Society – The HK HUB https://thehkhub.com open the door to Hong Kong Mon, 17 Jun 2024 03:44:10 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6 https://thehkhub.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/favicon-194x194-128x128.png Society – The HK HUB https://thehkhub.com 32 32 Helpers Can Enjoy Free Fitness Classes on Sundays with Ex-French Footballer https://thehkhub.com/helpers-can-enjoy-free-fitness-classes-on-sundays-with-ex-french-footballer/ Wed, 12 Jun 2024 04:16:00 +0000 https://thehkhub.com/?p=63068 If you happen to be at Tamar Park on a Sunday morning, chances are you’ll see Hongkongers strolling or picnicking on the lawn or photography enthusiasts taking selfies in front of the art installations that pop up there every so often. You may also see a group of women exercising under the supervision of a trainer. That’s The G-Class, founded by former French footballer Walter Vaz, who conducts free fitness classes for foreign domestic helpers every Sunday.

Vaz first came to Hong Kong in 2016 to play for the Southern District FC, and was in the city on and off between then and 2021, which is when he returned and decided to stay. “When I came back, I started working as a personal trainer. While I was training my clients in a park, I could see helpers in the background doing the same exercises as me,” says Vaz, speaking to The HK HUB.

Then one day, he went up to them and asked them if they wanted to join his class. “They said they couldn’t afford me, as they don’t make a lot of money. That really touched me, so I gathered a couple of them for a free group class, and we called it The G-Class to make it more fun,” explains Vaz. He started a WhatsApp group with 6–7 members and told them to share the link with their friends, with only one condition: They must only be domestic helpers.

The group started small, with about 11 people in 2022 who’d meet at 10am every Sunday at Tamar Park. The WhatsApp group now has about 260 members, and the Facebook group recently hit 1,000 members. There’s no limit to the number of people who can join the weekly sessions says Vaz. “It could even be a class of 500. I’m the head coach and I occasionally ask other coach friends of mine to hold classes as charity. So The G-Class can have yoga, Zumba, and different types of fitness,” he says. They even have special events like a relay, which is fondly called The G-Class Olympics.

the g-class fitness events
The G-Class has fitness sessions and events like relays.

The G-Class isn’t only a place for its members to get a free workout — they can also make friends and form a community. Vaz hopes to expand his venture into an NGO. “The idea is to offer fitness to the helpers because they can’t afford it otherwise, which is sad because they really want to work on themselves. Fitness is a great way for them to relieve stress, and to focus on themselves. We want to give them more access, more space, more materials, and offer them things that we have that they don’t,” he says.

The G-Class is currently on a summer break, and will resume on September 29.

See also
Hong Kong Foreign Domestic Helpers Get HK$140 Increase In Monthly Minimum Pay

Image credits: Walter Vaz

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Indian Woman Becomes Hong Kong’s First Ethnic Minority Female Bus Driver https://thehkhub.com/indian-woman-becomes-hong-kongs-first-ethnic-minority-female-bus-driver/ Thu, 16 May 2024 03:32:39 +0000 https://thehkhub.com/?p=62571 A 46-year-old Indian woman named Farzana has become Hong Kong’s first female bus driver from an ethnic minority. Farzana, who has been driving for Citybus since September 2023, is among the company’s 200 female bus captains, and currently works the B3 series and 56 series routes. 

Farzana is no stranger to driving larger vehicles — she worked for about 10 years as a light truck driver along with her husband. However, she was inspired to become a bus driver when she saw another woman of a small build driving a double-decker bus. She applied to Citybus and after six days of training and a road test, she is now among the company’s 4,000 drivers.

Her family, which includes her 19-year-old daughter and 22-year-old son, has been very supportive of Farzana’s decision to change careers and encouraged her to pursue her dream. She even invited her daughter to be a passenger on one of the routes she was driving when she first started out as a bus captain. After the ride, Farzana’s daughter said, “Mum, I’m so proud of you!” — a memory that she treasures to this day. 

Farzana usually works the B3X between Tuen Mun Town Centre and Shenzhen Bay Port, and the 56 between Tin Ping Estate in Sheung Shui and Wo Tin Estate in Tuen Mun. And she’s struck up a relationship with regular commuters. “Many passengers, especially children, know that I know Cantonese. They will say hello to me in Cantonese, and slowly we cultivate a tacit understanding with each other. Once I was on vacation, and they asked me why they didn’t see me, so I cherish the relationship I have with the passengers,” says Farzana.

Hong Kong is working on making workplaces in the territory more diverse by holding Inclusive Job Fairs for Ethnic Minorities, where recruiters scout applicants for positions as wait staff, bus drivers, and shop assistants, among other professions. Citybus also held its first Multicultural Job Fair and Fun Day last year to recruit non-Chinese applicants for various jobs within the company.

Header image credits: Citybus

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Historic Sheung Wan Tong Lau Transforms Into Free Community Space Until April 2024 https://thehkhub.com/historic-sheung-wan-tong-lau-transforms-into-free-community-space-until-april-2024/ Tue, 27 Feb 2024 02:11:51 +0000 https://thehkhub.com/?p=61454 A historical four-storey tong lau, or tenement building, at the corner of Queen’s Road West and Bonham Strand now serves as a community space in one of Hong Kong’s most bustling neighbourhoods. onebite Social, a city-based community-empowering initiative, has transformed this former shop into a hub where kaifongs (neighbours) of Sheung Wan can meet up, learn new skills, and get wellness checks.

The space, which onebite has dubbed Project House @1QRW, provides visitors with free water, Wi-Fi, and restroom facilities. The team also organises a variety of services, such as weekly counselling and meditation sessions, a community nanny team that provides childcare, and a sewing team that gives members a chance to learn a new skill and earn extra income in the process. The space will remain open until April this year.

meeting space and sewing club at sheung wan community space
The comunity space at the corner of Queen’s Road West and Bonham Strand provides a hub for interaction and learning new skills.

The building that currently houses Project House @1QRW is a Grade III historic building, as it is among the few remaining tong lau in Hong Kong on a street corner with its shopfront visible on both sides of a right angle. The site is also opposite Possession Street, which is where the British first landed to claim Hong Kong Island as British territory in 1841.

Records show that the structure dates back to at least 1926, and according to the bright green Chinese characters still on the façade, it used to be a shop called Yau Kee Hop that sold preserved and roast meats. It later became a Chinese herbal tea shop, a vegetable stall, and a grocery store. The Antiquities Advisory Board considers it a “valuable piece of built heritage” and the only surviving part of a row of now-demolished shophouses.

For more information, visit the onebite Social website.

See also
13 Best Historical & Heritage Buildings To Visit In Hong Kong That Will Take You Back In Time

Image credits: onebite Social

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Hong Kong’s Population Back At 7.5 Million Thanks To Residents Returning To The City https://thehkhub.com/hong-kongs-population-back-at-7-5-million-thanks-to-residents-returning-to-the-city/ Tue, 20 Feb 2024 09:29:41 +0000 https://thehkhub.com/?p=61365 Hong Kong’s population is once again 7.5-plus million residents, in large part due to people returning to the city once all Covid-19 pandemic restrictions were lifted in the first half of 2023. The new figures released by the Census and Statistics Department as part of the 2023 year-end provisional population estimate show that the population of Hong Kong is now 7,503,100, up 0.4% from 2022.

According to the government spokesperson, “The population registered an increase for the second consecutive year since normalcy resumed in Hong Kong. Many Hong Kong residents who stayed abroad during the epidemic have returned to Hong Kong throughout 2023. In the second half of 2023, there was still considerable inflow of Hong Kong Permanent Residents.”

See also
More Than 100,000 Residents Left Hong Kong In The Past Year

The population of Hong Kong has been steadily increasing since 2012 and was the highest in 2019, when the government estimated that 7,520,500 lived in the city. However, the population dipped in 2020 by 1.2% and further dropped in 2021, when the Covid-19 pandemic was at its peak internationally and the city’s anti-epidemic restrictions were at their most stringent.

However, more than 100,000 residents returned to Hong Kong between 2022 and 2023, after the city lifted all of its anti-Covid measures, such as mandatory hotel quarantine requirement, compulsory mask-wearing in public spaces, and pre-arrival Covid testing. In all, 51,700 Hong Kong residents returned to the SAR in the past year, with 40,800 One-way Permit holders and 10,800 other Hong Kong residents also entering the territory in the same period.

Header image credits: xavierarnau via Canva

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Hong Kong Loses World’s Longest Life Expectancy Title To Japan https://thehkhub.com/hong-kong-loses-worlds-longest-life-expectancy-title-to-japan/ Thu, 18 Jan 2024 04:01:25 +0000 https://thehkhub.com/?p=60763 Hong Kong’s population no longer has the longest life expectancy in the world, according to new data released by the territory’s Census and Statistics Department earlier this week for the year 2022. Hong Kong’s women are now expected to live to 86.8 years on average, and their male counterparts for 80.7 years. The data shows that Japanese women now are expected to live to 87.1 years, and men for 81.1 years. The government has not yet released figures for 2023.

The report states that data for 2022 “should be interpreted with care, as the figures are affected by exceptionally high mortality rates in 2022 during the COVID-19 epidemic”. During the fifth wave of the pandemic in Hong Kong in late 2021 and early 2022, 9,291 deaths were recorded with Covid-19, in a city with a population of about 7.4 million people by the end of 2021 — the highest Covid death rate in the world at the time.

hong kong life expectancy figures from 1972-2022
Hong Kong’s life expectancy figures from 1972-2022 (© Centre for Health Protection)

While Japanese women are now expected to live longer than their counterparts in Hong Kong, men in Sweden (81.3 years), Japan (81.1 years), and Norway (80.9 years) have longer life expectancies than males in the SAR. Singapore’s provisional figures show that the city state’s life expectancy for women is 85.2 years, and 80.7 years for men.

Hong Kong has dominated global longevity rankings since the early 2000s. However, there are factors apart from Covid-19 that have contributed to the city’s recent decreased life expectancy rates. A recent survey by Cigna Healthcare found that 87% of Hongkongers surveyed experience stress, while 96% reported at least one burnout symptom — leading to the lowest average vitality score in the Asia-Pacific region.

See also
More Than 100,000 Hong Kong Residents Returned To City In 2022-2023, HK Population Will Cross 8 Million In 2046

Header image credits: Alwyn Chan via Flickr

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Hong Kong To Ease Multiple Property Restrictions To Stimulate Real Estate Sales https://thehkhub.com/hong-kong-property-owners-who-sell-homes-within-2-years-of-purchase-exempt-from-10-stamp-duty/ Wed, 25 Oct 2023 07:27:47 +0000 https://thehkhub.com/?p=58853 Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee announced that the government will ease several property restrictions, which will come into effect from October 25, 2023. Authorities will waive a 10% levy on properties sold within two years of purchase, and reduce the stamp duty that non-permanent residents and residents have to pay on their properties from 15% to 7%.

The city’s leader unveiled these measures at this second policy address on Wednesday to combat rising interest rates and a decline in local property transactions over the past year. Lee said authorities will “shorten the applicable period of the Special Stamp Duty [of 10%] from three years to two years,” and “reduce the respective rates of the Buyer’s Stamp Duty and the New Residential Stamp Duty by half, from 15% to 7.5%.”

hong kong chief executive john lee
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee during his second policy address on October 25, 2023

In addition, the government will suspend the stamp duties — the previously mentioned Buyer’s Stamp Duty and the New Residential Stamp Duty — that eligible overseas talent had to pay on property purchases. Under the previous arrangement, these buyers would have to pay these levies and would get a refund when they become permanent residents of the SAR. However, under the new measures, they will only have to pay these duties if they fail to become permanent residents.

Hong Kong home prices are predicted to fall by as much as 5% by the end of 2023, after seven of the territory’s major lenders increased mortgage rates in September. And while Hong Kong is still one of the world’s most pricey real estate markets, property prices have fallen over the past few years, with the 2023 Asia Pacific Home Attainability Index stating that the city’s private housing market has reverted to 2017 levels because of “a significant increase in mortgage interest rates in line with the US interest rate increase, a net outflow of population, and a less optimistic view on the local property market.”

Header image credits: Leung Cho Pan via Canva

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Hong Kong Foreign Domestic Helpers Get HK$140 Increase In Monthly Minimum Pay https://thehkhub.com/hong-kong-foreign-domestic-helpers-get-hk140-increase-in-monthly-minimum-pay-hk40-raise-in-food-allowance/ Fri, 29 Sep 2023 07:17:07 +0000 https://thehkhub.com/?p=58233 The Hong Kong government announced on Friday that the Minimum Allowable Wage for foreign domestic helpers in the city will increase by HK$140 to HK$4,870 from the previous HK$4,730. The 3% increase will apply to all contracts signed by foreign domestic helpers from September 30.

In addition, the minimum food allowance that employers can pay foreign domestic helpers will go up by HK$40 to a minimum of $1,236 per month. However, this is an optional component of a helper’s salary as, under the terms of a Standard Employment Contract, employers can provide them food free of charge.

In September 2022, the Labour Department increased the Minimum Allowable Wage for helpers by 2.2% — from $4,630 to $4,730 per month. Additionally, the food allowance was raised by HK$23 from “not less than HK$1,173 to not less than HK$1,196 per month”. These increases were seen as insufficient, especially since the government froze helper salaries in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Therefore, in August this year, two groups representing Hong Kong’s foreign domestic helpers met with the Labour Department and asked for a minimum pay increase of 27% and for their food allowance to be tripled, due to rising inflation.

One of the these groups, the Asian Migrants Coordinating Body, also issued a statement last month in which they requested that the Hong Kong government change the mandatory live-in rule for helpers and abolish the policy mandating that helpers must find new employment within two weeks of their contracts expiring or after being terminated by their employers.

“Throughout the past few years our fellow migrant domestic workers have reported being forced to sleep in toilets, on couches, or on the floors of the room of the child and elderly we care for. We reiterate our call to make live out optional for us and our employers to discuss and decide what is best for their family,” according to the group’s statement on Facebook.

Header image credits: yh Lau via Flickr

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Hong Kong Home Prices Predicted To Fall By 5% After Mortgage Rates Increase https://thehkhub.com/hong-kong-home-prices-predicted-to-fall-by-5-after-mortgage-rates-increase/ Mon, 18 Sep 2023 04:02:32 +0000 https://thehkhub.com/?p=57997 Hong Kong home prices are forecast to decline by as much as 5% by the end of the year, once seven of the territory’s major lenders increase mortgage rates this week. The lenders set to announce rate hikes by a maximum of 50 basis points are HSBC, Standard Chartered Bank, Bank of China (Hong Kong), Hang Seng Bank, Bank of East Asia, Citibank, and China Construction Bank (Asia).

The SAR’s biggest lender, HSBC, will increase its mortgage rates to as much as 4.125%, up from 3.625%, starting September 18, according to a Reuters report. An article in the South China Morning Post states that China Construction Bank (Asia) plans to revise its mortgage rate to 5.125%.

a man and woman stand outside a real estate in hong kong and reas the listings
Mortgage rate increases will cause private property prices to fall later this year (© Chitoern Tamiha via WikiCommons)

Citibank will also reportedly implement a similar rate increase, starting September 20. The banks’ new rates will only affect new loan applications, and not impact existing home loans.

The current predictions are in line with a report published by marketing firm JLL in July 2023, which forecast that home prices would drop by 5%-10% in the second half of the year. Joseph Tsang, Chairman at JLL in Hong Kong, said, “[The] Hong Kong housing market is now having the longest price adjustment since 2008 and the market has not found a bottom.”

See also
Listed At HK$2.2B (US$208M), Repulse Bay's 11-Bedroom Town House Emerges As Hong Kong's Most Expensive Home

While Hong Kong is still one of the most pricey real estate markets in the world, property prices have fallen over the past few years, with the 2023 Asia Pacific Home Attainability Index stating that the city’s private housing market has reverted to 2017 levels.

This development is attributed to the drop in Hong Kong prices due to “a significant increase in mortgage interest rates in line with the US interest rate increase, a net outflow of population, and a less optimistic view on the local property market.”

Header image credits: SAKDAWUT14 via Canva

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Twitch Streamer Assaulted At Central MTR Station During Live Broadcast, Attacker Arrested https://thehkhub.com/twitch-streamer-assaulted-at-central-mtr-station-during-live-broadcast-attacker-arrested/ Tue, 12 Sep 2023 07:20:32 +0000 https://thehkhub.com/?p=57877 A video showing a woman in Hong Kong being assaulted by a stranger while she was livestreaming has gone viral on social media. Clips of the video, which was originally streamed on Twitch on Sunday night, show the woman being accosted outside Exit C of the Central MTR Station, followed inside when she rejected the assailant’s advances, and subsequently forced against a wall and molested.

In the video, the woman is looking at the tram schedule at the Peddar Road tram stop when a man approaches her and attempts to help her. She later decides that she will take the MTR back home, and when she realises that they both can take a train to their separate destinations, they both cross the street to enter Central Station.

At this point, the man puts his arm around the woman’s shoulder and she attempts to pull away from him, eventually succeeding and running into the station. However, he follows her, despite her evident distress, and traps her against a wall, while she calls for help. He releases her and she runs further into the station and tells her audience — who have watched the entire incident unfold live — that she was just trying to help him.

The video has sparked outrage online, with netizens expressing their shock at the assailant’s behaviour and asking for the livestreamer to report him to the police. Some expressed disbelief that such an incident occurred in Hong Kong, a city generally regarded as safe for solo female tourists.

According to a Sing Tao Daily report, the assailant was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of indecent assault and outraging public decency. The livestreamer is currently in Macau, but revealed in a later broadcast that she will return to Hong Kong on Wednesday, according to a report in the South China Morning Post.

See also
Man At Central Pier And TST Harbour Side Asks Women To Pose For Selfies, Then Assaults Them

Header image credits: @may5w via Twitch

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Listed At HK$2.2B (US$208M), Repulse Bay’s 11-Bedroom Town House Emerges As Hong Kong’s Most Expensive Home https://thehkhub.com/hong-kongs-most-expensive-home-repulse-bay-town-house-listed-for-2-billion-hong-kong-dollars/ Mon, 28 Aug 2023 09:32:57 +0000 https://thehkhub.com/?p=57580 Hong Kong’s most expensive home is a megamansion in Repulse Bay priced at HK$2.2 billion (US$ 208 million). The 18,274 square feet property at 72 Repulse Bay Road has beat the previous record held by a four-storey detached villa on The Peak, which a Mainland Chinese buyer reportedly purchased for HK$1.2 billion (US$153 million) earlier this year.

There are two grand staircases that lead to an open layout. The home has marble flooring. A grand piano can be seen on the upper floor of the house.
The town house has two grand staircases and marble flooring (© Habitat Property)

The Repulse Bay five-storey town house with 11 bedrooms and eight bathrooms is priced at HK$120,389 (US$15,344) per square foot, according to its listing on Habitat Property.

Inside the most expensive home of Hong Kong (© Habitat Property)
Inside the most expensive home of Hong Kong (© Habitat Property)

It also comes with three car parks, an EV charger, and a terrace with views of the bay, as well as a private lift, garage and garden. Pictures on the website also show that the house has marble flooring and bathrooms, as well as two grand staircases and black casement windows.

The terrace of the property overlooks Repulse Bay.
The terrace of the property overlooks Repulse Bay (© Habitat Property)

The property was built in 2019, but the owner held off on selling it due to the social unrest the city experienced that year, as well as the Covid-19 pandemic that followed, according to a Mansion Global report.

However, property prices in Hong Kong have dropped, with the city’s median home price falling to 2017 levels, according to the 2023 Asia Pacific Home Attainability Index. This now makes the SAR the second-most expensive city in the region to buy a private home, after Singapore.

Header image credits: Habitat Property

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Fewer Hongkongers Apply For Subsidised Housing In 2023 https://thehkhub.com/fewer-hongkongers-apply-for-subsidised-housing-in-2023-show-interest-in-more-affordable-private-flats/ Tue, 15 Aug 2023 03:25:39 +0000 https://thehkhub.com/?p=57415 Hong Kong’s Housing Authority revealed that it received about 163,000 applications for 9,154 flats under the 2023 Home Ownership Scheme. The figure is lower than last year, according to media reports, when 242,000 would-be homeowners vied for over 8,900 flats.

This year’s Home Ownership Scheme covered six development projects in the New Territories: Kai Yuet Court, On Ying, On Lai, and On Wah courts in Kwun Tong, Siu Tsui Court in Tuen Mun, and Long Tin Court in Yuen Long.

Successful applicants will get their units at a 38% discount on assessed market values, with prices ranging from HK$4.94 million at Kai Yuet to HK$1.49 million at Long Tin. The average saleable area in these flats varies from 282.5 sq. ft to 486 sq. ft.

A collage showing two images. The first is of a model of the Kai Yuet housing estate in Hong Kong. The second shows the layout of one of the flats in the housing estate.
A model of the Kai Yuet Court housing project, and the layout of one of the units in the development (© GovHK)

However, on Saturday, there was marked enthusiasm for private property, when the first batch of 626 flats put on sale at CK Assets’ The Coast Line II at Yau Tong sold out on the first day

The project comprises a total of 58 studio, 230 one-bedroom, 228 two-bedroom, and 110 three-bedroom units — ranging from 210 sq. ft to 723 sq. ft. The flats were sold at discounted prices ranging from HK$2.9 million to HK$11.346 million, according to local media reports, and are viewed as more affordable than public housing.

According to the 2023 Asia Pacific Home Attainability Index, Hong Kong’s housing market returned to 2017 levels, with the median home price in the SAR standing at HK$9 million. 

The study attributed the drop in Hong Kong prices to “a significant increase in mortgage interest rates in line with the US interest rate increase, a net outflow of population, and a less optimistic view on the local property market.”

Moreover, Hong Kong residents now have alternative home-ownership options, with real estate opening up north of the border. Earlier this month, the Shenzhen Housing and Construction Bureau revealed that Hongkongers can co-own subsidised government housing in Shenzhen if they have family members residing in the southern Mainland Chinese tech hub.

Header image credits: Leung Cho Pan via Canva

 

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Hong Kong Now Second Most Expensive City In Asia-Pacific To Buy Private Homes https://thehkhub.com/hong-kong-2nd-most-expensive-city-in-asia-to-buy-private-homes/ Tue, 30 May 2023 08:47:35 +0000 https://thehkhub.com/?p=56229 The median private home price in Hong Kong fell by 8.7% in 2022, making the SAR the second-most expensive city in Asia to buy a private residence, according to the Urban Land Institute’s 2023 Asia Pacific Home Attainability Index. The median home price in the SAR is now HK$9 million (US$ 1.16 million), returning to 2017 levels.

The report provides an overview of the extent to which housing is attainable in 45 cities across nine Asia-Pacific countries: Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, and Vietnam. Singapore is now the most expensive private housing market in the region, with a median private home price of HK$9.4 million (US$1.2 million).

The median or average housing price per unit in 2022, according to the Urban Land Institute's 2023 Asia Pacific Home Attainability Index.
The median or average housing price per unit in 2022, according to the Urban Land Institute’s 2023 Asia Pacific Home Attainability Index

The study attributes the drop in Hong Kong prices to “a significant increase in mortgage interest rates in line with the US interest rate increase, a net outflow of population, and a less optimistic view on the local property market.”

The price rises in Singapore during 2022 were driven by factors such as the influx of immigrants to the city, the increasing trend of young professionals moving out of their family homes for more space and freedom, and Covid-related construction delays.

However, Hong Kong still has the most expensive housing in the region in terms of square metres, at HK$154,819 (US$19,768) per square metre. Shenzhen comes second at HK$85,179 (US$10,876) per square metre, followed by Singapore at HK$83,917 (US$10,715).

Hong Kong also topped the list of the world’s most unaffordable housing markets for the 13th year in a row. However, the city’s affordability ratio – calculated by dividing a city’s median house price by the median annual household income – fell because of factors such as Covid-19, the resulting economic slump, and rising interest rates.

Header image credits: Leung Cho Pan via Canva

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Hong Kong Households’ Monthly Income Increases by 2.9% To HK$28,300 In 2022 https://thehkhub.com/hong-kong-households-monthly-income-increases-to-28300-in-2022/ Mon, 03 Apr 2023 08:50:58 +0000 https://thehkhub.com/?p=54986 Hong Kong households’ monthly median income went up 2.9% to HK$28,300 in 2022 from HK27,500 in 2021, according to a report by the Census and Statistics Department. The report also found that women outnumber men in the city, with a sex ratio of 839 males per 1,000 females.

The report, titled Population and Household Statistics Analysed by District Council District 2022, provides district-wise information about the socio-economic characteristics of Hong Kong’s population, except for inmates of institutions and people living on board vessels.

The median monthly household income for economically active households — families with at least one earning member, which comprise 77.6% of all households in Hong Kong — was HK$36,200, up by 3.42% from 2021.

Median monthly household income by District Council district and type of households for 2022.
(© Census and Statistics Department)

While there were more domestic households in New Territories districts such as Kwun Tong, Sha Tin and Yuen Long, Central and Western (HK$42,300) and Wan Chai (HK$41,800) on Hong Kong Island had higher median monthly household incomes than other districts.

Hong Kong has dropped in the rankings of the most expensive cities in the world, but the city is still the least affordable housing market. Official data also suggests that underlying consumer price inflation will likely increase by 2.5% in 2023.

The government hopes to boost the GDP — which contracted by 3.5% in the previous financial year — with a consumption voucher scheme in 2023, by which residents will get e-vouchers worth HK$5,000 to spend at retail and F&B outlets in the city.

In addition, while Hong Kong’s sex ratio is skewed in favour of women, more males than females are part of the city’s total labour force (3,776,300) across districts.

Header image credits: Anurak Tepkhamtai via Canva

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Hongkongers Predict Over 20 Years Of Poor Health In Retirement, Highlighting Need To Plan For The Future https://thehkhub.com/hongkongers-predict-over-20-years-of-poor-health-in-retirement-highlighting-need-to-plan-for-the-future/ Thu, 30 Mar 2023 06:27:16 +0000 https://thehkhub.com/?p=54890 Hongkongers live longer than most people in the world, but they expect their later years to be dogged by poor health, a period many think will start when they enter their early-to-mid sixties. These findings show there is a compelling need for people in Hong Kong to have a savings plan in place to help with the medical costs in later life.

According to Manulife Asia Care Survey 2023, which was conducted across seven markets in Asia, Hong Kong residents expect to retire at 63 and for poor health to set in at 64. With the average life expectancy in the city at 85, many people face the prospect of over 20 years in retirement with poor health. The pessimism is strongest among 25- to 34-year-olds who expect poor health to start at 57 before retiring at 60. This pessimism, however, fades with age, with the 45-plus age group more upbeat, expecting to retire at 64 and stay healthy until they are 69.

Hongkongers concerned about physical health and mental well-being

In terms of physical and mental health, just one-in-ten Hongkongers describe their physical (10%) and mental (11%) health to be excellent, less than half the regional average for each (respectively 21% and 24%). Interestingly, it is the 25-34 age group that drags Hong Kong’s overall percentages down with 7% and 8% for physical and mental health respectively.

According to the survey, Hongkongers’ main concern is the challenge of paying for medical treatment, which continues to rise, and finding ways to mitigate or delay its impact. Nearly half (47%) of Hong Kong respondents said they are concerned about the cost of treatment if diagnosed with a serious illness, while just over a third (36%) worry about loss of income or job if they become seriously ill. More than a quarter (29%) are not sure who will take care of them if they become ill.

Hongkongers feel savings timeline for health planning is unrealistic

In general, Hongkongers think rising healthcare costs (45%) and poorer health (40%) are barriers to achieving their financial goals, especially among those aged 45 or over. More than a third (37%) of those surveyed identified saving for healthcare or medical needs as one of their top three financial goals and are working towards it to support themselves in retirement.

Among these respondents, more than half (56%) said they use cash savings to achieve the financial goal of saving for healthcare or medical needs. However, insurance also plays a significant role, with a third saying they had health and critical illness insurance (33%), and a fifth utilizing savings and endowment insurance to cover healthcare costs. Beyond that, a quarter said they rely on their Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) savings to support their medical needs.

On average, the Hong Kong respondents expect to achieve this financial goal within seven years. The younger segment and mid-income group are more optimistic — or aggressive — in their expectations, aiming to achieve their goals in six years.

Alongside financial planning, taking personal action to improve health and well-being is important to delay health issues in later life. The vast majority — more than 9-in-10 — said they are taking action to help address health issues, with more exercise (54%), better diet (47%), regular body check (40%) and closer self-monitoring of their health (35%) the main methods.

“The timeframe for meeting savings targets reflected in our survey may not be realistic, given a lengthy retirement and much of it possibly in poor health, especially with the over-reliance on cash. After all, cash is particularly exposed to inflation, which can erode its value very quickly,” said Patrick Graham, Chief Executive Officer, Manulife Hong Kong and Macau. “To avoid getting caught short, we would encourage people to talk to a financial planner on how best to plan for their future.”

How was the survey conducted?

The Manulife Asia Care Survey takes a deep dive into local economies across the region to explore in detail the health and wealth trends and sentiment, along with insurance buying habits. This year, more than 7,000 people across Asia shared their health and financial thoughts and concerns in the post-Covid environment.

The survey was conducted via online self-completed questionnaires in seven markets: Mainland China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam. A total of 7,224 people, aged 25 to 60 years old, were surveyed in late December 2022 and early January 2023. In Hong Kong, 1,035 people were surveyed.

Header image credits: Narith’s Images via Canva

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100 Jobs Available On March 29 & Walk-in Recruitment Days Every Thursday At Water World https://thehkhub.com/100-jobs-available-on-march-29-walk-in-recruitment-days-every-thursday-at-water-world/ Tue, 28 Mar 2023 06:33:23 +0000 https://thehkhub.com/?p=54729 Press Release from Ocean Park

As Hong Kong gradually recovers, the city expects increasing demand from worldwide tourists, including Water World Ocean Park, which is now offering over 100 vacancies in all fields at their Water World Recruitment Day on March 29, 2023. Candidates will have the chance to be interviewed on-site and take a tour of this world-class tourist destination.

Over 100 vacancies in all areas

aquatic safety training
Comprehensive training will be provided for aquatic team

Water World Ocean Park is looking for talents across all aspects, ranging from aquatic operations, guest services, first aid, security to general services, and more. No previous lifeguard training is required for aquatic operators, as comprehensive training in aquatic safety will be provided. In particular, Water World Aquatic Operations team members will receive globally recognised licensing upon completion of the professional training by Ellis & Associates, a world leader in aquatic safety.

They are also seeking enthusiastic individuals to join the retail team and provide exceptional customer service to the adventurers. You will be surrounded by all sorts of interesting aquatic merchandise, and have the opportunity to showcase your creativity and interact with visitors from all over the world, ensuring that they have a joyful shopping experience. The food and beverage team is also seeking passionate individuals with a love for the industry to join the team.

All you need is a passion to work in a job that is not only fun, but also fulfilling. In return, they offer a promising career path for staff, with plenty of chances for growth and advancement.

Staff benefits and HK$6,000 new joiner incentive

aquatic crew
Surround yourself with sunshine, waterfalls and waves, high energy and positive vibes, all year round

By joining the team, staff get free personal access to Water World and Ocean Park, as well as family and friends tickets so you can also bring your mates for fun rides on the best slides. Other staff benefits include complimentary shuttle bus service between Ocean Park and Water World, subsidised meals at the staff canteen, and participating in different events at the park.

In addition, a New Joiner Incentive Scheme is introduced at both Water World and Ocean Park which applies to new permanent staff or contract staff with contract duration of one year or more. As long as you have never been employed by the Parks in the capacity of a long-term full-time position, and have successfully served in your new long-term full-time position for six consecutive months, you will be entitled to a new joiner incentive of HK$6,000. (Guidelines on the eligibility criteria of the Scheme will be made available to candidates who receive a long-term full-time job offer.)

Recruitment days and job fairs details

Explore the opportunities available at the Water World Recruitment Day on March 29, 2023. Applicants will be interviewed on-site and those applying for Aquatic Operations positions will also participate in a swim test, so for those who’s interested, be sure to bring your swimsuit and goggles. Interested candidates will also be given an exclusive tour, where you can find out more about the facilities, meet the passionate team, and learn about the different roles and responsibilities at various positions in this exciting world-class destination.

Walk-in recruitment days will also be held at Ocean Park every Thursday, and job fairs in town which take place on the following dates and locations:

Date:Every ThursdayMarch 29March 29
Time:10am–12nn;2–4pm1–5pm2–5pm
Venue:Ocean Park Human Resources Office
180 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Aberdeen(Exit B, Ocean Park MTR Station)
Water World Ocean Park
33 Ocean Drive, Aberdeen (Shuttle bus transfer available at Exit B, Ocean Park MTR Station
The Construction Industry Recruitment Centre
Units 3507-3512, 35/F, Tower 1, Millennium City 1, 388 Kwun Tong Road, Kwun Tong, Kowloon (Exit A, Ngau Tau Kok MTR Station)

Visit Ocean Park’s website for more details. No prior appointment is required and interviews will be conducted on-site.

Image credits: Ocean Park Corporation

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Mainland Chinese Buyer Offers HK$1.2 Billion (US$153 Million) For Mansion On The Peak https://thehkhub.com/mainland-chinese-buyer-offers-hk1-2-billion-us153-million-for-mansion-on-the-peak/ Thu, 23 Mar 2023 09:44:28 +0000 https://thehkhub.com/?p=54664 A Mainland Chinese buyer interested in purchasing a mansion at 45 Barker Road on The Peak is reportedly willing to pay HK$1.2 billion (US$153 million) for the property. If the deal comes through, it would set a new real estate per square foot record in Asia of HK$255,000 (US$32,400).

According to a Bloomberg report, the property is a four-storey detached villa with a total floor area of 4,700 square feet. A report by the Hong Kong Economic Times states that the mansion, which has views of Victoria Harbour, was originally owned by Hong Kong businessman Haking Wong. It was sold to CSI Properties Ltd. in 2011, which rebuilt the property but kept some elements from the original structure.

The current Asia per square foot record is HK$140,800, which was set when an apartment at the Mount Nicholson project, also on The Peak, sold for HK$640 million ($82.2 million) in 2021.

The news comes after Hong Kong was named the most unaffordable housing market in the world for the 13th straight year, according to a recent report released by Demographia, which surveyed 94 markets across eight countries.

Header image credits: Google Maps

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Hong Kong Retains Its Title As Asia’s Priciest Business Travel Destination https://thehkhub.com/hong-kong-retains-its-title-as-asias-priciest-business-travel-destination/ Thu, 23 Mar 2023 08:07:16 +0000 https://thehkhub.com/?p=54635 Press Release From ECA International

In spite of depressed demand for business travel to Hong Kong in 2022, it remained the most expensive location in the region and was the 16th most expensive location globally. This was one of the findings of the latest Daily Rates research published by ECA International, the world’s leading provider of knowledge, information and software for the management and assignment of employees around the world.

The average business trip to Hong Kong costs an overall total of USD 520 per day. This is a small decrease of USD 4 from last year’s total.

Updated annually, ECA’s Daily Rates reports provide average costs for hotel accommodation, which makes up the bulk of any daily allowance, as well as meals, drinks, laundry, taxi costs and daily essentials. This information is used by companies to determine daily expense allowances for staff who undertake business travel.

Table with the top 10 most expensive locations for corporate travel in Asia
Hong Kong ranks #1 as the most expensive (©ECA International)

Singapore is now the second most expensive location in the region and the average daily cost of a business trip, at USD 515, is now only slightly cheaper than Hong Kong.

“Singapore overtook Tokyo in 2022 to become the second most expensive city in Asia to visit for business”, said Lee Quane, Regional Director – Asia at ECA International. “Business travel in the city picked up earlier than most other regional locations. This increased demand contributed to rises in hotel accommodation costs, and costs associated with other daily essentials consumed by business travellers also increased at a faster rate than other locations in the region, propelling it to second place in the region and 19th place worldwide”.

Like Singapore, locations in Taiwan including Taipei and Hsinchu have risen in the rankings, with both locations entering the ranking of the ten most expensive business travel destinations in Asia.

“The rise in our rankings of Taipei is largely due to the fact that locations such as Yokohama, Beijing and Macau, which were all more expensive before the Covid-19 pandemic, are now relatively cheaper rather than Taipei becoming more expensive in absolute terms,” noted Quane. “Nonetheless, as locations in Taiwan will expect to receive more business travellers this year, their guests will find Taiwan to be more expensive relative to other comparable destinations in the region.”

Tokyo fell one place in the ranking and is now the third most expensive city to visit in Asia. Although daily costs for business travellers have increased in local currency terms in the past year, the depreciation of the yen against the US dollar has caused it to fall in the rankings.

“In local currency terms business travellers’ costs rose by over 5% in Tokyo last year”, explained Quane. “However, the weaker yen means that with average costs of USD 424 per day, the average daily cost of business travel is almost 20% lower than in Hong Kong. It is now ranked outside the top 30 most expensive cities for business travel globally and other Japanese locations have experienced similar falls in the past year.”

Elsewhere in Asia, inflation in many locations has contributed to significant increases in business travel costs in local currency terms even though business travel demand has not yet recovered from the Covid-19 pandemic. Costs have risen most in countries such as Sri Lanka, Laos, Pakistan and Kazakhstan but have actually fallen in some key cities such as Beijing and Shanghai. New York remains the most expensive location in the world for business travel, with the average per diem cost of a business trip standing at USD 796.

Header image credits: Jimmy Chan via Pexels

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Hong Kong Takes Unenviable Top Spot As World’s Most Unaffordable Housing Market For 13th Year In A Row https://thehkhub.com/hong-kong-housing-ranked-most-unaffordable-in-the-world-for-13th-year-in-a-row/ Wed, 22 Mar 2023 10:47:42 +0000 https://thehkhub.com/?p=54624 Hong Kong emerged as the world’s most unaffordable housing market for the 13th straight year in the newest Demographia International Housing Affordability report, which compared housing affordability ratios in 94 major cities across eight countries in 2022: Australia, Canada, China, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, the UK, and the US.

The report’s affordability ratios are calculated by dividing a city’s median house price by the median annual household income. Hong Kong’s house price-to-income ratio is 18.8.

housing markets ranked by affordability 2023
Hong Kong is the least affordable market (© Demographia)

However, the city’s affordability ratio fell from 23.2 (2021) to 18.8 (2022) because of factors such as Covid-19, the resulting economic slump, and rising interest rates. This led to Hong Kong having the highest decline in its affordability ratio among all the cities surveyed.

Other unaffordable cities include Sydney (13.3), Vancouver (12), Honolulu (11.8), San Jose (11.5), and Los Angeles (11.3). Singapore was the only other Asian city on the list. While the Lion City’s ratio fell from 5.8 to 5.3, it still comes under the “severely unaffordable” category as its ratio is higher than 5.1.

According to another report from Statista, the average price of permanent housing in Hong Kong Island surpassed 186 thousand Hong Kong dollars per square meter in 2021, making it one of the most expensive real estate markets in the world.

Average price of private permanent housing flats in Hong Kong from 2006 to 2021, by district
Average price of private permanent housing flats in Hong Kong from 2006 to 2021, by district (© Statista)

This represents a significant increase from the cost per square meter in 2011, which stood at 99452 HKD. The figures presented apply specifically to flats with less than 70 square meters.

These statistics highlight the challenges faced by those seeking affordable housing in Hong Kong, a city where property prices have continued to rise steeply over the past decade, and where families’ monthly income dropped to 27100 HKD in 2022.

Header image credits: Leung Cho Pan via Canva

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