Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu delivered his fourth Policy Address today. Oxfam Hong Kong welcomes the government’s policies in prioritising local employment and unleashing the potential labour force in society. We are pleased to see innovation and technology being incorporated with social welfare policies, particularly in protecting the health and safety of high-risk elderly persons, to improve their quality of life.

“Despite fiscal challenges, the Policy Address demonstrates the government’s commitment to poverty alleviation. To effectively identify vulnerable groups and further implement targeted poverty alleviation measures, we look forward to the Report on Impact of Targeted Poverty Alleviation Strategy in Hong Kong, to be published in mid-2026, which will expand beyond age, type of housing, and marital status, and also consider gender, ethnicity, and physical condition. Therefore, to ensure support for grassroots women, people with disabilities (PWD), ethnic minorities, and students with special educational needs,” said Henry Tang, Acting Director General of Oxfam Hong Kong.

1. Promoting a Living Wage to Protect Employees' Quality of Life

We commend the policy measures in the 2025 Policy Address, which prioritise employment opportunities for local workers. Key initiatives include stricter regulation to prevent abuse of the Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme (ESLS), optimising the Re-employment Allowance Pilot Scheme, and implementing annual reviews of the Statutory Minimum Wage (SMW) rate. These measures are instrumental in stabilising employment opportunities and strengthening wage protection for the local workforce.

Since 2018, Oxfam has been advocating for the adoption of a living wage, encouraging capable employers to provide salaries that meet basic living needs. We urge the government to announce the living wage level (no less than $62.8 per hour in 2025) alongside its annual minimum wage review, offering a reference for capable employers to adopt. This would not only improve livelihood protection for grassroots workers but also attract more individuals to join or re-enter the labour market.

As the largest employer in Hong Kong, the government should take the lead by paying a living wage to outsourced workers, demonstrating its commitment to fair remuneration practices.

2. Creating Flexible Employment Opportunities and Promoting Community Economic Development

Oxfam supports the government’s initiative to reform the Employees Retraining Board and strengthen local skills training. This includes enhancing industry consultative mechanisms, introducing a skills-based training framework, launching micro-credential courses, and leveraging technology to deliver diverse and flexible learning models, all aimed at boosting local workforce competitiveness.

During economic transformation, maintaining the resilience of grassroots workers in the labour market is particularly critical. In addition to strengthening skills training, we urge the government to further expand flexible employment opportunities and foster community economic development. These measures would support affected workers in seamlessly re-entering the labour market while addressing their economic needs effectively.

3. Identifying High-Risk Elderly Persons and Using AI to Safeguard Health

Oxfam welcomes the government’s adoption of our recommendations, including consolidating data from the Social Welfare Department (SWD), the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HKHA), and other government departments and public organisations to identify high-risk carers of the elderly and carers of PWD, as well as singleton and doubleton elderly households lacking sufficient community support. We also acknowledge the government’s efforts in promoting gerontechnology, such as installing an intelligent accident detection system for 300 high-risk households. We hope the pilot programme could be expanded to more households and include a wider range of technologies, enabling early intervention and assisting carers in need.

To further support “the elderly taking care of the elderly” and “the elderly taking care of the disabled”, the government could consider revising the eligibility criteria for carer allowances so that elderly persons who are already receiving the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme (CSSA) or the Old Age Living Allowance may also qualify. More comprehensive measures to support those who are unable to help themselves would strengthen the community’s overall social capacity and resilience.

4. Supporting Ethnic Minority Integration and Women’s Employment

Oxfam welcomes the Policy Address’s proposal to establish youth and women’s networks at Ethnic Minority Support Service Centres and the continued dissemination of job opportunities to promote their employment. We have long been committed to supporting ethnic minority women, exemplified by the design and launch of Learners programme. Looking ahead, we hope to strengthen collaboration with the government and various sectors of society to conduct in-depth research on EM, while continuously offering more diverse vocational training programmes to meet labour market demands and create broader employment opportunities for ethnic minority women.

Conclusion

Amid social and economic changes, Oxfam supports the government’s focus on safeguarding local employment, so as to empower those who are able to help themselves. Early identification of needs and stronger technological support are also vital safety‑net measures to address population ageing and enhance resilience.

We hope government, business, and NGOs will strengthen collaboration to drive socially innovative solutions and foster a more resilient, inclusive society.

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About Oxfam Hong Kong
Oxfam is a global organisation committed to creating a world without poverty through its advocacy, development and humanitarian work.

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