HK faces surplus of physiotherapists amid rising unemployment and funding cuts

The president of the Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association, Alexander Woo Chuen-hau, called on the government to add physiotherapy positions in primary care, as Hong Kong is facing a surplus of physical therapists.

​Contrary to government projections in 2017 and 2022 that forecast a shortage of physical therapists until 2040, the latest estimate in 2023 showed a surplus starting in 2025, with a surplus of 2,070 physical therapists by 2040.

​Meanwhile, non-governmental organizations face funding cuts starting in 2025, as the government announced organizations receiving HK$50 million or more in funding from the Social Welfare Department in 2024 to 2025 will have their funding reduced by 2 percent starting in 2025 to 2026, and further reduced to 7 percent in 2027 to 2028.

​Woo said four institutions have offered physiotherapy degrees with 330 to 340 graduates annually. Registered therapists have reached 5,450, an increase of 38 percent from five years ago.

​However, funding cuts have led to fewer jobs. Some graduates in 2025 couldn't find a full-time job for nearly a year after graduating. 

In the past, remote elderly homes struggled to fill positions for years. Last year, there were 60 to 70 applications per post, Woo said. 

​Some organizations are also replacing experienced therapists with less experienced ones to cut costs, he added.

​Woo also noted that Hospital Authority pay starts at about  HK$33,000, and non-governmental organizations used to increase salaries by HK$6,000 to HK$7,000 to recruit. However, some organizations now offer K$6,000 to HK$7,000 less per month.

​Despite the surplus, Woo stressed that demand for physiotherapy still exists.

​He pointed out that Japan and Australia have about 16 physical therapists per 10,000 people, while Hong Kong has fewer than seven, describing Hong Kong as lagging behind.

​Moreover, current physiotherapy degrees are all funded by the government. Among them, three Study Subsidy Schemes for Designated Professions / Sectors receive governmental funding of HK$70,000 to HK$80,000. Woo said the resources could be wasted if trained personnel remain unemployed.

​He suggested the government add physiotherapy positions in expanded primary care services to meet public needs.

 

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