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Close to 600 university students from Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec were briefed today (March 14, Canada time) on Hong Kong's latest career opportunities, its current employment information, and avenues available to those who are interested in working in Hong Kong at a career video conference held simultaneously in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal.
The annual video conference, now in its sixth year, has grown in popularity among Canadian university students, with university students from Quebec Province participating in this informative and interactive event for the first time this year. The video conference was jointly organized by the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau (CEDB) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) in Canada.
With the Hong Kong economy continued to move with robust momentum in 2007, the employment market in Hong Kong reaches its historical height with total employment expanded to over 3.5 million, while unemployment rate falls to 3.4%, a record low in almost ten years. In his 2007-08 Policy Address, Hong Kong's Chief Executive, Mr. Donald Tsang, unveiled Government's commitment to undertake 10 major infrastructure projects in the next couple of years, creating a huge demand for talented people from everywhere.
This cross-Pacific event was hosted by the Deputy Secretary of CEDB, Ms Linda Lai, in Hong Kong, and the Director of the HKETO, Ms Maureen Siu, in Canada.
At today's conference, students were informed that Hong Kong has adopted a liberal policy to attract new talents who have received highly skilled, professional and managerial training to join its workforce. With the on-going well-established social and economic linkages between Hong Kong and Canada, Canadian students and graduates are in an advantageous position to seek good job opportunities in Hong Kong. Students were also briefed on various avenues, including the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme, which are available to Canadian students who are interested in living, studying and working in Hong Kong.
Speaking at the event, the Director of the HKETO, Ms Maureen Siu, said: "The video conference provides a useful tool to connect students in Canada with potential career prospects in Hong Kong. The insights and information students get from speakers representing various business sectors in Hong Kong would help them make an informed decision on the path they choose to develop their career."
The five panelists from Hong Kong's business and professional services sectors who spoke at the event were Mr K T Lai (Guest Moderator cum speaker), President, Hong Kong Institute of Human Resource Management; Mr KC Kwok, Government Economist, Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Mr Barry Macdonald, Tax Partner, B C Transfer Pricing Leader, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Vancouver BC; Mr Romain Chan, General Manager, Harbour Plaza Hotel, Hong Kong; and Mr Roger Ball, Assistant Professor, Hong Kong Polytechnic University School of Design.
The career video conference was held simultaneously this evening at 8:30 pm (Eastern Standard Time) at the University of Toronto's Bahan Centre for Information in Toronto, and Sofitel Montreal Hotel In Montreal; and at 5:30 pm (Pacific Standard Time) at the Simon Fraser University's Morris J Wosk Centre in Vancouver.
Participating students from major universities in the three provinces included University of Toronto, York University, George Brown College, University of Waterloo, Queen's University, Wilfred Laurier University, University of Western Ontario, McMaster University in Ontario; University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, University of Victoria, British Columbia Institute of Technology, and Langara College in British Columbia; and McGill University, Concordia University, HEC Montreal, University of Montreal and University of Sherbrooke and L'Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal in Quebec province.
A live webcast is available at the Radio Television Hong Kong website (http://www.rthk.org.hk/special/careervideoconference2008/). Interested students may visit the link to watch the event.
Ends/Saturday, March 15, 2008
Issued at HKT 08:41
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