Some minibus drivers brought to Hong Kong to tackle manpower shortage fail city’s driving test
Hong Kong Free Press
The first batch of imported minibus drivers have arrived in Hong Kong under a government scheme aimed at tackling a widespread manpower shortage. But some struggled to pass the city’s driving test due to their lack of local traffic knowledge, an industry representative has said.
Around 50 drivers – including around 30 minibus drivers – arrived in Hong Kong under a labour importation scheme for the transport sector, local media reported on Thursday citing the Transport Department.
According to the reports, the department said only two of the six drivers who took the minibus driving test passed. The figure should not be treated as “reliable statistical data” because the assessment had just begun, the department said.
The new drivers were recruited under a government scheme rolled out last June to address what it described as long-term manpower shortage issues in the transport sector. The minibus industry could apply to import up to 900 drivers, while a quota of 800 was set for coach drivers.
The authorities gave the green light to the first round of applications last September, allowing 461 non-local minibus drivers and 508 coach drivers to come and work in the city. Under the scheme, employers were required to provide accommodation for staff if they had to live in Hong Kong. They could also arrange accommodation across the border for mainland Chinese drivers.
The labour importation schemes, which stretched to sectors such as construction and aviation, were part of an effort to tackle “structural labour force shrinkage” owing to an ageing population, the government told the legislation last June.
According to official figures, the city’s labour force fell from 3.68 million in 2018 to 3.46 million in 2022, with the population of low-skilled workers shrinking by about 160,000. Hong Kong’s development needs in the long-run could not be met with the declining workforce, the government wrote in a legislative document.
Lower passing rate
So Sai-hung, chairman of the G.M.B. Maxicab Operators General Association, said in Cantonese on RTHK on Friday the 400 odd minibus drivers were expected to arrive at the city by March. Although the minibus contractors were eager to hire drivers, it was important not to rush through the process, So said.
Only around 30 per cent of imported drivers had managed to pass the local test so far, the industry chief said, pointing to a lack of knowledge of the local traffic and the difference between left-hand and right-hand driving as potential reasons for the low pass rate.
“The reason why mainland drivers have a lower passing rate… it could be their traffic knowledge is not the same [as local drivers],” So said.
So added employers may face economic burdens if the imported drivers kept failing the test, estimating that the assessment and training fees cost several thousand dollars.
“It would be best if the drivers could pass the test in one or two instances… if their driving skills do not meet the standards, then there is no point in taking the test,” he said.
Support HKFP | Policies & Ethics | Error/typo? | Contact Us | Newsletter | Transparency & Annual Report | Apps
Help safeguard press freedom & keep HKFP free for all readers by supporting our team
HKFP has an impartial stance, transparent funding, and balanced coverage guided by an Ethics Code and Corrections Policy.
Support press freedom & help us surpass 1,000 monthly Patrons: 100% independent, governed by an ethics code & not-for-profit.