Last week, Chan Zi-leoi, a Hong Kong graduate working in Guangzhou, received good news. Chan and her three peers working in Huashang Education Group can receive an allowance of RMB 1,000 Yuan every month per person from the Guangzhou government when working in mainland cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).

In January 2021, Hong Kong launched the Greater Bay Area Youth Employment Scheme, enabling enterprises with operation in the GBA to recruit and deploy Hong Kong university or college graduates to work in the GBA mainland cities. The Scheme will provide 2,000 places.

Later Guangdong Government announced that Hong Kong participants of the Scheme could enjoy living allowances up to RMB 1,000 Yuan per month for up to 18 months, with a total amount of RMB18,000 Yuan.

Chan currently serves as an academic specialist in Huashang Education Group. She believes the Scheme allows her to work and live in the mainland and enjoy a similar salary to that in Hong Kong thanks to allowances from both HKSAR and Guangdong governments.

Lee Jing-jing, another Hong Kong youth enjoying the allowance, thinks that working in Guangdong enables her to get in touch with more businesses and learn more. "For example, I can engage in our company's business in Guangdong, Sichuan, and even countries including Singapore and Australia, which is beneficial to my personal growth," says Lee.

(File photo)

What is the Greater Bay Area Youth Employment Scheme?

Launched by the HKSAR government, the Greater Bay Area Youth Employment Scheme (the Scheme) offers Hong Kong youth an opportunity to earn a monthly salary of up to HK$18,000 and explore a new career pathway in the GBA mainland cities.

The Scheme encourages enterprises with operation in both Hong Kong and other places of the GBA to recruit and deploy local university/ tertiary institution graduates to work in the mainland cities of the GBA. Two thousand places will be provided in total, around 700 of which are designated for innovation and technology (I&T) posts.

Hong Kong residents holding bachelor degrees or above awarded by local universities/ tertiary institutions or universities/ tertiary institutions outside Hong Kong in 2019 to 2021 are eligible to join the Scheme.

The eligible graduates will be engaged by the participating enterprises under Hong Kong Law and offered a monthly salary of not less than HK$ 18,000, and the graduates will also be stationed in GBA mainland cities to work and receive on-the-job training. The Government will grant a monthly allowance of HK$10,000 to the enterprises for each graduate engaged up to 18 months.

If enterprises are interested in joining the Scheme and offering job vacancies, please register at the Interactive Employment Service of the Labour Department website (https://www.jobs.gov.hk/0/en/employer/Registration/RegForm/) and submit the job vacancy information. The Labour Department, the Innovation and Technology Bureau are responsible for processing and vetting the relevant vacancies and uploading them to the website for eligible graduates who wish to apply.

What is the Living Allowance for Greater Bay Area Youth Employment Scheme?

It is a new program under the Guidelines for Application of Employment and Entrepreneurship Subsidy in Guangdong (Revised version in 2021). It regulates that participants of the Scheme can enjoy living allowances up to RMB 1,000 Yuan per month for up to 18 months. So far, four Hong Kong youths working in Guangzhou have obtained their living allowance.

Author:Olivia (intern)

Editors:Keane, Nan, Jerry