Low-income migrants in Hong Kong face reduced earnings

A study from Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has found that the earnings of low-income mainland migrants in Hong Kong fell below pre-Covid levels in 2024. This decline is linked to an increase in new workers and a slowdown in consumer spending. The research examined employment data from 3,236 working-age mainland migrants between 2019 and 2024. It was conducted with the help of the Society for Community Organization (SoCO). In 2019, the median income for these residents was HK$15,448 (about US$1,988). However, income dipped by 4 percent in 2020. It rebounded in 2022 and even surpassed pre-pandemic figures in 2023. Unfortunately, it dropped again in 2024. Cheng Yuk-shing, director of HKBU’s Centre for Sustainable Development Studies, pointed out that the brief recovery period was encouraging. However, he expressed concern that this period of growth was short-lived. Cheng emphasized the need for the government to provide targeted assistance to help low-income migrants find work and reduce poverty in Hong Kong. Sze Lai-shan, deputy director of SoCO, mentioned that the decrease in median earnings could also be related to some industries hiring more workers from other regions.