HONG KONG 2005

The Labour Department provides a range of free employment and recruitment services to job-seekers and employers through a network of 10 district-based Job Centres, a Telephone Employment Service Centre, a Central Recruitment Unit and a Job Vacancy Processing Centre. Job-seekers can make use of facilities such as vacancy search terminals, telephones, fax machines and computers with internet connection in the Job Centres. Employment services are also available on the Internet round-the-clock through the Interactive Employment Services (iES) website (www.jobs.gov.hk), which is the Government's most popular website. The website recorded over 869 million page views in 2005 and won the Champion of 2005 Civil Service Outstanding Service Award Scheme — e-Service Team Award. The department also organises special recruitment activities such as large-scale and district-level job fairs, and recruitment seminars to assist job-seekers to find jobs and employers recruit staff.

During the year, 208 578 job-seekers registered with the Labour Department. An all-time high of 425 952 private sector vacancies were received, up 43 per cent over the level of 297 186 in 2004. The department also achieved a historic high job placement figure of 113 090 in 2005, up 31 per cent over 86 257 in 2004.

The Employment Programme for the Middle-aged was launched in May 2003 to assist unemployed job-seekers aged 40 or above to secure employment. Employers who engage middle-aged, jobless people and give them on-the-job training receive a training allowance of $1,500 per month per trainee for up to three months. At year-end, a total of 18 040 job-seekers had been employed under the programme.

The Work Trial Scheme was launched in June 2005 to enhance the employability of job-seekers who have special difficulties in finding jobs. There is no age limit for applicants. During the one-month trial period, participants take up jobs offered by participating organisations. On completion of the work trial, the Labour Department pays each participant an allowance of $4,500 while the participating organisation contributes an additional allowance of $500. By the end of 2005, 321 job-seekers had been placed on work trials.

The Selective Placement Division of the Labour Department helps people with disabilities integrate into the community through open employment. It provides free employment counselling and placement services for the hearing impaired, visually impaired, physically handicapped, chronically ill, mentally handicapped and ex-mentally ill. In 2005, the division launched a series of activities to promote the employment of people with disabilities. It registered 3 920 disabled job-seekers and achieved 2 459 placements, representing an all-time high placement rate of 62.7 per cent.

In April, the Labour Department also launched the Work Orientation and Placement Scheme to enhance the employability of people with disabilities. The scheme offers pre-employment training to disabled job-seekers. A monthly allowance which is equivalent to a half-month's wages for each disabled employee engaged (subject to a ceiling of $3,000) is also given to the participating employers for up to three months. At year-end, 279 people had participated in the pre-employment training programme and 262 found work placements.

The Employment Agencies Administration of the Labour Department enforces Part XII of the Employment Ordinance and the Employment Agency Regulations. It monitors the operation of employment agencies through licensing, inspection and investigation of complaints. In 2005, it issued 1 650 employment agency licences and revoked four.