Three employers sanctioned for violating requirements of local recruitment under Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme
The Labour Department (LD) today (January 21) announced the imposition of an administrative sanction on Grosswell Limited, Pei Ho Ming Ho Roasted Meat Restaurant and its sole proprietor, and Tmomo (Tsuen Wan) Limited. With effect from January 19, 2026, the LD will refuse to process any applications for importing labour under the Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme (ESLS) submitted by the above employers for a period of two years. At the same time, the LD has terminated the processing of applications previously submitted by the employers.
Following complaints received earlier and subsequent investigations conducted by the LD, it has been substantiated that the above employers violated the requirements of local recruitment under the ESLS, including:
(1) Grosswell Limited, while applying for the importation of general office clerks and accounting clerks, imposed an additional recruitment requirement on local job seekers without obtaining the LD's consent and refused to employ a job seeker who met the original requirements;
(2) Pei Ho Ming Ho Roasted Meat Restaurant and its sole proprietor, while applying for the importation of kitchen helpers, failed to provide job seekers with all the job vacancies that had passed the preliminary screening of the LD, causing the job seekers to decline its employment offers, which is tantamount to refusing to employ qualified job seekers; and
(3) Tmomo (Tsuen Wan) Limited, while applying for the importation of stock keepers, refused to employ a qualified job seeker.
A spokesman for the LD stressed, "Employers applying for the importation of workers under the ESLS should strictly comply with the requirements of the ESLS, including according priority to employing suitable local workers. The ESLS stipulates that if an employer violates labour or immigration laws, the requirements of the ESLS or the Standard Employment Contract, the LD will impose an administrative sanction on the employer, including withdrawal of approvals for the importation of workers previously granted and refusal to process any subsequent applications submitted by the employer."
The Labour Department (LD), Photo source: reference image
HKETO, Washington DC hosts "Hong Kong at the Movies"
The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Washington DC (HKETO, Washington DC) presented a four-day film series titled "Hong Kong at the Movies" from March 23 (Washington time) for members of the Washington community, including members of the Federal government of the United States (US), congress, business associations, professional bodies, think tanks, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), private sector entities, diplomatic corps, and the local Hong Kong community.
The film series featured some of Hong Kong's most celebrated films, spanning genres from romance and drama to kung fu and science fiction. The event started with a special 25th anniversary screening of Wong Kar-wai's lavish "In the Mood for Love". Other films included Hong Kong's box office smash hit "The Last Dance", Stephen Chow's relentless slapstick comedy "Kung Fu Hustle", and the recent Hong Kong sensation "Back to the Past".
Addressing guests at the film screening, the Director of the HKETO, Washington DC, Ms Elania Luk, said that the film series was a good opportunity for the Washington DC community to know more about different facets of Hong Kong and its people through the lens of the film industry. "Hong Kong's creative talents draw us together through arts. The imaginations of our ingenious filmmakers, actors and choreographers have indelibly shaped global popular culture, particularly in the US, thanks to cinematic icons ranging from Bruce Lee to John Woo," Ms Luk said.
Ms Luk added that the film industry is an integral part of Hong Kong's status as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. She said that this year's Entertainment Expo Hong Kong, which coincides with the film series, marks key milestones of two of its founding events: the 30th anniversary of FILMART and the 50th anniversary of the Hong Kong International Film Festival. She noted that these flagship events reflect the creativity, economic influence, and international recognition of Hong Kong's storied entertainment sector. The film series also coincides with Art March, an art month in Hong Kong, bringing together various world-renowned arts and cultural summits, screenings, and performances.
Ms Luk went on to highlight the Government's complementary role in supporting the film industry through various initiatives to nurture talent, enhance production, expand markets, and build audiences.
In addition, to promote Hong Kong's unique food culture, attendees at each film screening were served a variety of Hong Kong street foods and local drinks, bringing Hong Kong cuisine to the taste buds of the Washington community. Attendees of the last screening also enjoyed an exhibition of curated paintings under the theme "Hong Kong food and drinks". The paintings were commissioned by the Social Welfare Department under the Arts Development Fund for Persons with Disabilities, in collaboration with various NGOs. The paintings, among other things, exemplify the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government's efforts in unleashing the potential of persons with disabilities in artistic activities and their contribution to society. The total "Hong Kong experience" brought by the film series was well regarded by attendees.
The film series ran on March 23, 25, and 30 and April 1 at the AMC Georgetown cinema in Washington DC.
HKETO, Washington DC hosts "Hong Kong at the Movies" Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
HKETO, Washington DC hosts "Hong Kong at the Movies" Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
HKETO, Washington DC hosts "Hong Kong at the Movies" Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
HKETO, Washington DC hosts "Hong Kong at the Movies" Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
HKETO, Washington DC hosts "Hong Kong at the Movies" Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
