To meet the additional manpower requirements of the residential care home (RCH) sector in the next few years, assist the sector in enhancing service quality, and alleviate the acute shortage of care workers in the sector, the Government has earlier announced the introduction of the Special Scheme to Import Care Workers for Residential Care Homes (Special Scheme) in the second quarter of this year. On the premise of safeguarding the employment priority for local workers, the Special Scheme allows all RCHs for the elderly, RCHs for persons with disabilities and nursing homes to import care workers on an appropriate scale. Two online briefing sessions will be held by the Social Welfare Department (SWD) for the RCH sector today and tomorrow (May 18 and 19) to explain the application procedures and the implementation of the Special Scheme.

     The Special Scheme will be launched on June 19. RCHs for the elderly, RCHs for persons with disabilities and nursing homes may submit applications for quota to import care workers starting June 19. RCH operators who wish to apply for quota may do so on the SWD webpage through E-form or download the application form from the SWD webpage and submit the completed form together with the required documents in person or by post, to the Contract Management Section of the SWD. Details will be uploaded to the SWD webpage later. 

     Upon launching the Special Scheme, applications for quota to import care workers by all RCHs for the elderly, RCHs for persons with disabilities, and nursing homes will be processed under the Special Scheme. The Supplementary Labour Scheme administered by the Labour Department will no longer accept applications for importation of care workers from the above-mentioned RCHs.

Ends/Thursday, May 18, 2023
Issued at HKT 12:00

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