Hong Kong's wholesale and retail sector also needs workers from the mainland, a lawmaker said on Monday, as he urged the government to allow such employees in – but without making firms provide them with a place to live.

Last week, officials said workers could be brought in from the mainland for the construction and transport sectors – under a scheme similar to that used to import carers – with accommodation to be provided by employers.

Legislator Peter Shiu said he estimates there are some 40,000 vacancies in the wholesale and retail sector he represents, and these too could be filled by people from elsewhere in the Greater Bay Area.

The most cost-effective way of doing this, he said, would be to get mainlanders to work in Hong Kong but live across the border.

"At this moment, if we want to import labour to Hong Kong, they [companies] have to take care of their accommodation. The cost will be much higher than employing the local staff," Shiu said.

"The government can allow people coming from Shenzhen to Hong Kong [to work], and then they go back to Shenzhen for rest at night. It also will not increase the Hong Kong housing problem."

Shiu also said such imported workers should be paid the median monthly salary of local staff.