Safeguarding Employment and Labour Rights

Close loopholes in the imported labour system

• Expand the requirement for employers applying for imported labour to participate in designated job fairs to cover more sectors, eventually applying to all under the Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme.

• Assign dedicated officers to supervise job fairs, resolve on-site disputes, and prevent deceptive recruitment.

• Introduce an AI-powered matching system by the Labour Department to efficiently pair job seekers with employers; if deceptive recruitment or displacement of local workers persists, consider mandating employer acceptance of qualified local candidates.

• Dynamically adjust foreign worker quotas by sector based on employment data, implementing zero quotas where necessary.

• In sectors with persistently high unemployment, raise the local-to-foreign worker ratio (e.g., from 2:1 to 3:1, 4:1, or 5:1) to prioritize local hiring.

Combat Illegal Workers

• The Immigration Department and the Labour Department should enhance collaboration by conducting regular raids and random inspections to ensure compliance by employers and employees.

• Actively monitor major social media platforms to combat illegal work activities exploiting the multiple-entry Individual Visit Scheme.

• Strengthen awareness campaigns at all entry points regarding the fight against illegal workers.

  
  

Safeguard Platform Workers

• Conduct a comprehensive legislative review to establish statutory status and rights for local freelancers and platform workers, including clear provisions for work insurance, MPF and remuneration.

• Strengthen regulatory oversight of platform accountability, exploring measures such as licensing systems or industry-wide standards.

Enhance Regulation of Foreign Domestic Helpers

• Establish a dedicated "Foreign Domestic Helper Affairs Authority" to streamline the management of licensing, approval, training, inspections, and employer inquiries related to foreign domestic workers.

• Address FDHs loan issues by strengthening crackdowns on online illegal lending, enhancing publicity and education including adding relevant legal regulations to FDW training and Labor Department information packages and requiring agencies to reinforce reminders about borrowing risks.