‘Balanced and acceptable’: labour chief defends helper wage rise amid criticism
Por Connor Mycroft — South China Morning Post – News feed
Advertisement Foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong Hong Kong Hong Kong Economy ‘Balanced and acceptable’: labour chief defends helper wage rise amid criticism
Chris Sun says the 2.35 per cent increase to HK$5,220 reflects Hong Kong’s stronger economy, but unions and employers’ groups remain unsatisfied
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Connor Mycroft Published: 5:04pm, 3 Oct 2026 Updated: 5:48pm, 3 Oct 2026
Hong Kong’s stronger economic performance over the past year was the reason for raising the monthly minimum wage for foreign domestic helpers by 2.35 per cent, the labour minister has said, amid disappointment from both unions and employers’ groups.
Defending the government’s decision to raise the monthly minimum wage to HK$5,220 (US$665), Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han said the government sought to keep the annual adjustment mechanism “balanced and acceptable”.
Speaking after a radio programme on Saturday, Sun said: “If you look back, the average annual increase has been between 2 per cent and 2.5 per cent for many years.
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