Hong Kong – Approval for first round of applications under Labour Importation Scheme for Transport Sector – Aviation Industry completed

     The approval process for the first round of applications under the Labour Importation Scheme for the Transport Sector – Aviation Industry (Scheme) has been completed. The Transport and Logistics Bureau (TLB) issued letters today (August 14) to all applicants on the application results.

     The application period for the first round of applications under the Scheme was from July 17 to 30. A total of 29 eligible companies submitted applications within the application period, involving 2 889 labour importation quotas covering all 10 job types under the Scheme. After assessment by the inter-departmental liaison group comprising representatives from the TLB, the Labour Department and the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK), the Permanent Secretary for Transport and Logistics approved the applications from 28 companies with a total of 2 841 quotas (45 per cent of the quota ceiling of 6 300), among which a few applications were not approved as they failed to meet one of the following basic requirements of the Scheme:
 
i. The job for which quotas are applied must fall into one of the 10 specified job types under the Scheme;

ii. The number of quotas applied for must be within the limit under the manning ratio requirement of full-time local staff and imported labour; and

iii. An applicant must have conducted local recruitment for the jobs for which quotas are applied. 

     One application was not approved as the wage intended to be offered was lower than the median wage of the corresponding job type. The results with breakdowns by job types in the first round of applications are at the Annex.

     A stakeholder consultative group, comprising the TLB, the AAHK, industry players and labour representatives, has earlier been set up to gauge the views of the relevant stakeholders on the implementation of the Scheme. During the first round of applications, the TLB and the AAHK have been maintaining close liaison with the group, including meeting with the representatives of trade unions this morning on the approval results. The TLB and the AAHK will continue to maintain communication with the consultative group and provide appropriate assistance to eligible applicants in order to ensure their understanding of the relevant requirements of the Scheme.

     A spokesman for the TLB said, “We hope that imported labour will receive training and work in Hong Kong soon, with a view to relieving the acute manpower shortage in the aviation industry and supporting the continual recovery of the industry. The TLB and the AAHK will continue to listen to the views of the group on matters relating to the Scheme and closely monitor its implementation.”

     The TLB will announce the details of the second round of applications under the Scheme in due course.

     The Chief Executive in Council endorsed in June 2023 the introduction of the Scheme to, on the prerequisite of safeguarding the employment of local labour, suitably allow the aviation sector to apply for importation of labour to fill vacancies for frontline non-supervisory positions under 10 specified job types with a quota ceiling of 6 300.