207 Hong Kong Engineers Achieve Mainland Professional Qualifications in GBA Pilot Program

First batch of Hong Kong engineers pass Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area engineering "Professional Title" evaluation

The first batch of 207 Hong Kong engineers from the public sector, consultants, and contractors passed the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) engineering "Professional Title" evaluation and obtained corresponding engineering professional qualifications on the Mainland. "Professional Title" is a unique evaluation system for professional qualifications adopted by the Mainland. It is an important benchmark for evaluating the skills and qualification levels of professionals and provides a basis for construction enterprises to recruit and promote talent.

Speaking at the celebration ceremony organised by the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers today (November 12), the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, said that the Development Bureau (DEVB) has been dovetailing with the National 14th Five-Year Plan on the strategy of high-quality development of the GBA, and is committed to driving Hong Kong's construction and engineering sectors to seize opportunities to pursue development in the Mainland cities of GBA, thereby better integrating into the national development. The successful completion of the first pilot assessment batch of engineering "Professional Title" qualifications creates more opportunities and favourable conditions for the construction industry to expand the territory of professional services. It reflects the country's support and care for Hong Kong professionals, which is a great encouragement. It also allows Hong Kong professionals to better contribute to the country's development.

Due to differences in systems between Hong Kong and the Mainland, it was not easy for Hong Kong professionals to apply for a Mainland "Professional Title" qualification in the past. With the joint efforts of the Guangdong and Hong Kong governments, a new evaluation mechanism of this qualification for Hong Kong professionals was established last year, and implemented as a pilot scheme in five engineering disciplines, namely civil engineering, geotechnical, highway, electrical and measurement, control and instrumentation. The assessment of the first batch of applications for "Professional Title" qualifications has been completed this year with 207 Hong Kong engineers obtaining Mainland "Professional Title" qualifications that include the ranks of "Professorate Senior Engineer", "Senior Engineer", "Engineer" and "Assistant Engineer".

The pilot mechanism for evaluation of "Professional Title" qualifications is an innovative mechanism for Hong Kong professionals to acquire such qualifications on the Mainland, and represents a major breakthrough in the convergence of the rules between the two places in the area of professional qualifications. Integrating into the Mainland's evaluation mechanism of "Professional Title" qualifications will help Hong Kong professionals gain recognition of their skill levels and qualifications in the Mainland market, thereby creating favourable conditions for the development of Hong Kong professionals on the Mainland.

The DEVB will continue to maintain close collaboration with relevant Mainland authorities and co-ordinate the local construction sector to take forward the relevant work, with a view to achieving the indicators for specified tasks of this year's Policy Address, namely regularising the evaluation mechanism of "Professional Title" qualifications in mid-2025, and extending the mechanism to other construction related professions with the right conditions, such as surveying, architecture, etc.

First batch of Hong Kong engineers pass Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area engineering "Professional Title" evaluation Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

First batch of Hong Kong engineers pass Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area engineering "Professional Title" evaluation Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

First batch of Hong Kong engineers pass Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area engineering "Professional Title" evaluation Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Employers and employees should make reasonable work arrangements after tropical cyclones or rainstorms

The Labour Department (LD) today (November 14) reminded employers to make practical and reasonable work arrangements for employees after the cancellation of tropical cyclone warnings or rainstorm warnings, with due consideration to the road and traffic conditions and other factors, and make flexible arrangements for staff to resume work or work remotely (if applicable). This will help maintain good labour-management relations, and ensure the safety of employees as well as the smooth operation of organisations.

"For staff who have genuine difficulties in resuming work on time upon cancellation of a tropical cyclone or rainstorm warning, employers should be sympathetic and handle each case flexibly. For example, employers may allow employees to resume work in stages, permit employees who have difficulties in returning to workplaces to work remotely (if applicable) or allow more time for them to report for duty and resume work," an LD spokesman said.

The spokesman reminded employers to observe the statutory liabilities and requirements under the Employment Ordinance, Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance, Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance, Employees' Compensation Ordinance and Minimum Wage Ordinance.

"As natural calamities cannot be avoided, for employees who are not able to report for duty or resume duty on time due to adverse weather or 'extreme conditions', employers should neither deduct their wages, good attendance bonus or allowances, nor reduce employees' entitlement to annual leave, statutory holidays or rest days under the Employment Ordinance, or ask for additional hours of work from employees to compensate for the loss of working hours when they are unable to report for duty," the spokesman said.

Employers should note that they have an obligation to provide and maintain a safe working environment for their employees under the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance. Moreover, under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance, employers are liable to pay compensation for injuries or deaths incurred when employees are travelling by a direct route from their residence to their workplace, or from their workplace back to their residence after work, four hours before or after working hours on a day when Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 or higher, a Red or Black Rainstorm Warning Signal or "extreme conditions" is in force.

The LD has published the "Code of Practice in Times of Adverse Weather and 'Extreme Conditions'", which provides the major principles, reference guidelines and information on relevant legislation on making work arrangements for the reference of employers and employees. The booklet can be obtained from branch offices of the Labour Relations Division or downloaded from the department's webpage (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/wcp/Rainstorm.pdf).