Hong Kong unveils new scheme to allow 7,000 carers to be imported to work in homes for the elderly
- New plan aims to ease acute manpower shortage in sector and cut down processing time of applications from five months to two
- Unionists not in favour of plan and suggest pay increases instead but care home operators welcome fast track scheme
As many as 7,000 carers could be imported to work in Hong Kong’s care homes for the elderly under a fast-track plan aimed at easing an acute manpower shortage in the sector, local authorities said on Wednesday.
The scheme, which could be launched as soon as the middle of next year, could cut the processing time for applications by about 60 per cent to two months, mainly by stripping the Labour Advisory Board of any say in vetting candidates.
Under the initiative, which was approved by the Executive Council on Tuesday, all care homes, including government-subsidised ones, would be able to apply to import non-locals as carers, instead of the present practice which only allows private organisations to do so.
While the new plan received a warm welcome from care home operators, unionists have voiced their opposition to the scheme, arguing that the staff shortage should be addressed by increasing salaries.
Lawmaker Kingsley Wong Kwok, of the Federation of Trade Unions, criticised the government for seeking to bypass the consultative body.
