HR experts call on government to expedite certification process for foreign skilled workers

An organization of human resources managers called on the government to speed up the process for foreign skilled workers to obtain local qualifications in its submission for Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po’s upcoming budget.

The Hong Kong Institute of Human Resource Management [HKIHRM] pointed out that the current certification process for foreign workers including specialized technicians, which can take up to 12 to 18 months, was “lengthy and complex”, exacerbating recruitment challenges.

It urged the government to establish mutual recognition of professional qualifications with the Greater Bay Area under frameworks such as the Closer Economic Partnership Agreement to reduce qualification processing times.

The organization also recommended more family-friendly measures to increase the labor participation rate, such as expanding after-school care services for school-age children and extending statutory maternity leave to 16 weeks and paternity leave to 14 days.

Its president Lawrence Hung Yu-yun said: “In the face of a fiscal deficit, the government must work with various industries to increase revenue and reduce expenditure, better resource deployment and maintain Hong Kong's competitiveness.”

“We urge the government to implement measures that allow local labor to share in the economic benefits brought about by policies for attracting talent,” he added.

(Jamie Liu)