Hong Kong sanctions two companies over labour import violations

Hong Kong’s Labour Department has imposed administrative sanctions on two companies for violating the Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme (ESLS) rules regarding local recruitment.

Waso Cafe (PE) Limited has received a one-year ban from the scheme after investigations revealed the company supplied false information during the local recruitment process while seeking to import waiters, cooks, and dishwashers. The department has terminated its existing applications and will refuse any new ESLS filings from the company for one year.

Guardway Security Guarding Service Limited has been issued a two-year ban. The department found the firm changed job conditions without consent, unreasonably rejected qualified local applicants, and filed false interview results while attempting to import general clerks and drivers. The sanction halts all current applications and prevents new filings for the duration of the two-year period.

The ESLS requires employers to demonstrate genuine difficulty in recruiting locally by prioritizing suitable local job seekers before applying to import workers for technician-level positions or below.