Hong Kong tightens labour importation scheme with tougher hiring rules, penalties

Hong Kong authorities will tighten the regulations governing a labour importation scheme by introducing a two-tier vetting system and raising the maximum penalty for non-compliant employers, with the new arrangements taking effect on Tuesday.Following a review of the Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme (ESLS), the Labour Department announced on Monday that the system would distinguish between general applications and sectors with shortages.The long-awaited move to amend the legal regime followed an outcry from industries with high unemployment rates, such as the food, catering and construction sectors, as local workers’ livelihoods and job security faced fierce competition from imported labour.local workers in the construction sector are facing fierce competition from imported labour. Photo: Sam TsangUnder Tier 1, employers must maintain a manning ratio of two local full-time employees per imported worker and complete a four-week local recruitment period.