of the Equal Opportunities Commission, W K Lam, says he has no objections to setting a lower minimum wage for the disabled, once legislation is in place. Mr Lam said the level could be determined if a disabled person agreed to a voluntary assessment of their ability. But Mr Lam said details still have to be worked out.

Unemployment and Underemployment Statistics for January - March 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Government Press Release

According to the latest labour force statistics released today (April 20) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased from 4.6% in December 2009 - February 2010 to 4.4% (provisional figure) in January - March 2010. Meanwhile, the underemployment rate increased slightly from 2.1% to 2.2% (provisional figure).

Comparing January - March 2010 with December 2009 - February 2010, decreases in the unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted) were mainly observed in the insurance; arts, entertainment and recreation; and information and communications sectors. As to the underemployment rate, increases were mainly seen in the transportation and construction sectors.

Total employment decreased by around 16 900 from 3 513 600 in December 2009 - February 2010 to 3 496 700 (provisional figure) in January - March 2010. Over the same period, the labour force decreased by around 15 400 from 3 672 700 to 3 657 300 (provisional figure).

The number of unemployed persons (not seasonally adjusted) increased by around 1 500 from 159 100 in December 2009 - February 2010 to 160 600 (provisional figure) in January - March 2010. Over the same period, the number of underemployed persons increased by around 1 800 from 78 200 to 80 000 (provisional figure).

Commentary

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, following the downtrend since mid-2009, decreased further by 0.2 percentage point to 4.4% in January - March 2010. This is the lowest since the fourth quarter of 2008. Owing to seasonal fluctuation which resulted in a reduced number of seasonal jobs after the Lunar New Year holidays, the unemployment rate for construction sector increased by 0.7 percentage point to 8.0% and that for young people aged 15-19 increased slightly by 0.3 percentage point to 18.2%.

The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, said, "Whilst business activities in a number of sectors moderated somewhat owing to seasonal fluctuation, the fundamentals of the labour market remained robust. Take the construction industry as an example, the unemployment rate of the sector has registered a cumulative decrease of 4.7 percentage points from the peak in early 2009 and, in absolute terms, the cumulative reduction in the numbers unemployed amounted to 36%."

Mr Cheung noted that the latest feedback on job vacancies and the number of placements suggested that more new jobs will likely be created in the corporate sector in the next one or two months. This should help improve the employment situation in the near term.

He said, "The number of private sector vacancies posted by the Labour Department increased by 64.6% to 65 972 in March 2010 from 40 088 in the preceding month, while it increased by 31.3% over 50 228 in the same period of last year. The vacancies cover a wide variety of positions.

"The Labour Department is holding a three-day job fair at Olympian City starting from yesterday, offering more than 8 000 vacancies of various positions from 120 participating companies from the retail, catering and property management sectors."

Mr Cheung pointed out that with fresh graduates and school leavers entering the labour market this summer, labour supply would increase. "The employment outlook depends much on how well the economy can sustain the current momentum, thereby creating jobs to absorb these first-time job-seekers," he said.

Further Information

The unemployment and underemployment statistics were compiled from the findings of the continuous General Household Survey.

The survey for January - March 2010 covered a sample of some 24 000 households or 75 000 persons, selected in accordance with a scientifically designed sampling scheme to represent the population of Hong Kong.

Data on labour force characteristics were obtained from the survey by interviewing each member aged 15 or over in the sampled households.

In the survey, the definitions used in measuring unemployment and underemployment follow closely those recommended by the International Labour Organisation.

Detailed analysis of labour force characteristics is given in the "Quarterly Report on General Household Survey" which is published four times a year. The current issue of the report covering the quarter October - December 2009 is now available and the next issue covering the quarter January - March 2010 will be available by end May 2010. Users can download this publication free of charge at the website of the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) (www.censtatd.gov.hk/products_and_services/products/publications/statistical_report/labour/index.jsp).

Enquiries for more detailed labour force statistics for December 2009 - February 2010 can be directed to the General Household Survey Section (2), Census and Statistics Department (Tel.: 2887 5508; Fax: 2508 1501; E-mail: ghs@censtatd.gov.hk).

Asia-Pacific finance job market hots up, pay jumps

HONG KONG, June 23 (Reuters) - Large numbers of finance professionals in Hong Kong have seen their pay jump between 20 and 40 percent in the past six months as competition for top talent heats up, a study showed on Wednesday.

Average salaries across the Asia-Pacific financial sector, which is the region's highest paymaster, have risen or remained resilient in 2009/10 compared with the previous year, and expectations for higher pay are on the rise.

The annual 2010/2011 salary guide released by Robert Half International surveyed about 3,500 finance professionals in the region.

"It is the first salary increase since the downturn of the job market," Andrew Morris, a director of Robert Half Hong Kong, told a media briefing.

He said most financial services professional such as investment bankers, retail bankers and hedge fund managers expect their annual bonuses to jump this year.

"The bonuses are unlikely to match the pre-crisis level but the expectations in some cases are that it could be as high as six months salary," he added.

The hot Asia-Pacific job market means two of every three employers surveyed were anxious about losing their best talent.

"Employers need to get onto the front foot and act fast to retain top performers," Morris added.

He said most finance professionals in Hong Kong got a bonus in 2009 despite the economic downturn, and over 80 percent expect that they can get a bonus payout this year as well.

Many Wall Street banks and other investment firms have their Asian head offices in Hong Kong, the region's financial hub.

"Especially when the recession is short in Hong Kong compared to other countries, people's expectations are high. They think they can earn 12 months bonus again," Morris said.

Almost half of Hong Kong employees are not happy with their salaries and more than half believe they should switch jobs to get better pay.

Experts in accounting, finance, compliance, operational support and audit were in special demand, the survey revealed.

L_oRy2Q_cVs

eDpCIMAgwnI

Greetings, from sunny NYC!

Hong Kong passes first-ever minimum wage law

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A female employee walks a poster at a local fast-food chain in Hong Kong. Hong Kong passed a minimum wage law on Saturday, a rare departure from the wealthy Chinese financial hub's free-market philosophy that union leaders hailed as a victory for the territory's underpaid working class. Vincent Yu/Ap

Rate could be at least $3 (U.S.) an hour in rare departure from financial hub’s free-market philosophy

Min Lee

Hong Kong — The Associated Press Published on Saturday, Jul. 17, 2010 10:53AM EDT Last updated on Saturday, Jul. 17, 2010 10:55AM EDT

Hong Kong passed its first-ever minimum-wage law Saturday, a rare departure from the wealthy Chinese financial hub's free-market philosophy. The move was hailed by union workers as a victory for the territory's underpaid working class.

No rate has yet been set, but it appears employers will be required to pay at least $3 (U.S.) an hour — well short of the rates in the West and low for one of the most expensive cities in the world.

Thousands of foreign live-in domestic workers also will be excluded from the deal.

But legislator and union organizer Lee Cheuk-yan said it was symbolic, showing that the city was saying “goodbye to shameful wages and embraced social justice for workers.”

“This means goodbye to unfettered capitalism,” he said.

China decided to preserve Hong Kong's capitalist system when Britain returned the territory in 1997. The Beijing-appointed government continued to resist a minimum wage in the name of keeping labour markets free.

But under pressure to address the city's widening rich-poor gap after a voluntary wage protection initiative failed, leader Donald Tsang in 2008 reversed government policy and started efforts to introduce a minimum wage.

Although he praised the law backed by pro-business legislators, Mr. Lee said it is highly limited, leaving much discretion in the hands of the territory's leader, who is traditionally allied with the business community.

The Hong Kong leader is empowered to recommend a minimum wage level, which the legislature can approve or reject but can't amend. Once the level is set, the law requires the wage level to be reviewed every two years — instead of the annual review demanded by unions.

The Hong Kong administration excluded the nearly 280,000 mostly Filipino and Indonesian domestic workers on the grounds that it is difficult to calculate their work hours given the round-the-clock nature of their jobs, also noting they are promised benefits like housing, food, medical care and free travel to their home countries.

They are currently promised a monthly minimum wage of 3,580 Hong Kong dollars ($450).

Any minimum-wage law “must balance the interests of every party,” Secretary for Labour and Welfare Matthew Cheung told legislators Saturday.

Tsang will propose the first minimum wage level in November, Cheung said. The current consensus ranges from the HK$24 ($3) an hour backed by business interests to the HK$33 ($4) demanded by local unions — about the average price of a fast-food meal.

The federal minimum wage in the United States is $7.25; in Britain, it's 5.80 pounds ($9); in Canada, it ranges from 8 to 10.25 Canadian dollars ($7.6 to $9.7) depending on province; in New Zealand, it's 12.75 New Zealand dollars ($9).

Hong Kong is one of the world's richest territories with a 2008 per capita GDP of $30,863, but is also among the most stratified economies. It came last in income equality among 38 countries and territories the United Nations Development Programme's 2009 Human Development Report ranked as the world's most advanced.


http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/asia-pacific/hong-kong-passes-first-ever-minimum-wage-law/article1643596/

Wage law seen hurting `greatest experiment'
The Standard
Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Hong Kong's "greatest experiment" with the free market is at an end with the advent of a minimum wage, London-based The Economist magazine said.

The legislature on Saturday voted overwhelmingly in favor of instituting a minimum wage and the magazine fears legislation limiting working hours will soon follow.

"The introduction of the minimum wage law along with other labor-related legislations have slowly taken away advantages the city used to have," it said.

Hong Kong was once described by famous economist Milton Friedman as "the world's greatest experiment in laissez- faire capitalism."

However, the territory has become a more regulated place ever since the handover, it said.

But the 167-year-old magazine noted policies behind the new regulations were formulated under British rule.

"Indeed, Hong Kong was never completely free of interference. The colonial government maintained its control over land. But the British government seemingly kept its hands off prices, wages and imports. The housing market, therefore, became the driving force of the economy."

In the 1970s, the property industry led the economy, taking Hong Kong from being one of the world's poorest places to one of the richest.

Privatization and monopolization worked out back then, compared to increasing intervention now, The Economist said.

A minimum wage of HK$24 per hour may eliminate 30,000 jobs, or 1 percent of the workforce, while 170,000 jobs could disappear at HK$32, it quoted Liberal Party chairwoman Miriam Lau Kin-yee as saying.

The magazine also warned of the high cost to the city of growing government intervention.

The young, migrants from the mainland as well as the handicapped and the elderly would be hurt the most.

"This legislation along with the compulsory pension scheme starting in 2000 will also increase red tape for businesses," it warned.

Don't let ego get in the way of your career
The Standard
Thursday, August 05, 2010

A friend and I were talking about the universities our mutual acquaintances are heading to when she mentioned an interesting case.

A friend of hers did pretty badly in the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination. Two years later, at the Hong Kong Advanced Levels, his marks were again not up to expectations, but he was accepted into a certain university in Hong Kong.

He wasn't entirely happy with the school he got into, so he did not pay the deposit fee and had to give up his spot.

We think his reason for rejecting the opportunity is mainly that he could not bear going to a second-rate university. We have reason to think that he might just go back to his life of partying and computer games in the coming year.

To a certain extent, this parallels the situation with some job seekers. It is not as if there are no jobs in the market, but somehow many people are still unemployed, some of them depending greatly on social security.

It comes down to the fact that some people are just unwilling to settle for jobs they believe are "beneath" their abilities or worth, so they'd rather be jobless. Does it help in any way? It all comes down to "saving face," doesn't it?

Ego is a powerful factor that is the root of individualism and self-motivation. But it could also put you in a state of stagnation if you are not willing to let go of it a bit.

It is like a stuck zipper: there is no use pulling it with brute force or just letting it stay there. Sometimes one has to pull it back a bit before pushing it forward slowly, starting from the bottom, step by step, to the top.

In other words, never lose sight of your goal, but don't let your ego get in the way. Sometimes if you believe that the chance you get is much less than what you are worth, don't turn and walk away. Stay and prove them wrong.

Student Gloria Yu lives life with passion and writes about it with hope.

Hong Kong sets first minimum wage at HK$28/hr

HONG KONG, Nov 10 (Reuters) - The Hong Kong government has set the territory's first statutory minimum wage rate in a bid to ensure grassroots workers receive pay commensurate with hours worked.

The minimum wage rate was set at HK$28 ($3.60) per hour and would come into effect on May 1, 2011, the government said in a statement.

"The statutory minimum wage is new to Hong Kong," Chief Executive Donald Tsang said in a separate statement. "I hope that various sectors will join hands in making the necessary preparations for implementation of the new legislation in the interest of Hong Kong and for the better protection of low-income workers."

Workers' unions were disappointed as the rate fell short of their demand for HK$33 per hour. It also failed to please employers, who wanted HK$24 per hour.

While the financial hub of Hong Kong enjoys a reputation as one of Asia's most affluent cities, its wealth gap is among the worst in Asia, with around 100,000 of the city's 7 million people living in tiny units of less than 60 square feet. (US$1=HK$7.75)

28元最低時薪5．1實施
2011年01月06日(四)
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【本報訊】本港首個法定最低工資水平訂於時薪二十八元。立法會昨日正式通過有關法例，並訂於五月一日勞動節起實施，全港約三十一萬名僱員受惠。昨日共有三項由議員提出的修訂議案，包括將生效日期提早到二月一日的建議，在勞工界功能界別議員反對下全軍覆沒。議員批評時薪訂於二十八元，難以協助基層打工仔對抗猛於虎的通脹。勞工及福利局局長張建宗承諾在明年二月搜集到今年第二季的工資水平數據之後，立即開始檢討最低工資水平。

立法會昨日首先辯論由社民連議員梁國雄提出，要求廢除有關附屬法例的議案。梁國雄堅持最低工資水平應訂於時薪三十三元，立會應先否決二十八元的建議，迫使政府訂出較高水平，認為「冇一個政府能夠抵受住咁嘅政治壓力」。

先接受 再爭取更高水平

不過，最終作出妥協接納二十八元的職工盟議員李卓人，質疑梁國雄的做法是「賭一鋪」，令基層勞工在短時間內加薪無望，覺得「賭唔過」，不如支持由他提出、將二十八元提早至二月一日生效的議案更實際。工聯會議員王國興亦說，調查顯示八成工會無奈接納二十八元，應先接受令工人受惠，將來再爭取更高水平，並要求港府和公共事業機構應帶頭做良好僱主，自行提早實施。

曾提出最低工資不應高於二十元的飲食界議員張宇人，指二十八元令很多中小型食肆難以負擔，部分可能被迫裁員甚至結業，他與業界曾考慮支持梁國雄的議案廢除二十八元，但最後為了尊重臨時最低工資委員會而作罷。他又指調高最低工資水平必須循序漸進，批評港府只給予業界半年時間準備是太短，強烈反對提早至二月實施。

張建宗回應時強調，二十八元的共識水平得來不易，拒絕接受只會造成僱主僱員全輸局面，當局會鼓勵有能力僱主自行提早實行最低工資。梁國雄、李卓人以及工聯會議員葉偉明提出另一項修訂議案，最終全數被否決。

University sets higher bar on minimum wage
The Standard
Wednesday, January 26, 2011

City University has set an hourly minimum wage of HK$31 for its outsourced workers and a trade union will urge other universities to follow suit.

"Currently our policy is to pay them about 10 percent more than the average wage published regularly by the Census and Statistics Department," a university spokeswoman said.

"With the minimum wage now set at HK$28 per hour by the government, the university has decided to revise our minimum pay to about 10 percent more, which will be HK$31 per hour," she said.

The policy will take effect on May1, the same day the statutory minimum wage comes into force.

The spokeswoman added that the new pay level will also apply should any outsourcing contracts be renewed before that day.

Suzanne Wu Sui-shan, organizing secretary of the Catering and Hotel Industries Employees' General Union, said the move will increase the salaries of outsourced workers by between 14 and 23 percent.

Wu said the average hourly wage for outsourced workers at the university is now around HK$25 and they work for 10 hours a day according to their current contracts.

"Their monthly salary is HK$6,500 to HK$7,000. With the new rate their salaries will rise to HK$8,000 or more. We urge all universities to introduce a similar wage system to protect outsourced workers," she said.

The University of Hong Kong said it already has conditions and terms in outsourcing contracts requiring contractors to show corporate social responsibility and to treat workers well.

"Contractors are prescribed not to change workers' employment conditions unilaterally. They also need to agree that we can directly contact workers and check their salary records if necessary," a HKU spokeswoman said.

The Chinese University of Hong Kong said it has reminded its restaurant contractors that once the statutory minimum wage comes into force, workers' salaries should not fall below the minimum.

"In order to protect outsourced workers' welfare, the CUHK will require contractors to follow the minimum wage level when it signs or renews contracts with restaurant contractors in the future," a CUHK spokeswoman said.

The trade union also called on universities to provide workers with more information about their rights.

本港失業率降至3.6%
(星島)2011年3月17日 星期四 16:47

政府統計處 今日公布，本港最新失業率降0.2個百分點，至3.6％，是2008年9月以來的最低點。15 - 24歲青少年的失業率由10.7％降至9.3％。就業不足率則由1.8％跌至1.7％。

失業率的下降主要見於保險業、餐飲服務活動業和零售業。就業不足率的下跌主要見於建造業和教育業。

勞工及福利局 局長張建宗 表示，隨著商業活動及勞工需求在農曆新年假期後回落，總就業人數減少6,600人，至3,575,500人。總勞動人口減約13,600人，至3,698,700人。

失業人數減約6,900人，至123,300人，是2008年6月以來最低的水平。就業不足人數由67,000人降至61,600人。

張建宗預期，僱主普遍對人手招聘仍抱著積極態度，失業率在未來數月可望維持在較低水平。

不過，他指出，雖然本地經濟保持暢旺，但由於外圍環境仍存變數，包括日本 大地震可能帶來的經濟影響和中東動盪的局勢等，必須保持警覺，密切注視發展。

Workers feel 6pc benefit thanks to minimum wage
The Standard
Monday, October 17, 2011

Low-income workers are earning on average 6 percent more since the introduction of the statutory minimum wage in May, even after taking inflation into account.

Citing new figures from July to September, labor secretary Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, said not only are low-income workers benefiting from the minimum wage, but more low-skilled workers have joined the workforce, particularly women.

Cheung said the local market has adapted to the HK$28 hourly wage level.

He described the final policy address by Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen last Wednesday as one "with a hint of human touch" - especially for the elderly.

Speaking on a radio program, Cheung said the plan to allow those 65 and over to travel any time on the MTR, franchised buses and ferries at a concessionary fare of HK$2 a trip helps promote healthy retirement.

Encouraging senior citizens to leave their homes more often can have other benefits. "The elderly can be active agents of society if they are in good shape. If they don't need to spend up to HK$19 to travel, they are more likely to do voluntary work and contribute to our society," Cheung said.

The government has also introduced a scheme whereby seniors living in Guangdong may collect their old age allowance without returning to the SAR.

The Labour and Welfare Bureau will shortly announce the details, and the scheme is expected to be implemented by the end of next year.

According to the current eligibility criteria, a person aged 65 or above must have lived in Hong Kong continuously for at least 309 days a year immediately before the date of application.

Meanwhile, Cheung said the government will increase the number of places in nursing homes from the current 2,300 to 3,550 over the next five years to shorten the waiting time.

The standard waiting time for nursing homes currently varies from seven to 38 months.

Students eye boost from work in mainland
The Standard
Thursday, September 15, 2011

Two-thirds of Hong Kong youths are quite comfortable about working for a short time in the mainland, according to a Hong Kong Human Resources Exchange Center survey.

Reasons for this include better promotion prospects and that the mainland experience looks good on their resumes.

The drawbacks, according to those who don't want to work across the border, are the high crime rate and the loss of time with their families.

According to the center, 67 percent of the 500 high school and university students polled said they looked forward to working on the mainland, 5 percent more than the finding of a similar survey in 2009.

However, most of the respondents are only willing to work short-term, with half of these saying one to three years would be sufficient. About a third opted for less than a year.

They are also more interested in jobs related to finance and real estate.

One in five students believed promotion opportunities and job treatment in the mainland are comparatively better than in Hong Kong.

Center director Perry Suen Pang said young people believed the mainland experience would bode well for their career development in Hong Kong.

But he also said the culture and corporate working styles are different and the Hong Kong government should not push youngsters to work in the mainland.

University graduates were not ready to face the mainland working environment. They could run into difficulties.

"Internships will help university students understand more about the working environment in the mainland because they will not have to face the financial pressure that many graduates have," he said.

He suggested that the government could initiate some long-term internship programs in the mainland for students and the Labour Department should gather information about the working environment for their reference.

The center also suggested youngsters should learn more about the culture, labor laws, tax and the wages system in the mainland before deciding to work there.

HK's manpower shortfall projected for 2018

HONG KONG, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong's overall manpower supply is projected to be 14,000 people short of the overall manpower requirement in 2018 due to the aging population, the city's Labor & Welfare Bureau said Thursday.

Releasing its preliminary key findings on the manpower projection for 2018, the bureau forecast manpower supply in 2018 to be 3,582,400, while the manpower requirement will be 3,596,400. The manpower requirement is forecast to grow at an average annual rate of 1.1 percent.

It said the shortfall is due to slower growth in supply, mainly attributable to the aging population.

The manpower requirements of the four pillar industries are projected to increase, with tourism being the highest industry at 2.9 percent and financial services at 2.5 percent.

The three economic sectors expected to grow fastest are financial services, at an average annual rate of 2.5 percent and construction, information and communications, which will grow at 1.9 percent.

Hong Kong government will continue to upgrade the competitiveness and employability of low-skilled workers through training and retraining, the bureau said.