'Govt needs to import even more construction workers'
A construction industry representative said on Thursday that the government should consider expanding the quota for importing construction workers, as the shortfall will hit 40,000 within the next four years. The government had earlier launched a scheme to import up to 12,000 non-local builders to tackle a labour crunch in the sector.  Officials said they received applications for 5,251 workers in the first round of applications under the scheme, adding that they are expected to arrive in the SAR later this year. The Construction Sub-Contractors Association’s president, Lawrence Ng, said work is now underway to arrange accommodation and transport for them.  "We have a central dormitory in Tam Mei, which can house 8,000 workers. The Construction Industry Council helps manage it, so the accommodation problem has been solved,” he said.  Going forward, Ng said the manpower shortage problem in the construction industry is expected to worsen, and urged the government to consider further expanding the hiring quota.______________________________
Last updated: 2023-08-17 HKT 22:15 