HR calls for extended statutory maternity, paternity leave in Hong Kong
HR professionals in Hong Kong are urging the government to implement measures that can help them attract talent amid recruitment challenges in the financial hub.
The Hong Kong Institute of Human Resource Management (HKIHRM) made the appeal in its submission for Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po's upcoming budget, The Standard reported.
"In the face of a fiscal deficit, the government must work with various industries to increase revenue and reduce expenditure, better resource deployment and maintain Hong Kong's competitiveness," said HKIHRM president Lawrence Hung Yu-jun, as quoted by the news outlet.
"We urge the government to implement measures that allow local labour to share in the economic benefits brought about by policies for attracting talent."
One of the strategies recommended by the institute includes the introduction of more family-friendly measures to increase labour participation, according to The Standard's report. These measures include:
It also called for faster processing for foreign skilled workers to obtain local qualifications, as some current certification processes can be "lengthy and complex."
According to the report, the institute also urged the government to mutually recognise professional qualifications in the Greater Bay Area to cut down on processing times.
The call came as Randstad's 2025 Job Market Outlook and Salary Guide for Hong Kong SAR revealed that employers will likely tap on overseas talent amid shortages.
"Given the talent scarcity, we can expect some companies to address workforce gaps by hiring remote talent outside Hong Kong or relocating foreign talent to the city," said Tommy Wong, Associate Director of Sales & Marketing, Retail and Life Sciences at Randstad Hong Kong, in the report.
Shortage of talent with required skills is the most-cited challenge by Randstad's respondents in Hong Kong.
Source: Randstad's 2025 Job Market Outlook and Salary Guide for Hong Kong SAR
To attract more talent, the government is implementing a new Quality Migrant Admission Scheme and a Top Talent Pass Scheme to help organisations.
