The Employment Ordinance in Hong Kong
Before accepting an appointment and signing an employment contract, you should fully understand the job duties, working hours, terms of appointment, and related clauses. It is also important to study all the information stated in the employment contract and ask for clarification when necessary. An employment contract or offer letter is a formal written confirmation of the position offered and usually includes the following terms:
· Basic personal information
· Date of the offer
· Job position, department you work for and location of the job
· Commencement date
· Working hour/ day
· Holiday entitlement (if any)
· Remuneration package
· Termination notice when either party leaves the position
You can ask the employer to provide you with a copy of the signed contract for further reference. Watch out for employment traps and learn more about the Employment Ordinance at https://www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/ConciseGuide.htm.
Other Employment Information
Employment Policy for Non-Local Students
It is important to be aware of the Labour Laws and Regulations stipulated by the HKSAR Government including the Minimum Wage Ordinance (MWO) and Employment Policy for Non-Local Students when students consider taking these opportunities. To know more about the details of MWO and the policy for non-local students working in Hong Kong, please visit here.
Statutory Minimum Wage
The Minimum Wage Ordinance (MWO) has come into force since 1 May 2011. Exemption applies to the following student employees:
Student Interns
- • Student undergoes a period of work arranged or endorsed by the education institution providing the programme
- • Student undergoes a period of work that forms a compulsory or elective component of the programme
There is no restriction on the age of student employees and the duration of the internship. Students should obtain endorsement from the home Faculty/Department by completing “Confirmation of “student intern” status under the Minimum Wage Ordinance (Cap. 608)” before working as “Student Interns”
Work Experience Students during a Period of Exempt Student Employment
- • Student undergoes a period of work that is not necessarily arranged or endorsed by the education institution providing the programme
- • Student undergoes a period of work that is not necessarily curriculum-related
Student employees shall be under the age of 26 years at the beginning of employment. Employer and the student employee may agree to treat a continuous period of up to 59 days as exempt student employment, and at most one period of exempt student employment may commence in the same calendar year (regardless of whether the employment is with the same employer or not). The student employee has to make statutory declaration verifying this fact and provide this declaration (or copy) to the employer.
Before working as a "Work Experience Student", you should confirm your studentship through the following steps.
- • Get endorsement from your Faculty/Department in the form of confirmation of student status for "work experience student" under the Minimum Wage Ordinance (Cap. 608); AND
- • Make the statutory declaration at the Home Affairs Enquiry Centres of the Home Affairs Department. Specimen Content of statutory declaration made by a work experience student for a period of exempt student employment could be downloaded here.
Before making any decisions, please study the details of the Minimum Wage Ordinance stipulated at the following links.
- • Statutory Minimum Wage : Notes for Student Employees and Employers
- • www.labour.gov.hk/eng/erb/smw_esi_wes.htm
For enquiries about the exemption arrangements for student interns and work experience students, please contact call the Labour Department's 24-hour enquiry hotline at +852 27171771 (handled by "1823") or email to smw@labour.gov.hk.
Current Opportunities
Below is a list of current opportunities (work experience/voluneer). Students may refer to the above "Statutory Minimum Wage" for further details and exemption arrangement.