The Chief Executive (CE) in Council has adopted the recommendation of the Minimum Wage Commission (MWC) on raising the Statutory Minimum Wage (SMW) rate from its prevailing level of $42.1 per hour to $43.1, an increase of $1.0 or 2.38 per cent.
      
     The Government will publish the Minimum Wage Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule 3) Notice 2026 in the Gazette next Friday (February 20) and table it in the Legislative Council (LegCo) on February 25. Subject to the approval of the LegCo, the revised SMW rate will come into force on May 1 this year.
      
     When conducting the review under the new annual review mechanism of the SMW, the MWC adopted the formula approved by the CE in Council to recommend the new SMW rate (please refer to the Annex).
      
     The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, said that the MWC had thoroughly drawn up the implementation arrangements for adopting the formula, examined the data of each indicator in the formula, and assessed the relevant impacts. The indicators adopted in the formula are objective and easily comprehensible, which enhance the transparency and predictability of the SMW adjustment, minimise controversy and are conducive to fostering harmonious labour relations. An annual review also allows closer alignment of the SMW with socioeconomic changes. He is very pleased with the MWC's smooth completion of the review under the new mechanism, and paid warm tribute to the Chairperson of the MWC, Ms Priscilla Wong, for leading all MWC members in making valuable contributions.
      
     Mr Sun said, "After careful consideration, the Government is of the view that the MWC has ably discharged its statutory function of reviewing the SMW rate. The recommendation of the MWC is in line with the policy objectives of the SMW to maintain an appropriate balance between forestalling excessively low wages and minimising the loss of low-paid jobs, while giving due regard to sustaining Hong Kong's economic growth and competitiveness."
      
     The 2026 Report on Reviewing the Statutory Minimum Wage Rate has been uploaded to the MWC's website (www.mwc.org.hk).
      
     The Government will publish the Employment Ordinance (Amendment of Ninth Schedule) Notice 2026 in the Gazette on February 20 and table it in the LegCo on February 25. The Notice concurrently amends the monthly monetary cap on the requirement for employers to record the total number of hours worked by employees in a wage period. An employer will be exempted from the requirement to record the total number of hours worked by an employee in a wage period if the wages payable to the employee for that wage period are not less than $17,600 (currently $17,200) per month. The revised monthly monetary cap will come into force on the same day as the revised SMW rate takes effect, which is May 1 this year.

Ends/Tuesday, February 10, 2026
Issued at HKT 15:08

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