Greater Bay Area Youth Employment Scheme for Hong Kong

The Hong Kong SAR Government announced the launch of the Greater Bay Area, China Youth Employment Scheme on January 8, 2021.The scheme is one of the measures announced by the Chief Executive in her 2020 Policy Address in October 2020.

The scheme aims to encourage and support young people to work and pursue their careers in the Mainland cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), help them understand the latest developments of both Hong Kong and those cities and leverage the opportunities for career advancement in the GBA.

Enterprises with operations in Hong Kong and GBA Mainland cities are welcome to join the scheme to offer job vacancies. Participating enterprises shall employ the eligible graduates locally under Hong Kong laws, and station the graduates in GBA Mainland cities to work and receive on-the-job training. The scheme provides 2 000 places, around 700 of which are designated for innovation and technology (I&T) posts. The Government will grant a monthly allowance of HK$10,000 to enterprises for each graduate employed for a period of up to 18 months.

The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Dr Law Chi-kwong (left), and the Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Alfred Sit, encourage interested enterprises and eligible graduates to join the “Greater Bay Area Youth Employment Scheme”.

A Government spokesman said, “the GBA, with a population exceeding 70 million, has huge development potential and offers many career development opportunities for the young people of Hong Kong. The Governments of Guangdong Province and Shenzhen Municipality have expressed strong support for the scheme. We suggest that young people broaden their horizons to the Motherland and seize the wider opportunities of studying, working and living in our country and grasp the invaluable chance to realise their dreams and aspirations.In Hong Kong, the youth unemployment rate may remain at double digits for some time taking into account Hong Kong’s economy and market scale.”

The Labour Department and the Innovation and Technology Bureau (ITB) have set up a secretariat for the scheme to handle applications from enterprises and disbursement of the allowance. There is also a website for more information and enrolment in the scheme.

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