Workers' representatives on the Labour Advisory Board will stop processing Supplementary Labour Scheme applications after discovering that some firms have been 'bypassing' them and importing workers through another programme.
Leung Chau-ting, part of the 12-member board, said yesterday that several companies had hired foreign or mainland workers through the Immigration Department's General Employment Policy (GEP), which had a higher rate of approval.
'We are furious that employers can apply for labour importation without coming to us,' said Leung, a union chairman. 'We are concerned that Hong Kong's workers will be deprived of job opportunities.'
The board, which has an equal number of members representing employers and employees, advises the labour commissioner on policy and regularly assesses and approves applications under the scheme, or SLS. The scheme allows employers experiencing 'genuine difficulties' finding suitable local staff to import labour at 'technician level or below'.
Last year, the board approved 1,180 SLS applications out of 2,340. In contrast, 26,881 mainland and overseas workers were allowed into Hong Kong under the GEP, which is open to non-Hong Kong graduates with special skills, knowledge or experience not available in the city.
Unionist legislator Li Fung-ying likened the GEP to a 'black box', saying its screening process was unclear.
'We cannot see whether it refuses any application. There is no involvement of labour, no monitoring and checks,' Li said.
