Mixed reactions to expansion of labour import scheme
A unionist said local technicians are worried too many imported workers will come to Hong Kong. File photo: RTHK
A trade unionist on Monday said the government should make adjustments to an expanded labour import scheme to ensure local people get priority for jobs, while others welcomed the prospect of more skilled workers moving to the SAR.
A three-year trial scheme covering eight types of workers including nurses, lift technicians and AI specialists will start at the end of this month. A total of 10,000 non-degree holders will be able to move to the territory for work, with a cap of 3,000 for each job type.
A vice chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions, Lam Wai-kong, said on an RTHK programme that some people are concerned about their jobs as they think 3,000 is too much.
"I think that each role's quota should be set at a certain percentage of local workers in that particular field," Lam said.
"The quota should be set at less than five percent of the roles' workforce, say, for lift and escalator technicians, that would be around several hundred workers, and existing technicians wouldn't be too worried."
Lam also expressed concern that incoming nurses wouldn't fill a shortage at care homes for the elderly because they might switch to medical roles elsewhere after a while.
The Labour Advisory Board member went on to say that officials consulted the board around 10 days before last week's announcement of the trial scheme and not a lot of unions were able to take part in the process.
On the same programme, the head of an aviation business chamber welcomed the scheme's expansion as it covers aircraft maintenance workers.
Vivian Lau, president of the Airline Service Providers Association, said while some 600 workers have been imported in the sector in recent years, there remains a shortage with language ability one of the considerations for new staff.
She expressed the hope that the scheme will attract technicians from Southeast Asian countries, such as Malaysia and the Philippines.
"We hope to fill not just today's demand, but to expand the workforce and improve the level of competency for technicians," Lau said.
"Then we can snatch business away from other nearby airports."
For her part, the life honorary chair of the Elderly Services Association, Grace Li, called on officials to simplify application procedures for importing nurses.
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