Hong Kong Labour Scheme Abuse: Workers Left in Lurch as Mainland Intermediaries Face Mounting Complaints
HK01 · 2 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago6 MIN
Summary
The Hong Kong Supplementary Labour Optimisation Scheme, designed to address the city's labour shortages, has become a breeding ground for intermediaries exploiting both employers and workers. At the centre of these allegations is Guangdong New Power Human Resources Ltd (廣東新力量人力資源有限公司), a Zhuhai-based agency that has reportedly left dozens of workers out of pocket after promising jobs in Hong Kong that never materialised, or that landed workers in violation of their visa conditions.
Key Points
- Eight mainland workers, including Mr He, Mr Wang and Ah Ming (all pseudonyms), paid 36,000 to 38,000 RMB each through a Zhuhai agency called New Power for jobs at a Hong Kong logistics company. They received entry permits from the Immigration Department in March 2026, only to discover the employer denied ever hiring them .
- One woman, Ms Huang, was placed by the same agency at a chain beverage store location different from her contract, rendering her an illegal worker. A colleague arrested by Immigration was prosecuted while the employer faced no charges .
- A Guangzhou salesman, Mr Feng, discovered his employment contract lacked required Labour Department stamps and employer signatures, yet he had already paid 17,000 RMB to the agency .
- The Zhuhai agency shares an address with Zhuhai Quick Search Employment Human Resources Ltd (珠海快手僱傭人力資源有限公司), whose founder Wu Fan also operates licensed employment agency Hong Kong Labour Group Ltd (香港勞工集團有限公司) in Hong Kong .
- Wu Fan, who ceased being a shareholder of New Power in August 2025, denied any connection to unpaid refunds, while former legal representative Zhang Jiewei claimed she was dismissed in October 2025 and blamed subsequent cases on others .
- Hong Kong police received reports from five workers but classified the matter as a civil dispute with no criminal elements identified, while the Labour Department directed those aggrieved by mainland agencies to seek recourse in the Mainland .
Why It Matters
This case exposes systemic vulnerabilities in the cross-border labour recruitment framework, where workers face virtually no protection when intermediary arrangements collapse. With Hong Kong continuing to rely on the Supplementary Labour Optimisation Scheme to fill vacancies across logistics, retail and food services, the absence of regulatory oversight over Mainland agencies and unclear accountability channels threaten to undermine both worker welfare and employer confidence in the programme .
This case exposes systemic vulnerabilities in the cross-border labour recruitment framework, where workers face virtually no protection when intermediary arrangements collapse. With Hong Kong continuing to rely on the Supplementary Labour Optimisation Scheme to fill vacancies across logistics, retail and food services, the absence of regulatory oversight over Mainland agencies and unclear accountability channels threaten to undermine both worker welfare and employer confidence in the programme .