Hong Kong plans to introduce a pilot scheme in the second half of 2027 to bring in hundreds of foreign workers specially trained to care for the city’s growing elderly population, Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-yan announced recently. The scheme aims to address the rising demand for elderly care amid a rapidly aging society, with 26 percent of Hong Kong’s population currently aged 65 or above—projected to increase to 36 percent by 2046.
Under the proposal, the foreign carers will be required to complete a specialised 150-hour training course in their home countries before arriving in Hong Kong. This training will cover both elderly care skills and general domestic tasks, with the curriculum designed and accredited by government-recognised professional bodies. Sun emphasized the importance of partnering with local professional organisations to ensure the foreign workers effectively complete the course and acquire the necessary skills.
Currently, Hong Kong employs about 380,000 foreign domestic helpers, primarily from the Philippines and Indonesia, who mainly perform household chores. The Social Welfare Department has provided a basic 10-hour first aid and elderly care course for approximately 1,000 workers. The new carers under the pilot scheme, however, will receive substantially more extensive training aligned with professional caregiving standards.
In terms of remuneration, these specialised carers would receive wages 10 to 20 percent higher than those of general domestic helpers, although their pay framework will remain similar to existing foreign domestic worker arrangements. The minimum wage for domestic workers was recently raised by 2.35 percent to HK$5,220 per month, with employers required to offer free meals or a food allowance of HK$1,236 monthly.
The initiative has raised concerns from various stakeholders. Eman Villanueva, spokesman for the Asian Migrants’ Coordinating Body, cautioned that combining full-time elderly care with heavy household duties might result in carers working around the clock, particularly when attending to elderly individuals with complex needs such as dementia or continuous care requirements. He also highlighted the significant wage disparity between local full-time carers, who earn HK$17,000 to HK$25,000 monthly, and foreign carers slated to receive roughly HK$6,000 to HK$7,000, urging clarity on liability in case of accidents involving the elderly.
From the employers’ perspective, Chrystie Lam Haa-iu, president of the Coalition of Global Home Service Sustainable Development, expressed concern over the financial implications of the planned salary increase, which could strain lower-income families. Lam questioned whether the 150 hours of overseas training, which is about half the duration required for local health workers, would adequately prepare foreign carers for complex tasks such as managing feeding tubes or chronic conditions. She further stressed the need for the government to finalise operational details, including liability and refund mechanisms, to mitigate potential financial risks for employers participating in the scheme.
As the government prepares to launch the pilot, it will need to balance the urgency of addressing elderly care needs with the concerns of workers, employers, and the wider community regarding training standards, compensation, and accountability.