Minimum wage hike to boost workers’ hourly pay to $43.10

The new hourly rate will take effect on 1 May.

Hong Kong will raise the Statutory Minimum Wage from $42.1 per hour to $43.1, an increase of 2.38%, after the Chief Executive (CE) in Council adopted the Minimum Wage Commission’s recommendation, according to a press release.

An amendment notice will be published in the Government Gazette on 20 February and tabled in the Legislative Council on 25 February, with the revised rate to take effect on 1 May subject to Legislative Council approval.

The commission conducted the review under a new annual review mechanism and applied a formula previously approved by the CE in Council to determine the recommended rate.

Secretary for Labour & Welfare Chris Sun said the commission examined the data for each indicator in the formula and assessed the relevant impacts when drawing up the implementation arrangements.

Sun added that the use of objective and easy-to-understand indicators will enhance transparency and predictability in the minimum wage mechanism, and that annual reviews allow the rate to align more closely with socioeconomic changes.