Lawmakers Urge Faster Subdivided Flat Registration and Curb on Foreign Labour in Food Sector
Hong Kong lawmakers debated the city's first five-year plan, with calls to accelerate substandard flat registrations and reduce foreign workers amid high food-service unemployment.
Lawmakers on Friday continued a three-day debate on Hong Kong's first five-year development plan and the policy address, with pressing issues over housing and employment taking centre stage.
DAB legislator Cheng Wing-shing expressed support for the plan's target to basically resolve the problem of substandard subdivided units in residential buildings by 2030, calling it a clear roadmap to end poor-quality housing. However, he voiced concern that the registration pace for 'simplified houses' — upgraded subdivided units — could slow as early-bird incentives taper off. He urged authorities to maintain outreach efforts to encourage landlords to register and to efficiently process professional certifications for those already registered, ensuring a smooth transition into legal simplified housing.
Meanwhile, labour-sector lawmaker Chow Kam-siu highlighted persistent unemployment in the food and beverage industry, citing official data showing the sector's jobless rate at 6.8 per cent, with about 16,000 people out of work. He noted that approved foreign labour in the sector included over 19,000 cooks and more than 14,000 waiters, the two largest categories. Given the prolonged high unemployment, he recommended the government reduce or even suspend foreign worker imports to ensure employers prioritise local hires.
The debate underscores growing pressure on authorities to balance housing renewal with protecting local employment as the five-year plan moves forward.
