Objectives Organization Structure Hotel Members News & Events Industry Information Government Information
English 繁體中文 简体中文
2026-02-12
Adjustment of Statutory Minimum Wage from $42.1 to HK$43.1 per hour

The Chief Executive in Council announced on 10 February 2026 that it has accepted the recommendation of the Minimum Wage Commission (MWC) to increase the Statutory Minimum Wage (SMW) rate from the current HK$42.1 per hour to HK$43.1 per hour, representing an increase of HK$1.0 or 2.38%.

 

The Government will publish the Minimum Wage Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule 3) Notice 2026 in the Gazette on 20 February 2026, and table the amendment bill before the Legislative Council on 25 February 2026. Subject to approval by the Legislative Council, the revised SMW rate will come into effect on 1 May 2026. 

 

The 2026 Report on Reviewing the Statutory Minimum Wage Rate has been uploaded to the MWC's website (www.mwc.org.hk).

 

Key Points from the 2026 MWC Review:

 

  • The new rate of HK$43.1 is estimated to benefit approximately 18,800 to 39,400 employees, representing about 0.7% to 1.4% of total employment in Hong Kong prior to implementation.
  • The impact assessment indicates that while a certain number of low-income employees will benefit, the overall impact on business costs, unemployment rate, and inflation is expected to be relatively mild.
  • The number of unemployed persons at the grassroots level is estimated to increase by about 200 to 500 persons, with the overall unemployment rate rising by approximately 0.01 percentage point.
  • The additional wage cost across all industries is estimated at approximately HK$110 million to HK$260 million, equivalent to about 0.01% to 0.03% of total wage expenditure.
  • For low-paying sectors, additional wage costs are estimated at HK$80 million to HK$170 million, representing approximately 0.05% to 0.12% of total wage expenditure in those sectors.
  • In addition to employees currently earning below HK$43.1 per hour, some employees already earning at or above this level may also receive wage adjustments due to the wage hierarchy (“ripple effect”).

 

Members are advised to review their payroll structures and employment contracts to ensure compliance ahead of the proposed implementation date of 1 May 2026.