Introduction

"Employment Programme for the Middle-aged" aims at providing training allowance to employers, to encourage them to engage middle-aged job seekers who are aged 40 or above and have an unemployment period of not less than 1 month within 1 year prior to the commencement date of employment, and to provide the job seekers with on-the-job training (OJT). This will enable job seekers to adapt to new work environment and to acquire essential job-specific skills with a view to securing stable employment. The Government has earmarked a funding to enhance the Programme. The enhanced Programme features took effect on 29 June 2009.

Job-seekers

Eligibility

All the job seekers aged 40 or above and have an unemployment period of not less than 1 month within 1 year prior to the commencement date of employment are eligible for the Programme.

Registration

No prior registration is required. Job seekers may use the employment services provided by the Labour Department as usual. When employers employ or prepare to employ job seekers aged 40 or above and have an unemployment period of not less than 1 month within 1 year prior to the commencement date of employment to fill full time permanent jobs, the job seekers concerned should register at any Job Centres in person as soon as possible if they have not yet registered.

Employers

Eligibility

Employers who register their vacancies of full time permanent posts with the Labour Department and employ job seekers aged 40 or above, have an unemployment period of not less than 1 month within 1 year prior to the commencement date of employment to fill such posts, may submit preliminary applications for the provision of on-the job training (OJT) as approved under the Programme to the job seekers to adapt to new work environment and to equip them with necessary job specific skills. If the job seekers concerned have not yet registered at the Labour Department (LD), the employers should arrange them to register at any Job Centres in person as soon as possible.

In general, OJT lasts for 3 months. Subsidy period for deserving cases, upon approval, will be extended to a maximum of 6 months in which employers have to provide detailed information for vetting. The Labour Department will vet the information according to the nature of position and business, experience of employee and mentor, mode and content of training, etc., and the authority of final decision on the length of OJT period rests with the LD. Employers may apply for a training allowance of $2,000 per month per employee upon completion of OJT under the Programme.

Registration

Interested employers simply need to register their vacancies with us by completing the "Employment Programme for the Middle-aged" Vacancy Order Form. Employers may indicate in the Order Form their preference in employing participants of the Employment Programme for the Middle-aged. Job seekers obtain the information of the related job order through the Labour Department, then depends on the job application method of the related job order selected by employers, job seekers may apply for the posts through referrals of the Labour Department or directly to the employers.

When employers are going to offer employment and provide OJT to eligible job seekers, they have to submit a duly completed Preliminary Application Form to the Programme Office or designated Job Centres (i) within 3 months after the related job order is posted and, (ii) within first month after the commencement of employment of the job seekers. Employment Programme for the Middle-aged Coordination Office could be reached as follows:
Address: 9/F, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon
Fax No.: 2391 3937