🇭🇰 Hong Kong · Employment & Labor
Hiring rules, employment contracts, payroll, social insurance, and EOR options.
Quick answer
Hong Kong employment under the Employment Ordinance sets a statutory minimum wage, paid annual leave rising with service, rest days, and — for those on a 'continuous contract' — sickness, holidays, and long-service or severance payments. MPF pension contributions are mandatory, and the Labour Tribunal resolves disputes.
Employment is governed by the Employment Ordinance, overseen by the Labour Department; employers and employees contribute to the Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF).
- The Employment Ordinance sets core rights such as rest days, holidays and leave.
- A statutory minimum wage applies.
- Employers must enrol employees in an MPF scheme.
Step-by-step
- 1
Get your contract
Confirm whether you are on a 'continuous contract' (the 4-18 rule — 18+ hours a week for 4+ weeks), which unlocks most statutory benefits.
- 2
Know your pay and hours rights
You must receive at least the Statutory Minimum Wage (an hourly rate); there is no general statutory cap on working hours.
- 3
Understand leave and rest
You accrue 7-14 days' paid annual leave by length of service, at least one rest day in seven, plus statutory holidays.
- 4
Register for the MPF
Both you and your employer contribute 5% of relevant income to a Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) scheme.
- 5
Know severance and long-service pay
Redundancy after two years can give a severance payment; long service of five+ years can give a long-service payment (broadly two-thirds of a month per year, capped).
- 6
Resolve disputes
Bring claims to the Labour Tribunal, which hears employment disputes with no requirement for lawyers.
Checklist
- 'Continuous contract' status (4-18 rule)
- Statutory Minimum Wage (hourly)
- 7-14 days' annual leave + rest days + statutory holidays
- MPF contributions (5% + 5%)
- Severance (redundancy, 2+ yrs) / long-service (5+ yrs)
- Sickness allowance (continuous contract)
- Anti-discrimination protections
- Dispute route (Labour Tribunal)
Official authorities
- Labour Department
Employment law and standards.
Frequently asked questions
What is a 'continuous contract'?
Working at least 18 hours a week for four or more consecutive weeks (the '4-18 rule'), which qualifies you for most Employment Ordinance benefits.
Is there a maximum working week?
No — Hong Kong has no general statutory limit on working hours, only the Statutory Minimum Wage and rest-day rules.
Severance vs long-service payment?
Severance is for redundancy after two years; long-service payment is for other qualifying terminations after five years — you cannot receive both for the same period.
Official-information aggregation, not legal advice. Always verify on the authority's own site.