​This year, 371 Hong Kong construction and engineering professionals from the public sector, consultants, and contractors have passed the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) engineering "Professional Title" evaluation and obtained corresponding professional qualifications on the Mainland. After the evaluation mechanism became a regular practice, it has expanded to cover 10 disciplines. "Professional Title" is a unique evaluation system for professional qualifications adopted by the Mainland. It serves as an important benchmark for evaluating the skills and qualification levels of professionals and provides a basis for construction enterprises to recruit and promote talent.

     With the concerted efforts of the Guangdong and Hong Kong governments, an evaluation mechanism for Hong Kong professionals was established in 2023. It was first implemented as a pilot scheme in 2024 across five engineering disciplines: civil engineering, geotechnical, highway, electrical, and measurement, control and instrumentation. This year, in addition to continuing the evaluation for these five engineering disciplines, the mechanism has been expanded to include three more engineering disciplines: mechanical engineering, telecommunications engineering and cyber security, as well as two construction disciplines: architecture and engineering costing. This expansion increases the number of professional disciplines covered by the "Professional Title" evaluation mechanism to 10. Since the implementation of the mechanism, a total of 578 Hong Kong professionals have obtained Mainland "Professional Title" qualifications.

     The Permanent Secretary for Development (Works), Mr Ricky Lau, today (November 24) attended the celebration ceremony jointly organised by the Hong Kong Institute of Architects, the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers and the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors. In his speech, he noted that the Development Bureau (DEVB) has been dovetailing with the National 14th Five-Year Plan regarding the strategy of high-quality development of the GBA, and is committed to driving Hong Kong's construction and engineering sectors to seize opportunities to pursue development in the Mainland cities of the GBA, thereby better integrating into the national development. 

     He added that the successful implementation of the engineering "Professional Title" evaluation is a crucial step in achieving the interfaces of regulatory frameworks in the development of the GBA. The relevant measure also aligns with the Recommendations of the Communist Party of China Central Committee for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development recently adopted at the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China to help enhance the international status and competitiveness of the construction industry. In addition, the mechanism creates broader development prospects and favourable conditions for the construction industry of Hong Kong, as well as allowing Hong Kong professionals to gain a better position and a wider vision to contribute to the country's development.

     The DEVB will continue to maintain close collaboration with relevant Mainland authorities and co-ordinate the local construction sector to take forward the relevant work, with a view to extending in an orderly manner the "Professional Title" evaluation mechanism to other eligible construction-related professions, such as planning and landscape architecture.

Ends/Monday, November 24, 2025
Issued at HKT 20:12

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