Staff relief for care homes set by fourth quarter

The first batch of imported labor for care homes will arrive in the fourth quarter, with Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun also saying he expects the 20,000 construction and transportation sector quota to be mostly filled up by next year.

The Airport Authority is set to get HK$5 million from employers as they have to pay it HK$400 every month for each imported worker.

The money will be used to reduce transport expenses of local staff, and authorities are discussing arranging a designated Octopus for airport staff.

"For local airport staff, they will have a designated Octopus card, and the subsidies can only be used for taking public transport," Wong said.

The authority will also come up with a HK$400 subsidy for each imported worker, while employers will be levied HK$400 a month for "employee retraining," meaning hiring a non-local will cost the authority a total of HK$1,200 in additional charges.

Authorities will handle applications for imported labor on a quarterly basis and are expected to process a few thousand applications in the first quarter.

Secretary for Labor and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han also said the government did not bypass the Labour Advisory Board.

"Even for the sector-specific schemes, we have a regular arrangement where we are going to report back to the board regularly," he said.

Officials plans to brief the board every six months on latest developments and to gauge views and suggestions from its members.

Authorities also lifted the labor importation ban on 26 low-skilled job categories under the Supplementary Labour Scheme on Tuesday, which includes hairdressers, waiters and receptionists.

But a salon owner said he wouldn't consider hiring imported hairdressers after trying out mainlanders once and finding they were unable to communicate in Cantonese.

"Our local junior hairdressers are struggling for a living, so it would be more appropriate if the authorities give the opportunities to Hongkongers."

The Federation of Hong Kong Hotel Owners, saying it is facing a staff shortage of at least 9,000, wants a sector-specific quota.

A survey of some 90 hotel holding company members last month, which got responses from 60 percent, found shortages to be most acute in housekeeping, food and beverage, and front office.

The industry is expected to have over 91,000 rooms available in the next four years, and the shortfall may rise to 12,000.

Executive director Caspar Tsui Ying-wai said the sector welcomes the easing of the ban on low-skilled jobs but that speed is of the essence.