Language barriers are still a challenge in employment, ethnic minority job seekers in Hong Kong said as they attended a government-backed multicultural job fair yesterday.
Job hunters lined up outside Mong Kok’s McPherson Stadium even before the two-day fair opened its doors at 11am.
Over 2,300 jobs, from engineer to barista, are being offered, of which more than 90 percent are full-time positions, with monthly pay up to HK$22,000.
To ensure accessibility, on-site interpretation services in Hindi, Urdu, and Nepali are available.
Robert, a Filipino resident of Hong Kong for 15 years. (Photo: Jamie Liu)
Robert, a Filipino resident of Hong Kong for 15 years with architecture credentials from his home country, said he hopes to find work in engineering or construction.
“I have sent more than 10 applications and no response,” he said, saying the job search has been difficult as most roles in the city look for Cantonese speakers.
Bina, who has lived in the SAR for six years and hopes to land a restaurant job, echoed the sentiment.
Sufiyan, a Pakistani Hongkonger, who will take the Diploma of Secondary Education exams next year. (Photo: Jamie Liu)
Sufiyan, a Pakistani Hongkonger, travelled from Lei Muk Shue in Tsuen Wan to explore job opportunities ahead of sitting the Diploma of Secondary Education exams next year.
Fluent in Cantonese, the 17-year-old sees language as key to job hunting: "If you know the language, communication becomes easier, so language is the number one issue."
If his DSE results fall short, he plans to apply for Vocational Training Council programs or join the disciplined services, such as the police.
Ali, 25, an ethnic minority staffer who has worked at the Fire Services Department for over two years, shared his past hurdles in job searches.
“Even if I speak Chinese, [employers] may not believe I know the language after seeing my photo on my CV.”
Having joined several recruitment fairs with the department, he said he saw increasing interest in discipline services among ethnic minority individuals.
Government-backed multicultural job fair at Mong Kok, offering over 2,300 jobs. (Photo: Jamie Liu)
In addition to putting up job offers, a non-governmental organization also offers government-certified vocational and language courses, such as Putonghua and Cantonese classes.
“Social services and after-school assistant training courses are popular among ethnic minorities, as the certification helps them serve their communities and find related jobs,”Albert Lee Kwok-wai, deputy head of the training services division at Christian Action told The Standard.
Undersecretary for Labour and Welfare Jonathan Ho Kai-ming reaffirmed the government’s commitment to inclusion and improving job prospects for ethnic minorities. (Photo: Jamie Liu)
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Undersecretary for Labour and Welfare Jonathan Ho Kai-ming said the over 300,000-strong ethnic minority community in Hong Kong makes "immense contributions to our workforce, economy, and also cultural diversity, and also contributes to the Belt and Road Initiatives."
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to inclusion and improving job prospects for ethnic minorities through programs like the Labour Department’s Racial Diversity Employment Programme, large-scale job fairs and district-based events.
The job fair is organized by the Labour Department and the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong.
(Jamie Liu)
