Hong Kong’s overall manpower shortage is expected to narrow slightly to about 130,000 by 2028, Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun said on Thursday.

Speaking at a press conference to explain initiatives in the city’s first five-year plan and the Policy Address, he said officials had recently conducted a mid-term update of their manpower projection.

The latest estimate, he said, represents a decrease of 50,000 from the 180,000 shortage projected two years ago.

Sun said the narrower shortage reflected changes in the economic structure, the effectiveness of policies to attract talent and the impact of rapid artificial intelligence development over the past one or two years on manpower demand.

Without policy intervention, however, the manpower gap in 2028 could have reached 300,000, he said.

Sun also said authorities would continue to update Hong Kong's Talent List to include professions in fields tied to national development priorities, such as artificial intelligence.

The current list covers 60 professions across various industry segments in which there is a shortage of manpower needed to support high-value and diversified economic development.

"One of the focuses of the next round review will be including more AI-related talents into the list," Sun said.

"Of course, this is up to the trade and also those who are interested in AI, including the bureau, to propose.

"Here in the Labour and Welfare Bureau, we are the coordinating bureau so we will take into account their views in the common review."

Sun added that the review would also consider including other professions, with the aim of completing the update by next year.

As part of a subsidy programme to boost youth employment, the government will bring the business sector on board to create 10,000 additional full-time roles.

Each position will last at least six months, and the jobs will be rolled out over two years starting in the first quarter of 2027. They will be aimed at young people entering the workforce for the first time.

Authorities will subsidise part of their monthly pay for six months, covering either HK$6,000 per month or up to one-third of the employee's monthly salary, whichever is lower, for a duration of six months.


Edited by Aaron Tam