LCQ20: Employment and training for individuals with impairments
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Following is a concern by the Hon Jonathan Leung and a written reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, in the Legislative Council today (July 8):
Concern:
The Government revealed on the 15th of last month the evaluation findings and boosted procedures of the Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme, that include unwinding the manning ratio of full-time regional staff members with impairments to imported employees to 1:1, so regarding motivate business to use individuals with impairments (PWDs). Concerning the work and training for PWDs, will the Government notify this Council:
(1) considered that according to the findings of the study on PWDs and persistent illness released by the Census and Statistics Department in 2021, PWDs are generally categorized into 8 classifications, consisting of limitation in body language, seeing problem, hearing trouble and interaction problem, of the particular numbers and portions of full-time workers with numerous kinds of specials needs participated in numerous markets in each of the previous 3 years, in addition to the positions used up by those participated in the catering market (such as kitchen area assistants, waiters/waitresses and cashiers);
(2) of the particular varieties of jobless individuals and joblessness rates for numerous kinds of PWDs at present, with a breakdown by the classifications of PWDs set out in part (1 ); whether the Government has actually evaluated which kind of PWDs deals with the best work troubles;
(3) of the following info on the plans executed by the Government to promote the work of PWDs (consisting of work matching services, the Work Orientation and Placement Scheme and the Support Programme for Employees with Disabilities) in each of the previous 3 years: (i) the variety of applications gotten, (ii) the quantity of authorized financing, (iii) the varieties of PWDs and companies included, and (iv) the variety of applications including the catering market;
(4) apart from unwinding the manning ratio of full-time regional staff members with specials needs to imported employees, whether the Government will think about more excusing the applications for imported employees made by companies who have actually used full-time work to regional PWDs from the tiered vetting system for labour importation, or reducing or waiving the appropriate regional recruitment treatments, so regarding motivate the work of regional PWDs; if so, of the information; if not, the factors for that;
(5) of the current scenario concerning the Government’s incorporation of innovation application aspects (e.g. intelligentisation, digitalisation and automation) into pre-employment training for PWDs; and
(6) as there are views that the restricted area in regional dining establishments is a significant barrier to providing work to PWDs, whether the Government will think about raising the existing ceiling on the quantity of aid supplied to companies in the catering market for using PWDs or supplying tax concessions, so regarding motivate the catering market to develop inclusive kitchen areas and store fronts; if so, of the information; if not, the factors for that?
Reply:
President,
The Government is dedicated to carrying out different procedures to promote the work of individuals with specials needs, so regarding develop more work and on-the-job training chances for them and release their capacity. In assessment with the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), the Labour Department (LD) and the Social Welfare Department (SWD), our combined reply to the Member’s concern is as follows:
(1) According to the most recent territory-wide study performed by the C&SD on individuals with impairments and persistent illness, it was approximated that some 86 300 individuals with impairments were utilized individuals in 2020, of whom some 13 400 individuals with impairments were taken part in the retail, lodging and food services sector. Breakdowns of utilized individuals with specials needs by market and chosen kind of special needs and by profession are at Annex 1. When it comes to the variety of used individuals with specials needs being full-time staff members and the breakdown of utilized individuals with specials needs by specific task position, the C&SD does not preserve such details.
(2) The joblessness rate of individuals with specials needs had to do with 11 percent in 2020. The variety of jobless individuals with specials needs by chosen kind of special needs is at Annex 2.
Individuals with various kinds of impairments deal with various difficulties when looking for work. The Selective Placement Division (SPD) of the LD helps task candidates with specials needs in recognizing appropriate tasks based upon their work abilities. To improve companies’ understanding of the work abilities of individuals with specials needs, the LD has actually released useful guides, consisting of Practical Guide to Employing Persons with Disabilities, Practical Guide of Inclusive Job Redesign, to assist companies comprehend the requirements of individuals with various impairments, allowing them to execute suitable steps, such as task adjustments and usage of assistive gadgets, to help individuals with impairments in adapting to their work and improving their work effectiveness. In addition, the Labour and Welfare Bureau has actually likewise established a One-stop Information and Support Platform for Employment of Persons with Disabilities on its site, offering one-stop details on work assistance to companies and individuals with impairments.
(3) The SPD of the LD supplies customised services for task candidates with impairments who are suitable for work, consisting of work counselling, task matching and recommendation, in addition to post-placement follow-up service. In addition, the SPD executes the Work Orientation and Placement Scheme (WOPS) to supply companies with an on-the-job training allowance to motivate them to use individuals with specials needs and offer training and assistance. The varieties of applications under WOPS (consisting of those from the catering market), individuals with specials needs utilized and companies included from 2023 to 2025, in addition to the yearly breakdowns of quantities of allowances paid out to companies from 2023-24 to 2025-26 are at Annex 3.
The SWD offers a one-off aid to companies through the Support Programme for Employees with Disabilities (SPED) for the procurement of assistive gadgets or office adjustments to assist in staff members with impairments releasing their tasks and to improve their work performance. The SWD likewise runs the Job Trial Wage Subsidy Scheme, providing aid to companies to motivate the work of individuals with specials needs.
In addition, the SWD subsidises qualified organisations to establish little enterprises/businesses under the Enhancing Employment of People with Disabilities through Small Enterprise Project to boost the work of individuals with specials needs through a market-driven technique and direct development of more job opportunity. The optimum grant per service is $3 million for its setup expenses and expected operating losses for the preliminary duration of as much as 3 years. The beneficiary should make sure that a minimum of 50 percent of the overall variety of individuals used for business are individuals with specials needs, so regarding develop more work and on-the-job training chances.
Stats on the above plans under SWD for the previous 3 years are at Annex 4.
(4) To strike a much better balance in between fulfilling the real requirements of companies for importing labour and guaranteeing the work concern for regional employees, the Government has actually released a tiered vetting system under the Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme (ESLS). Compared to the standard vetting requirements (Tier 1), applications vetted under Tier 2 will go through more strict manning ratio and regional open recruitment requirements, or other ideal sector-specific requirement(s). Given that June 16, 2026, the LD has actually consisted of posts in the production area and table service area of the food and drink services sector in the Tier 2 vetting system.
With a view to promoting the work of individuals with specials needs, if companies handle regional individuals with specials needs (Note 1) to use up full-time tasks (Note 2) and make an application for imported employees under the ESLS, the manning ratio of full-time regional staff members with impairments (regardless of the area or task classification) to imported employees will be unwinded to 1:1. This procedure applies to the ESLS applications throughout all sectors (consisting of the food and drink services sector, which is consisted of in the Tier 2 vetting system).
To guarantee the work concern for regional employees, the regional open recruitment of all ESLS applications (consisting of applications with the manning ratio unwinded due to the work of regional individuals with specials needs) need to be carried out according to pertinent requirements and top priority should be accorded to using appropriate regional employees.
(5) The SWD improved employment rehab services in 2025, transforming all protected workshops into Integrated Vocational Rehabilitation Services Centres, and enhancing service and training designs to raise the quality of trade training and its positioning with market need, making it possible for service users to obtain abilities that much better fulfill social and financial advancement requirements. The focus of the improvement is to develop a varied trade training ladder, present sophisticated devices and market‑relevant material, and help service users in obtaining brand-new abilities that line up with social advancement patterns. Brand-new devices consists of digital material printing makers, laser cutting and inscribing devices, high‑temperature ceramic kilns, mobile purchasing systems, smart portion‑controlled rice dispensers, retail payment, marketing and stock systems, and 3D/UV printers.
In addition, to improve their training programs and service quality, the Shine Skills Centres under the Vocational Training Council continually evaluation and optimise the material and structure of their programs having regard to the requirements of the task market. In the last few years, modules on making use of expert system software application and methods have actually been contributed to appropriate course curricula, deepening the students’ understanding of wise innovation and expert system. The Employees Retraining Board will likewise think about slowly integrating material on application of innovation into appropriate trade training courses (consisting of devoted courses for individuals with impairments) to assist students boost digital literacy and abilities.
(6) In 2019, the SWD carried out a detailed evaluation of the SPED and increased the aid limitation for each worker with impairments to $40,000. If a company makes an application for office adjustments for numerous workers with impairments, the aid limitation might likewise be computed on a cumulative basis.
In 2020, the LD likewise increased the quantity of the on-the-job training allowance under the WOPS to even more motivate companies to utilize task candidates with impairments. The allowance given to companies for using each task hunter with specials needs who has actually experienced work problems was increased to an optimum of $60,000 throughout the nine-month aid duration.
The Government will continue to keep track of the work circumstance of individuals with impairments and evaluation different steps to promote the work of individuals with specials needs from time to time, so regarding continue offering proper work assistance to individuals with impairments.
Keep in mind 1: Refers to Hong Kong citizens getting the Normal Disability Allowance or Higher Disability Allowance paid out by the SWD.
Keep in mind 2: Refers to all regional workers who are straight used by a company and work not less than 35 hours weekly for running the appropriate company (irrespective of posts and working places), omitting part-time personnel, personnel of sub specialist(s) or self used individual(s) supplying services to the company.