Residential homes have become the worst-hit areas in the fifth wave of the epidemic. The Hong Kong government has introduced a number of measures to ease the manpower shortage, including a time-limited relaxation of nursing care imports through the Supplementary Labour Scheme (Foreign Workers) for residential care homes for the elderly and residential care homes for the disabled from March 1 Staff section.
One month later, the Labour Department replied to "Hong Kong 01" stating that as of April 1, it had received a total of 415 applications involving 2,283 nursing staff, of which 364 were approved, involving 2,054 nursing staff.
Some people in the elderly care industry have reported that out of the eight residential care homes they operate, three of them have applied for the relaxation of the regulations this time, and a total of 46 foreign worker places have been approved. It is unknown when they will be able to arrive in Hong Kong. Some industry representatives said that it is difficult to rely on foreign workers alone to solve the old problem of the serious shortage of nursing staff in Hong Kong, and it is necessary to accelerate the professionalization of local staff in order to attract young talents to enter the industry and replenish new blood.
Hong Kong's population is aging.
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In the first month, the Labour Department approved 2,054 foreign worker caregivers to apply for subsidized residential care homes only 10
The Labour Department responded to the enquiry of "Hong Kong 01" and stated that as of April 1, it had received a total of 415 applications involving 2,283 nursing staff, of which 364 had been approved, involving 2,054 nursing staff, of which 2 were subsidized residential care homes , involving 10 imported care workers, the application has been approved.
Some institutions have been approved to hire 46 foreign workers and only nine are currently employed
Of the eight residential homes run by Li Hui, executive member of the Hong Kong Elderly Service Association, three of them have been approved to import a total of 46 foreign workers, but only nine foreign workers from Guangxi and Zhanjiang are currently employed. The procedures for applying to work in Hong Kong It will take time, and it is temporarily unknown when it will arrive in Hong Kong.
Residential homes tend to hire people who are married or have children
Li Hui continued to point out that the intermediary company introduced more than a dozen people each time, but in the past, the institutions imported foreign workers, and rarely hired people who were over 50 years old or only in their 20s. The requirements are similar, and they tend to hire people who are about 35 to 45 years old and have a relatively stable life status, such as married or even have children, so only nine suitable candidates are available for the time being.
Li Hui, a member of the Elderly Services Association, pointed out that it is not easy to hire foreign workers at present.
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There is a reason for not recruiting once
Li Hui also mentioned that the three institutions can currently employ 18, 15 and 13 foreign workers respectively, but he stated that the institutions will not hire all of them at once, because hiring in batches can prevent their contracts from expiring at the same time. The manpower of the institution has had a great impact, "I don't want them to be exposed to the sun all of a sudden, and then go to the sun all at once."
It is very difficult to hire people in the Mainland
It is generally difficult for the elderly care industry to hire foreign workers. Li Hui bluntly said that it is indeed more difficult than before to hire people from the Mainland to work in Hong Kong.
She mentioned that in the 1990s, she went to Foshan, Shaoxing and other places to hire foreign workers, and over 100 people attended each event.
Li Hui continued, pointing out that the mainland is also facing an aging population, and there is a great demand for caregivers. "When the family changes, the mainland has become rich." Many people can afford to hire caregivers, which makes mainlanders even more reluctant to leave their hometowns. Don't come to Hong Kong to work.
For the first time, subsidized institutions are allowed to import foreign workers, but the response is not good: they have no experience
The authorities have relaxed the regulations "for the first time" to allow subsidized institutions to import foreign workers, but the application figures reflect the number of cases and the low manpower. Li Hui said that some subsidized institutions operated by non-governmental organizations have no experience in importing foreign workers in the past. Unfamiliar with the application procedures and the arrangements after hiring foreign workers, such as salary payment, dormitory arrangements, etc., there are still many doubts about hiring foreign workers, so the application has not yet been submitted.
▼Under the fifth wave of the epidemic, many elderly homes have confirmed cases▼
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Chen Zhiyu, Chairman of the Elderly Services Association: If the sixth wave of the epidemic breaks out, foreign workers will help to cope
Chen Zhiyu, chairman of the Hong Kong Elderly Services Association, predicts that even if more than 2,000 foreign workers are approved, the number of people arriving in Hong Kong is expected to be only a few hundred. However, there is a serious shortage of manpower in the industry. Nearly 10% of the manpower has been lost in this round of the epidemic. If the sixth wave of the epidemic breaks out unfortunately, the replacement of foreign workers will also help to cope with it.
Chen Zhiyu, chairman of the Elderly Services Association, pointed out that the authorities must speed up the professionalization of elderly care.
(Photo by Liang Pengwei)
Urge the Hong Kong Government to speed up the professionalization of elderly care
Regarding the long-term shortage of manpower in the elderly care industry, Chen frankly said that the epidemic has highlighted the problems and the trend of reform, and asserted that moving towards specialization is an urgent and necessary process.
He explained that in addition to foreign workers, the elderly care industry also needs to find local manpower to fill it, but the industry is facing a fault due to the lack of advancement ladders, and there is no professional grade in the elderly care field, which makes it a dead end. Stable, but specialization can attract young people to join (industry).”
He continued to point out that the elderly service industry must conduct research on long-term manpower planning. For example, the government expects the implementation of the Institute of Continuing Education for the elderly in 2023 to 25. He believes that "the time is too long, and the process must be accelerated." He stressed that the industry will strive to promote Professionalization, and also hope that the new government will help, and pointed out that "the current level of Hong Kong's elderly care industry has international standards and always has advantages."
.Outreach medical and nursing team to the elderly home for vaccination.
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The manpower problem in residential houses has not been resolved for a long time. Members suggested that Shaling Funeral City should be rebuilt into several elderly homes. The Labour and Welfare Bureau launched a special plan to match 5,000 potential new blood to the residential house. Poor quality of private homes will be amended to increase the per capita floor area Epidemic ｜ Volunteer groups in shortage of supplies in Cheung Chau Residential Care Homes take the "Meng Gongzhu" to send heat to the confirmed buildings｜The full list of 7472 buildings has dropped to 110 buildings, accounting for the largest increase in two homes in Yuen Long Home Epidemic | Legislative Council Committee Passes Regret Motion Luo Zhiguang Willing to Apologize to Home Residents and Staff