Remarks by SLW on Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme
Following are the remarks by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, on the Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme (ESLS) at a media session after attending the kick-off ceremony of Giving for Good co-organised by Connecting Hearts and Tencent Foundation this afternoon (August 29):
Reporter: Regarding the catering company firing local workers after recruiting outside workers under the ESLS, first of all, has the Department offered any sort of assistance to the local workers who have been fired? And secondly, besides the two-year ban administrative sanction, will there be further penalties for the firm? Also, will the Department take a more proactive approach to investigate companies under the Scheme in the future instead of just reacting to complaints? Thank you.
Secretary for Labour and Welfare: We have just issued a press release announcing the imposition of an administrative sanction against a company, which is involved in the catering business. After looking into a complaint filed to us, the involved company, after importing workers from outside into Hong Kong, has dismissed local workers after an investigation, including hearing the explanation given to us by the employer. The Labour Department has come to the view that the case is a real case, and it is substantial by facts in the investigation. So, based on the rules of the Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme, we have decided to impose an administrative sanction against the employer concerned. According to the laid-down rules, we are going to impose, first of all, a two-year ban against that employer from making applications in the coming two years. And also for the existing quota given to that company, it will also be void. This is a combination of two measures to make sure that we send a very strong signal to employers that they must comply with the rules and requirements of the Scheme. Of course, in the coming review, we will also look into suggestions over the exact terms of initiative sanctions, including whether or not the maximum ban should be kept at two years, or should it be further lengthened in order to maintain its power in enforcing the rules of the Scheme.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the remarks.)
Volume and price statistics of external merchandise trade in November 2025
Further to the external merchandise trade statistics in value terms for November 2025 released earlier on, the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released today (January 15) the volume and price statistics of external merchandise trade for that month.
The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), Photo source: reference image
In November 2025, the volume of Hong Kong's total exports of goods and imports of goods increased by 15.4% and 15.1% respectively over November 2024.
Comparing the first 11 months of 2025 with the same period in 2024, the volume of Hong Kong's total exports of goods and imports of goods increased by 12.0% and 11.6% respectively.
Comparing the three-month period ending November 2025 with the preceding three months on a seasonally adjusted basis, the volume of total exports of goods and imports of goods increased by 0.3% and 2.0% respectively.
Changes in volume of external merchandise trade are derived from changes in external merchandise trade value with the effect of price changes discounted.
Comparing November 2025 with November 2024, the prices of total exports of goods and imports of goods both increased by 3.0%.
As regards price changes in the first 11 months of 2025 over the same period in 2024, the prices of total exports of goods and imports of goods both increased by 2.1%.
Price changes in external merchandise trade are reflected by changes in unit value indices of external merchandise trade, which are compiled based on average unit values or, for certain commodities, specific price data.
The terms of trade index is derived from the ratio of price index of total exports of goods to that of imports of goods. Compared with the same periods in 2024, the index remained virtually unchanged in both November 2025 and the first 11 months of 2025.
Changes in the unit value and volume of total exports of goods by main destination are shown in Table 1.
Comparing November 2025 with November 2024, increases were recorded for the total export volume to all main destinations: Vietnam (49.0%), the USA (43.8%), Taiwan (37.8%), Chinese Mainland (the Mainland) (12.9%) and India (2.7%).
Over the same period of comparison, the total export prices to all main destinations increased: Taiwan (5.2%), India (4.9%), the Mainland (3.0%), Vietnam (2.7%) and the USA (1.7%).
Changes in the unit value and volume of imports of goods by main supplier are shown in Table 2.
Comparing November 2025 with November 2024, increases were recorded for the import volume from Vietnam (92.6%) and the Mainland (22.9%). On the other hand, the import volume from Taiwan (-0.4%), Singapore (-3.8%) and Korea (-10.2%) decreased.
Over the same period of comparison, the import prices from all main suppliers increased: Singapore (5.3%), Taiwan (4.2%), Vietnam (3.6%), Korea (3.3%) and the Mainland (2.2%).
Further information
Details of the above statistics are published in the November 2025 issue of "Hong Kong Merchandise Trade Index Numbers". Users can browse and download the report at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1020006&scode=230).
Enquiries on merchandise trade indices may be directed to the Trade Analysis Section of the C&SD (Tel: 2582 4918).
Source: AI-found images
