VI. Young persons
In Hong Kong, young persons are those above the age of 15 but under the age of 18.
In general, young persons can be employed without much restriction, subject to two pieces of legislation governing their employment. The first is the Employment of Young Persons (Industry) Regulations ( Cap. 57C ), which pertains to young persons employed in factories or industrial settings. The second piece of legislation is the Employment of Young Persons and Children At Sea Ordinance ( Cap. 58 ), which pertains to young persons employed on ships and other marine vessels.
A. Young persons employed in factory/industrial settings
Work hour limitations
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Maximum period of employment (inclusive of the time allowed for meals and rest) in a day |
10 hours (between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. only), including time for meal or rest |
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Maximum working hours (exclusive of any intervals allowed for rest and meals) a day |
8 hours |
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Maximum working hours a week |
48 hours |
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Maximum number of working days in any week |
6 days |
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Maximum period of continuous work |
5 hours followed by an interval of not less than half an hour for meals or rest |
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Maximum hours worked in 2 consecutive weeks |
Cannot exceed 96 hours in 2 consecutive weeks- maximum period of employment remains 10 hours/day |
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Overtime employment |
Not allowed |
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Working during intervals for meals and rest |
Not allowed |
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Rest days |
At least one per week |
Extra conditions are imposed to protect young persons employed industrially. For example, no young person shall be employed to work underground in any mine or quarry or tunnelling operations.
Second, no young person shall be allowed to carry any unreasonably heavy load. Young persons under the age of 16 shall not carry loads of more than 18 kg in weight.
Third, young persons “whose work is done standing,” shall be given opportunities and facilities to rest.
Fourth, no young person shall be employed in dangerous trades. Below is a list of dangerous trades as defined by the law ( Schedule 1 , Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance ( Cap. 59 )):
- Boiler chipping;
- The manufacture of glass from basic raw materials;
- Manufacturing processes involving the use of arsenic, lead, manganese, mercury, phosphorus, or any compound of any of them;
- Vermillion manufacture;
- Chromium plating;
- The machining or grinding of celluloid or magnesium, or of any article wholly or partly made of celluloid or magnesium in any manufacturing process;
- The manufacture of hydrochloric, nitric or sulphuric acids.
B. Youth working at sea
This category of youth is defined as young persons and children who are employed at sea, on a vessel or ship.
Legal rights and protection
There are two subcategories of youths employed under the Employment of Young Persons and Children At Sea Ordinance ( Cap. 58 ), and each subcategory has specific legal rights and exceptions to some limitations imposed under this ordinance.
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Children under age 15 |
Young Persons under age 16 |
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Legal rights/limits |
Not permitted to work |
Ship master shall keep a register for the Director of Marine of all persons employed onboard |
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Exceptions 1 |
Unless the child or children are family members employed on same vessel |
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Exceptions 2 |
“A pupil on any school ship or training ship”- subject to approval from the Permanent Secretary of Education |
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It is an offence if these rules are broken |
An offence, liable to a $10,000 fine |
An offence, liable to a $2,000 fine |