Hong Kong workforce to shrink 20k yearly to 2028; skilled labor gap persists

Hong Kong's labor force is projected to decline by about 20,000 annually through 2028, with a persistent shortage of skilled technical workers. The government's revised manpower projection narrows the overall shortfall to 130,000 by 2028, down from an earlier estimate of 180,000, but critical gaps remain in key sectors. This structural labor constraint could weigh on Hong Kong's growth potential and competitiveness, though the narrowing shortfall suggests some mitigation from labor import measures.