Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     According to the latest labour force statistics (i.e. provisional figures for October – December 2025) released today (January 20) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 3.8% in October – December 2025, same as that in September – November 2025. The underemployment rate increased from 1.6% in September – November 2025 to 1.7% in October – December 2025.
 
     Comparing October – December 2025 with September – November 2025, movements in the unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted) in different industry sectors varied, but the magnitudes were generally small. As to the underemployment rate, increases were mainly seen in the transportation sector and information and communications sector. Meanwhile, a decline in the underemployment rate was seen in the cleaning and similar activities sector.
 
     Total employment decreased by around 2 900 from 3 669 900 in September – November 2025 to 3 667 000 in October – December 2025. Over the same period, the labour force also decreased by around 9 100 from 3 814 300 to 3 805 200.
 
     The number of unemployed persons (not seasonally adjusted) decreased by around 6 200 from 144 400 in September – November 2025 to 138 200 in October – December 2025. Over the same period, the number of underemployed persons increased by around 3 900 from 60 900 to 64 800.
          
Commentary
 
     Commenting on the latest unemployment figures, the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, said, “The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stayed at 3.8% in October – December 2025, same as that in the preceding three-month period.  The underemployment rate edged up by 0.1 percentage point to 1.7%. Over the same period, the labour force and total employment decreased slightly, and the number of unemployed persons also decreased further.”
 
     Looking ahead, Mr Chris Sun said, “The continued growth of the Hong Kong economy and the improvement in local consumption sentiment should help stabilise the labour market. Nonetheless, the employment situations in some sectors may continue to be affected by their challenging business conditions.”
 
Further information
 
     The unemployment and underemployment statistics were compiled from the findings of the continuous General Household Survey.
 
     In the survey, the definitions used in measuring unemployment and underemployment follow closely those recommended by the International Labour Organization. The employed population covers all employers, self-employed persons, employees (including full-time, part-time, casual workers, etc.) and unpaid family workers. Unemployed persons by industry (or occupation) are classified according to their previous industry (or occupation).
 
     The survey for October – December 2025 covered a sample of some 26 000 households or 68 000 persons, selected in accordance with a scientifically designed sampling scheme to represent the population of Hong Kong. Labour force statistics compiled from this sample represented the situation in the moving three-month period of October to December 2025.
 
     Data on labour force characteristics were obtained from the survey by interviewing each member aged 15 or over in the sampled households.
 
     Statistical tables on the latest labour force statistics can be downloaded at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/scode200.html). More detailed analysis of the labour force characteristics is given in the “Quarterly Report on General Household Survey” which is published four times a year. The latest issue of the report contains statistics for the quarter July – September 2025 while the next issue covering the quarter October – December 2025 will be available by end February 2026. Users can also browse and download this publication at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1050001&scode=200).
 
     For enquiries about labour force statistics, please contact the General Household Survey Section (3) of the C&SD (Tel: 2887 5508 or email: ghs@censtatd.gov.hk).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Health Bureau (HHB) announced today (January 20) that Hong Kong citizens can authorise designated medical institutions outside Hong Kong to deposit their radiology reports and images into their personal eHealth accounts through the “Personal Folder” function in the eHealth mobile application (eHealth App) starting from January 27. This will enable citizens to store and utilise electronic health records from healthcare services received outside Hong Kong in a more convenient and secure manner, thereby facilitating greater continuity of care.

     Starting from January 27, citizens can submit an authorisation application through the “Personal Folder” function in the eHealth App before receiving radiology services at three designated medical institutions outside Hong Kong (namely the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen New Frontier United Family Hospital and Zhongshan Chen Xinghai Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine). Citizens will then receive an “Authorisation QR Code” in the mobile application. When seeking medical care at the designated medical institutions, citizens can present the QR code along with their Hong Kong identity card to local healthcare personnel for identity verification and authorisation. The medical institution will then assist the citizens to directly deposit the radiology reports and images of that consultation into their personal eHealth accounts. Moreover, eHealth users can apply for the service on behalf of family members using the “Caregiver” function in the mobile application. 

     Compared to the current arrangement where citizens can self-deposit medical records into their personal eHealth accounts, this upgraded function supports the deposit of high-resolution radiology images, which are often challenging for citizens to upload themselves. In addition to viewing the relevant records through the mobile application, citizens can also authorise healthcare providers in Hong Kong to access them through the eHealth system during follow-up care.

     A spokesperson for the HHB said, “Since July 2024, the HHB has launched the ‘Personal Folder’ function to enable citizens to self-deposit medical records obtained during consultations outside Hong Kong to eHealth, under the principle of ‘bring your own health records’. The introduction of the high-resolution radiology image function upgrade marks a significant step in cross-boundary medical record sharing. This upgrade supports citizens in consolidating medical records obtained from different healthcare processes into their personal eHealth accounts, offering more convenience for future management and usage. Building on the experience gained from implementing the new function, we will continue to optimise the processes and enhance the user experience, and gradually extend the function to cover more types of medical records and institutions, with a view to more effectively supporting citizens using cross-boundary healthcare services.”

     The HHB has set up support stations at the three designated medical institutions outside Hong Kong to assist Hong Kong citizens in registering for eHealth, downloading the eHealth App, and using the relevant function. Citizens can also view tutorial videos on the eHealth App, eHealth’s thematic website and social media platforms to learn about the usage and purpose of the new function.

     For more details, please visit the eHealth thematic website or call the hotline at 3467 6300. The hotline service runs from 9am to 9pm from Mondays to Fridays (except public holidays).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) today (January 20) announced that LEEKAJA x AMONG, a new flagship store collaborated on between Korean premium hair brand LEEKAJA and creative brand AMONG, has launched in Central. The brand also established its Hong Kong regional headquarters as a core base for expanding its Asian operations.
     
     The Central flagship store blends LEEKAJA’s hair expertise with AMONG’s aesthetic vision, bringing a fresh K-Beauty experience that encompasses Korean scalp care, professional styling, fashion artistry, and lifestyle aesthetics in an immersive beauty space.

     Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion of InvestHK Mr Arnold Lau said, “We warmly welcome Korean brand LEEKAJA to Hong Kong, injecting new energy into our lifestyle and beauty industry. Hong Kong’s multicultural environment, international talent pool, and demand for premium lifestyle experiences make it an ideal platform for brands expanding into the Asia-Pacific market. We look forward to witnessing LEEKAJA’s success in Hong Kong and across Asia.”

     The Chief Executive Officer of LEEKAJA, Ms Choi Yoobin, said, “The opening of our Hong Kong flagship store and regional headquarters marks a significant milestone in LEEKAJA’s deepening presence across Asia. Hong Kong is Asia’s trendsetting hub with advantages in talent and capital markets, making it the ideal base for promoting our next-generation K-Beauty concept. This flagship store is not just a premium salon but our strategic hub for expanding throughout the Asia-Pacific region with Hong Kong at its centre.”

     Ms Choi added, “Looking ahead, we will open more salons and a hair technology academy here to cultivate talent and set global-level service benchmarks. Our Hong Kong office is not merely a branch but a control tower for Asian operations, steering towards our ultimate goal of getting listed in Hong Kong by 2030.”

     Founded in 1972, LEEKAJA is Korea’s leading high-end hair brand with a global footprint of 130 locations across Asia, the United States, and Europe. Known for its premium hair rituals, head spa services, and refined design identity, the brand continually redefines the global beauty experience through innovation, cross-sectoral collaboration, and cultural relevance. The brand’s Hong Kong regional headquarters will oversee operations in Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, and other markets – managing performance, service standards, and global expansion strategies while leveraging Hong Kong’s role as a key Asian hub.

     For more information about LEEKAJA, please visit: www.leekaja.hk.

     To download photos, please visit: www.flickr.com/photos/investhk/albums/72177720331299266.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     ​The Labour Department (LD) will participate and set up a booth at the Education & Careers Expo 2026 organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) from January 22 to 25 (Thursday to Sunday) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai.
      
     The LD booth will be located at A01 in Hall 1D, providing information on its employment services, the Greater Bay Area Youth Employment Scheme, the Working Holiday Scheme, and the Youth Employment and Training Programme to assist job seekers, in particular young people, to learn more about career opportunities in Hong Kong, the Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area, and overseas.
      
     The LD will hold a seminar from 1pm to 1.30pm on January 24 (Saturday) at the venue to introduce the Working Holiday Scheme.
      
     Job seekers can find more employment information on the LD Interactive Employment Service website (www.jobs.gov.hk). For details of the expo, please visit the HKTDC website (www.hktdc.com/hkeducationexpo).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) reminds SmartPLAY users that the new measures to combat unauthorised transfer of bookings of LCSD recreation and sports facilities/venues (commonly referred to as touting activities) will take effect tomorrow (January 21).
 
     SmartPLAY has introduced new conditions prohibiting the use of computer programmes or other automated tools to book facilities or interfere with the normal operation of the system. Any breach will result in the suspension of the account concerned for 360 days without prior notice.
 
     The LCSD only accepts bookings made through the official SmartPLAY website, the My SmartPLAY mobile app or smart self-service stations at various leisure venues (including the 18 District Leisure Services Offices) by normal manual procedures. Any attempt to bypass the normal booking procedures or interfere with the normal operation of the system will constitute a breach of the conditions. The LCSD will adopt phased strategies to combat touting activities, and stresses again that users should not provide their user account details to, and pay scalpers to book facilities on their behalf. Users having purchased such booking services or have provided their account details to others should change their passwords as soon as possible to prevent unauthorised use of their accounts.
 
     In addition, to ensure that hirers are genuine users, a hirer is required to provide the information of two other users when booking an indoor basketball or volleyball court starting from tomorrow. The hirer and one of the two users named in the booking are required to check in together and be present during use of the booked session.
 
     Details of the new measures to combat touting activities are available at the LCSD’s thematic webpage “Improvement measures to booking and use of recreation and sports facilities” (www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/facilities/facilitiesbooking/procedure/ls_fac_improve.html). For enquiries, please call the SmartPLAY hotline at 3954 5150. 

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (January 20) announced the results of a risk assessment study on the microbiological quality of ready-to-eat sauces and like products. All samples were compliant with the microbiological food safety criteria for pathogenic bacteria (i.e. Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus and Clostridium perfringens). The overall result was satisfactory.

     A spokesman for the CFS said, “Ready-to-eat sauces and like products, such as gravies, dressings and dips, are often served to enhance the flavour of food or complement dishes. These products are often made in large batches. If these ready-to-eat products are contaminated by foodborne pathogens and held for extended periods without proper temperature control, the pathogenic bacteria may proliferate in the contaminated sauces to levels capable of causing foodborne illnesses. Additionally, the preparation of ready-to-eat sauces may involve a variety of ingredients, some of which may be fresh and not subjected to further cooking, making them potential sources of contamination.”

     Given the above-mentioned risks, the CFS therefore conducted a study and collected from various food businesses 50 samples of dressings/dips and 50 samples of gravies. The microbiological quality of the samples was assessed against the criteria stipulated in Microbiological Guidelines for Food.

     The study results showed that all samples complied with the microbiological food safety criteria for pathogenic bacteria. Test results of individual samples, including the total bacterial count (aerobic colony count) in a curry sauce sample and the Escherichia coli count in an avocado-based sauce sample indicated that there may be room for improvement in terms of food handling processes as well as personal and environmental hygiene, respectively, but there was no food safety concern. The CFS provided advice on Good Hygiene Practices to the staff concerned. Follow-up samples were taken and the testing results were satisfactory.

     To ensure food safety, the spokesman reminded the food trade to ensure proper time and temperature control when preparing ready-to-eat sauces, especially during storage and cooling. Raw food should be stored and handled separately from cooked and ready-to-eat food to avoid cross-contamination. Food handlers should strictly implement and maintain personal and environmental hygiene, including handwashing with soap regularly.

     The spokesman also advised members of the public to consume ready-to-eat sauces or like products with raw or undercooked ingredients as soon as possible after purchase. High-risk groups, including pregnant women, young children, the elderly, people with weakened immunity, and people taking antibiotics or antacids, are advised not to consume ready-to-eat sauces or like products with raw or undercooked ingredients.

     The study is available on the CFS’s website at www.cfs.gov.hk.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The overall Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) caseload in December 2025 showed a drop of 112 cases, representing a decrease of 0.1 per cent compared with that of November, according to the latest CSSA caseload statistics released by the Social Welfare Department today (January 20).
               
     The total CSSA caseload at the end of December stood at 193 850 (see attached table), with a total of 256 518 recipients.
           
     Analysed by case nature, both single parent cases and unemployment cases registered a month-to-month decrease of 0.7 per cent to 17 988 cases and 15 238 cases respectively. Permanent disability cases decreased by 0.2 per cent to 16 375 cases. 
           
     Low-earnings cases registered an increase of 0.5 per cent to 1 288 cases. Both ill-health cases and old age cases increase by 0.1 per cent to 28 028 cases and 111 009 cases respectively.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Development Bureau today invited the market to submit expressions of interest (EOI) within two months for post-secondary student hostel development at three commercial sites in Kai Tak, Siu Lek Yuen (Shatin) and Tung Chung East.

In July 2025, the Development Bureau and the Education Bureau jointly launched the Hostels in the City Scheme. By relaxing some development controls, it has facilitated private developers/operators in converting commercial buildings into student hostels to meet the needs of post-secondary students.

Subsequently, it was announced in the 2025 Policy Address that the scheme would be expanded to also cover new hostel developments.

The scheme has been met with an encouraging response, with 24 applications received involving around 5,000 beds in total, most of which were in urban areas.

Apart from two applications that concern new student hostel development on private land, all applications were for the conversion of existing buildings, the majority of which involved wholesale conversion.

Out of the 24 applications received, 22 have been confirmed to have complied with the eligibility criteria as laid down under the scheme, with the remaining two under processing.

Proponents of these 22 cases are starting to apply for development approvals under relaxed development controls, while the relevant government departments are processing at full steam the planning applications and the building plans received.

The Development Bureau said that the 2025 Policy Address has recommended that suitable sites for student hostel development be put up through land sale, besides facilitating the market in converting existing commercial buildings and building hostels on existing private land. This would be the first time for the bureau to use land disposal in the open market to encourage the development of student hostels.

All three sites included in this EOI exercise are located in urban or extended urban areas with better traffic accessibility and more mature community and commercial facilities in the vicinity. These sites are zoned commercial on the respective outline zoning plans, meaning developing student hostels according to the scheme would not require further planning applications. The relevant land has already been formed with basic infrastructure.

The Development Bureau said that the three sites are all readily developable land where zoning and development parameters are suitable for student hostel developments. Those who are awarded the sites through tender could promptly develop these sites into student hostels and help respond to the demand for post-secondary hostel accommodation.

Subject to the response received from this EOI exercise, the Government can make available one or more of the three sites supporting student hostel development for land sale through open tender in 2026-27 at the earliest.

The Government’s preliminary estimate is that around 4,500 beds can be provided in total on the three sites, but the actual bed numbers will depend on the design of the project proponents.

The invitation documents for EOI have been uploaded onto the Development Bureau’s website. Interested parties should submit a soft copy of their EOI by midnight on March 20.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The independent committee set up in relation to the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po announced today that it will hold a conference on February 5 to give directions on arrangements for subsequent hearings.

At the conference, committee chairman David Lok will give directions on identifying relevant individuals, organisations or legal representatives to attend the hearings; the language to be used; the mode of submission of witness statements, documents, etc; and more.

There will be no presenting of evidence or examination of witnesses at the conference, which will be held from 10am on February 5 in Cantonese at the Multi-purpose Room, 3/F, City Gallery, 3 Edinburgh Place, Central. Simultaneous interpretation into Putonghua and English will be arranged.

The proceedings will be broadcast live in transmission areas set up on the ground floor of the City Gallery and in the Lecture Theatre of the Hong Kong Central Library.

A total of about 400 seats will be available for the public. Interested individuals are required to make an online reservation in advance through the submission of a pre-registration form. Seats will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Details of the online reservations will be announced separately.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 3.8% in the October to December period of 2025, unchanged from the figures for September to November of the same year, the Census & Statistics Department announced today.

The underemployment rate rose from 1.6% to 1.7% during the same period.

Total employment was 3,667,000, down around 2,900 from September to November, while the labour force declined by around 9,100 to 3,805,200.

Looking ahead, Secretary for Labour & Welfare Chris Sun said the continued growth of the Hong Kong economy and the improvement in local consumption sentiment should stabilise the labour market.

“Nonetheless, the employment situations in some sectors may continue to be affected by their challenging business conditions,” he added.