HK to introduce 10,000 skilled technical workers by 2028

Hong Kong will introduce 10,000 skilled technical workers over the next three years to address a projected labor shortage, Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han announced.

This comes after the 2023 Manpower Projection report released last week indicated that skilled technical workers would account for over one-third of the total local labor shortage of 180,000 by 2028 due to an aging workforce and a lack of new entrants.

Speaking at a TV interview on Sunday, the labor chief said the government will introduce a total of 10,000 skilled workers aged 35 or under in the next three years, especially for electricians and advanced manufacturing skills workers, with details to be announced by mid-2025.

Meanwhile, Sun emphasized that the related visa arrangements will require introduced laborers to be engaged in relevant occupations for seven years.

Sun noted that they would have more career options after obtaining permanent residency in Hong Kong, although he believed most would continue their careers in the same industries.

Additionally, Sun said that Hong Kong's labor force participation rate is relatively low compared to that of neighboring countries such as Japan and Singapore. The government will implement re-employment subsidy programs to encourage women and seniors to re-enter the job market.