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Labour Department (HK)

The Labour Department is a principal governmental body in Hong Kong, headquartered at Harbour Building, Central. It is dedicated to enhancing the well-being of the workforce and promoting harmonious labour relations. Its main areas of focus include providing comprehensive employment services, ensuring occupational safety and health through legislation and promotion, and safeguarding employees’ rights and benefits. The Department plays a vital role in regulating the labour market, offering support and assistance in employment issues and wage disputes, and fostering good employment practices across the region.

A dim sum restaurant in Admiralty. The government has predicted that by 2028, the catering sector will be short of 1,000 to 4,000 workers. Photo: Karma Lo

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong tightens imported worker scheme but open to making it permanent

Two-tier vetting system for employers comes into effect on Tuesday, with tougher rules for catering industry.

15 Jun 2026 - 11:20PMvideocam

Hong Kong courts

Defunct Hong Kong bakery chain fined HK$251,800 over unpaid wages

1 Jun 2026 - 9:37PM

Hong Kong workers/labour rights

Letters | Hong Kong must match worker to job. More training is not enough

20 May 2026 - 11:30AM

Hong Kong society

Exclusive | Cigarette butts ‘strong evidence’ of smoking ban breach at work sites: Chris Sun

Labour chief reveals further details of proposed ban and lays out other priorities, including injury compensation mechanism for online delivery workers.

11 May 2026 - 9:00AM

Currently, smoking in an outdoor area of a construction site is only illegal if it occurs near flammable materials. Photo: Jelly Tse

Hong Kong workers/labour rights

Property management sector cites 25% guard shortage amid imported labour backlash

Scrutiny of employing imported workers comes after Richland Gardens says 31 guards from mainland China will be hired through government labour scheme.

3 May 2026 - 7:01PM

Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Tai Po blaze probe: temporary removal of fireproof windows ‘complied with rules’

Panel chairman questions whether interests of workers and residents are at odds under existing regulations.

21 Apr 2026 - 8:32PM

Hong Kong economy

37,000 workers imported into Hong Kong since start of labour scheme in 2023

Labour and Welfare Bureau reveals latest figures as construction union announces wage freeze for 15 of 16 major trades in the industry.

22 Oct 2025 - 9:21PM

More than 11,000 of the approved imported workers were wait staff – the role with the highest number of imports – while 8,000 were junior cooks. Photo: Jelly Tse

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong’s tightened imported labour rules still vex local workers

The city faces a paradox where business leaders repeatedly sound the alarm over labour shortages, yet many locals are struggling to find jobs.

30 Sep 2025 - 8:30AM

Accidents and personal safety

Authorities probe suspected electrocution of worker at Hong Kong school

Force alerted at 10.53am to incident at campus on Wo Muk Road in Sheung Shui.

13 Sep 2025 - 9:51PM

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong restaurant hit with ban for firing local staff after importing workers

Top One Dance Club & Chinese Cuisine in Tsim Sha Tsui banned for two years from importing workers.

29 Aug 2025 - 7:35PM

Top One Dance Club & Chinese Cuisine in Tsim Sha Tsui was found to have breached the regulations. Photo: Dickson Lee

Hong Kong economy

Letters | Hong Kong must cook up labour solution that revives its culinary reputation

Readers discuss a labour import scheme, the staging of mega-sports events, poetry lessons in schools, and training for those required to report child abuse.

28 Aug 2025 - 11:30AM

People having a meal at a restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui on February 10. Photo: Jelly Tse

Hong Kong economy

1 more Hong Kong firm suspected to have fired locals after importing workers

Labour chief Chris Sun says government will implement administrative sanctions with zero tolerance if case is confirmed after probe.

23 Aug 2025 - 9:16PM

Hong Kong society

Editorial | Employers must abide by the rules of Hong Kong’s labour import scheme

The banning of a company from importing workers for a year after it flouted the rules shows that the regulations have teeth.

10 Aug 2025 - 6:45AM

Accidents and personal safety

Hong Kong worker dies after falling from 3-storey village house

Maintenance worker’s fatal fall brings number of industrial fatalities in July to 10.

30 Jul 2025 - 11:02PM

The man was rushed to Tuen Mun Hospital, where he was later declared dead. Photo: Sam Tsang

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong workers urged to take retraining courses as 2 more restaurants to close

Official also dismisses unions’ calls to stop importing labour in catering sector to protect local workers.

26 Jul 2025 - 11:12PM

The Star Seafood and Roasted Goose Restaurant at Chuk Yuen Plaza in Wong Tai Sin will close on August 1. Photo: Nora Tam

Hong Kong economy

Firm suspended from bidding for Hong Kong contracts after worker killed on site

Development Bureau places temporary ban on contractor after one worker killed and another injured by falling beam at site near mega bridge.

11 Jul 2025 - 9:44PM

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong authorities check MPF payments after Michelin-starred eatery closes

Closure of restaurant Xin Dau Ji's Kowloon Bay branch marks end of chain that once boasted six outlets.

12 Jul 2025 - 1:07AM

Hong Kong economy

Closure of Hong Kong’s Taipan bakery leaves 211 employees seeking HK$32 million

Labour Department says sum owed by bakery chain, known for ‘snow skin’ mooncakes, mostly consists of unpaid wages, dismissal compensation.

25 Jun 2025 - 9:43PM

Taipan Bread & Cakes closed all of its branches after 41 years in business. Photo: Nora Tam

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Labour Department (HK)

Hong Kong tightens imported worker scheme but open to making it permanent

Two-tier vetting system for employers comes into effect on Tuesday, with tougher rules for catering industry.

Defunct Hong Kong bakery chain fined HK$251,800 over unpaid wages

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Letters | Hong Kong must match worker to job. More training is not enough

.css-1f6sr3w{color:#727272;}Exclusive | Cigarette butts ‘strong evidence’ of smoking ban breach at work sites: Chris Sun

Labour chief reveals further details of proposed ban and lays out other priorities, including injury compensation mechanism for online delivery workers.

Property management sector cites 25% guard shortage amid imported labour backlash

Scrutiny of employing imported workers comes after Richland Gardens says 31 guards from mainland China will be hired through government labour scheme.

Tai Po blaze probe: temporary removal of fireproof windows ‘complied with rules’

Panel chairman questions whether interests of workers and residents are at odds under existing regulations.

37,000 workers imported into Hong Kong since start of labour scheme in 2023

Labour and Welfare Bureau reveals latest figures as construction union announces wage freeze for 15 of 16 major trades in the industry.

Hong Kong’s tightened imported labour rules still vex local workers

The city faces a paradox where business leaders repeatedly sound the alarm over labour shortages, yet many locals are struggling to find jobs.

Authorities probe suspected electrocution of worker at Hong Kong school

Force alerted at 10.53am to incident at campus on Wo Muk Road in Sheung Shui.

Hong Kong restaurant hit with ban for firing local staff after importing workers

Top One Dance Club & Chinese Cuisine in Tsim Sha Tsui banned for two years from importing workers.

Letters | Hong Kong must cook up labour solution that revives its culinary reputation

Readers discuss a labour import scheme, the staging of mega-sports events, poetry lessons in schools, and training for those required to report child abuse.

1 more Hong Kong firm suspected to have fired locals after importing workers

Labour chief Chris Sun says government will implement administrative sanctions with zero tolerance if case is confirmed after probe.

Editorial | Employers must abide by the rules of Hong Kong’s labour import scheme

The banning of a company from importing workers for a year after it flouted the rules shows that the regulations have teeth.

Hong Kong worker dies after falling from 3-storey village house

Maintenance worker’s fatal fall brings number of industrial fatalities in July to 10.

Hong Kong workers urged to take retraining courses as 2 more restaurants to close

Official also dismisses unions’ calls to stop importing labour in catering sector to protect local workers.

Firm suspended from bidding for Hong Kong contracts after worker killed on site

Development Bureau places temporary ban on contractor after one worker killed and another injured by falling beam at site near mega bridge.

Hong Kong authorities check MPF payments after Michelin-starred eatery closes

Closure of restaurant Xin Dau Ji's Kowloon Bay branch marks end of chain that once boasted six outlets.

Closure of Hong Kong’s Taipan bakery leaves 211 employees seeking HK$32 million

Labour Department says sum owed by bakery chain, known for ‘snow skin’ mooncakes, mostly consists of unpaid wages, dismissal compensation.

Letters | Hong Kong must match worker to job. More training is not enough

Exclusive | Cigarette butts ‘strong evidence’ of smoking ban breach at work sites: Chris Sun