Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan (sixth left), and Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service Clement Leung Cheuk-man (seventh left), meet with representatives of eight University Grants Committee-funded universities at the Central Government Offices of the HKSAR government, on June 1, 2023. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)

HONG KONG - Select university undergraduates in Hong Kong can apply for civil servant positions through a new program announced by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government on Thursday to attract talents early amid manpower shortages. 

Announcing the program after briefing government-funded universities, Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan said early applications for civil servant jobs will be welcome as long as the students satisfy certain criteria, which include finishing their studies on time.

Students in their third year of undergraduate studies (in a four-year curriculum) in the new academic year or those currently in their third year of undergraduate studies will be eligible under the new scheme

Students in their third year of undergraduate studies (in a four-year curriculum) in the new academic year or those currently in their third year of undergraduate studies will be eligible under the new program. Recommended candidates will be granted a conditional offer and will join the government upon graduation.

Those who will graduate in 2024 or 2025 will be able to submit applications in September for six government grades, including Administrative Officer grade.

ALSO READ: Talk on national security launched for HK civil servants

Government statistics show that the civil service has lost 8,494 and 10,487 employees respectively in the past two financial years, representing 4.8 percent and 5.9 percent of the civil servant workforce respectively. Retirement is a major contributor to talent loss. Last year, over 3,734 civil servants quit their jobs for various reasons.

Yeung said that talent is the most important asset for all organizations and institutions. The HKSAR government has been actively recruiting a large number of talented individuals, who are responsible for formulating, explaining and implementing government policies, to ensure that there is enough manpower to serve the public well. 

When meeting representatives from the eight universities, Yeung said that many university students aspire to secure a position within government before they graduate.

READ MORE: New opportunities for HK job seekers

She hopes that the new arrangement will help students achieve conditional admission in advance of graduating while enabling the government to find new recruits as early as possible.

Contact the writer at mikegu@chinadailyhk.com