According to officials at Nepal Construction Workers´ Union, even Nepalis who had migrated to the UK are planning to return as construction works in big projects are of permanent nature and provide a generous salary. [break]
“As a lot of employment will be generated, we are organizing skill development training for Nepali workers,” said Tula Jung Gurung, president of the union. Nine thousand Nepalis are presently working in the construction sector in Hong Kong.
In a budget speech announced on February 24, Hong Kong´s finance minister Joan Chang declared to start three big projects this fiscal year and other projects in the next fiscal year.
Bed Khadka, director of Pacific Crown Engineering in Hong Kong, echoed Gurung. “This is a good opportunity for us and it will be even better if we can bring workers from Nepal. Unfortunately, Hong Kong administration hasn´t opened visa for Nepalis,” he added.
Khadka said skilled Nepali workers in the construction sector are doing well. They earn 500-600 Hong Kong Dollar per day. With the arrival of big projects and more job opportunities, he believes the salary will also increase.
With the increase in salary Nepalis who previously worked in the construction sector but had migrated to the UK may also return because it is hard to find the skill-matched jobs there, opined Khadka. As those Nepalis have a Hong Kong ID, they can return back any time, he added.
Language and lack of proper training are the main problems faced by Nepali workers in Hong Kong. Nepali union has been raising voice about the discrimination between Chinese and Nepali workers to various agencies including the Labor Department. Nepali workers have to work for more hours at low pay, whereas Chinese workers get more pay and can work less hours.
“We have demanded the Hong Kong Government to increase our salary by 12 percent,” said Gurung.
Although discussions are on to bring in foreign workers because of big project, workers´ unions have warned against it due to increased unemployment.
When foreign workers were hired in the garment, hotel and construction sectors during the initial years of 1980s and 90s, Hong Kong´s unemployment rate was 2 per cent, whereas it is 4.9 percent at present.
But since a large number of Chinese workers in the sector are well over 50 years in age, HK Development Minister Carrie Lam has appealed to the younger generation to take benefit of the opportunity.
Ashok Gahatraj, safety manager of Insituform Asia Limited, on the other hand noted that the age of Nepali workers in the sector averages at 40 years. “As there are fewer Hong Kong Chinese workers in the sector, time has now come for Nepali workers to be busy and earn good money,” he said.
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