The Greater Bay Area (GBA) Youth Employment Scheme Appreciation Ceremony cum Experience Sharing Session was held by the Labour Department today (November 9). More than 30 enterprises were awarded Active Participation Awards in recognition of their support for the scheme.
      
     Speaking at the appreciation ceremony, the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, said that General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Xi Jinping, in his report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC on October 16, clearly pointed out that the country will continue to develop the GBA and support Hong Kong in better integrating itself into the overall national development. Mr Lee noted that the GBA Youth Employment Scheme is an important measure of the Government to encourage young people to participate in the country's overall development. He said he was pleased to learn that participating enterprises and young people gave very positive feedback on the scheme. He also expressed gratitude to enterprises for their efforts in guiding and supporting young people.
      
     During the appreciation ceremony, graduates who joined the scheme spoke through pre-recorded interviews on their experience and the rich rewards of working in GBA Mainland cities. Representatives of the enterprises that employed them also shared their experience in nurturing Hong Kong young people to work in the GBA. 
      
     The GBA Youth Employment Scheme was first launched in January 2021. Hong Kong young people who were awarded bachelor's degrees or above in 2019 to 2021 could join the scheme. The participating enterprises should offer the graduates a monthly salary of not less than HK$18,000 and station them in GBA Mainland cities to work and receive on-the-job training. The Government grants a monthly allowance of HK$10,000 to the enterprises for each graduate engaged up to 18 months. The scheme has received favourable feedback with more than 400 enterprises offered around 3 500 job vacancies and over 1 000 graduates recruited.
      
     In his Policy Address delivered last month, the Chief Executive announced that the GBA Youth Employment Scheme would be regularised. The Government will provide resources under the scheme to encourage enterprises to offer quality jobs and support Hong Kong young people to work in the GBA, so as to get a better understanding of the country and seize the development opportunities. The Labour Department will later announce the details of the regularised scheme. For enquiries, please call the hotline 2969 0460.

Ends/Wednesday, November 9, 2022
Issued at HKT 16:50

NNNN