Author Archives: hksar gov

     â€‹As the Heat Stress at Work Warning is now in effect, the Labour Department (LD) reminds employers and employees to take appropriate measures during the effective period of the warning to prevent heat stroke when working in hot weather or hot environments.
      
     Employees who work outdoors or in non-air-conditioned indoor environments face high levels of heat stress and are at a relatively higher risk of heat stroke. Employers should assess the risk factors of heat stress for employees at work and, based on the identified risk factors, take necessary preventive and control measures, including rescheduling work periods, setting up shading covers, providing ventilation and heat dissipation equipment, and reminding employees to replenish water and rest in a timely manner.
      
     The Heat Stress at Work Warning is formulated by the LD based on the Hong Kong Heat Index. There are three levels of the warning: Amber, Red and Black, which help employers and employees better understand the level of heat stress while working outdoors or indoors without air-conditioning systems.
      
     A spokesman for the LD said that when the department issues the Heat Stress at Work Warning, employers must refer to the criteria and recommendations provided in the “Guidance Notes on Prevention of Heat Stroke at Work” to conduct risk assessments, according to the workloads and other relevant heat stress risk factors, for employees who work outdoors or in non-air-conditioned indoor workplaces. Appropriate rest breaks should be arranged every hour, as far as reasonably practicable, based on various levels of the Heat Stress at Work Warning, to reduce employees’ risk of heat stroke.
      
     Employees must also follow instructions to rest on time. Whenever there are any symptoms of heat-related illnesses, such as headache, dizziness, thirst, and nausea, they should rest in a cool and shady place, drink water, and inform employers/supervisors to take appropriate action immediately.
      
     The LD issued the “Guidance Notes on Prevention of Heat Stroke at Work”, detailing the various risk factors that should be considered when conducting heat stress risk assessments and recommending corresponding control measures for identified risk factors for employers’ and employees’ reference. For the Heat Stress at Work Warning and related guidelines, please refer to the department’s thematic webpage: www.labour.gov.hk/eng/news/prevention_of_heat_stroke_at_work.htm. read more

     The Government announced today (July 5) the appointment of Mr Herman Hui Chung-shing as the Chairperson of the Social Workers Registration Board and Miss Grace Chan Man-yee as the Deputy Chairperson of the Board, as well as the appo… read more

     The Instrumental Music Training Scheme, organised by the Music Office of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, is now recruiting beginners for its 2024-25 Elementary Year 1 courses. Children and youths aged between 6 and 14 with no instrumental experience with the selected instruments are welcome to apply. The deadline for applications is August 5.
 
     The scheme provides training in almost 30 Chinese and Western musical instruments including erhu, pipa, suona, sheng, zhongruan, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, French horn, trombone, euphonium, violin, viola, cello, double bass and others, with supplementary training in musicianship and theory for children and youths to develop their interest and potential in music.
 
     One-hour group lessons are conducted weekly in Cantonese at the Music Office’s five music centres in Wan Chai, Kwun Tong, Mong Kok, Sha Tin and Tsuen Wan. An annual tuition fee of $2,124 for the first year and $2,596 for the second year are payable in four instalments. A fee remission scheme is available for trainees in need of financial assistance.
 
     Interested persons can visit the Music Office website (www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/mo/training/instrumentalmusictrainingscheme.html) for more details and application submission. Course pamphlets and application forms are also available at all of the Music Office’s music centres. Applicants who meet the age requirement will be invited to attend a music aptitude test and an interview on August 25. They will be notified of the results in October and the training will commence in November.
 
     For enquiries, please call the Music Office’s music centres at 2802 0657 (Wan Chai), 2796 2893 (Kwun Tong), 2399 2200 (Mong Kok), 2158 6462 (Sha Tin) and 2417 6429 (Tsuen Wan). read more

     Demand notes for rates and/or Government rent for the quarter from July to September 2024 have been issued, and payment should be made by July 31, 2024.

     Payment can be made:

(1) by using autopay, PPS, bank automated teller machines (ATMs), the Faster Payment System (FPS) or Internet banking;

(2) by uploading an e-Cheque/e-Cashier’s Order via the Pay e-Cheque portal: www.payecheque.gov.hk;

(3) by sending a crossed cheque to the Treasury, PO Box No. 28000, Sham Shui Po Post Office, Hong Kong (please note that mail with insufficient postage will be rejected); or

(4) in person at any of the post offices or designated convenience stores in Hong Kong (i.e. 7-Eleven, Circle K, VanGo or U select). For the addresses and opening hours of post offices, please call Hongkong Post’s enquiry hotline on 2921 2222 or visit its website: www.hongkongpost.hk.

     If payers have not received the demand notes, they may obtain replacement demand notes or enquire as to the amount payable by (i) visiting the Rating and Valuation Department website: www.rvd.gov.hk; (ii) calling 2152 0111; (iii) fax 2152 0113; or (iv) visiting in person at the Rating and Valuation Department, 15/F, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon.

     Please note that there will be no rates concession for this and the next two quarters. The total amount due is shown on the demand note. Non-receipt or late receipt of demand note does not alter the requirement that the total amount due must be paid on or before July 31, 2024. A surcharge of 5 per cent will be imposed for late payment. A further surcharge of 10 per cent will be levied on the amount (including the 5 per cent surcharge) which remains unpaid six months after the last day for payment.

     For payment by autopay, the rates and/or Government rent will be debited from payers’ bank accounts on July 31, 2024. Payers should ensure that there are sufficient funds in their bank accounts to meet the payments on that date until settlement.

     To support environmental protection, payers are advised to utilise the Rating and Valuation Department’s free eRVD Bill service to receive e-bills and make payments. Payers are also encouraged to settle bills by autopay or other means of e-payment (e.g. PPS, ATMs, Internet banking or e-Cheque/e-Cashier Order) in order to save queuing time. Application forms for autopay are obtainable from the Rating and Valuation Department, District Offices and major banks in Hong Kong or by telephoning 2152 0111. Payers may also download the form from the Rating and Valuation Department website. read more

     The Government today (July 5) gazetted the Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Tax Concessions for Intellectual Property Income) Ordinance 2024. The Amendment Ordinance, which amends the Inland Revenue Ordinance (Cap. 112) to implement the “patent box” tax incentive to provide tax concessions for qualifying profits sourced in Hong Kong and derived from eligible intellectual properties (IP) created through research and development (R&D) activities, comes into operation today.
 
     “We are grateful to the Legislative Council for promptly scrutinising and passing the relevant bill, enabling the successful implementation of a major policy measure to promote the development of IP trading under the 2023 Policy Address and 2023-24 Budget. The ‘patent box’ tax incentive encourages enterprises to forge ahead with more R&D activities and promotes IP trading, thereby consolidating Hong Kong’s competitiveness as a regional IP trading centre,” a spokesman for the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau said.
 
     The Amendment Ordinance mainly covers the following five key areas:
 
(1) eligible IPs covered are patents, copyrighted software and new plant variety rights;
 
(2) eligible IPs can be registered in different places around the world and their related profits sourced in Hong Kong can benefit from the “patent box” tax incentive;
 
(3) the concessionary tax rate is set at 5 per cent, which is substantially lower than the existing normal profits tax rate in Hong Kong (i.e. 16.5 per cent);
 
(4) eligible IPs must be developed by taxpayers themselves. If the R&D process involves acquisition of other IPs, or outsourcing part of the R&D activities, the amount of profits eligible for the concessionary tax rate may be reduced proportionally; and
 
(5) enterprises need to obtain local registration for their inventions or new plant varieties in order to enjoy the “patent box” tax incentive. This requirement will only start to implement two years after the “patent box” tax incentive comes into operation.
 
     As the Amendment Ordinance takes effect, taxpayers can apply for the “patent box” tax incentive starting from the year of assessment 2023/24. The Inland Revenue Department will provide further administrative guidance on its website (www.ird.gov.hk) for taxpayers’ reference.
 
     The Government has spared no effort in protecting IP rights and promoting IP trading to tie in with the national strategy to develop IP, and has been implementing a series of short, medium and long-term measures from various aspects, including enhancing the IP regulatory regime, to promote the development of Hong Kong into a regional IP trading centre. In this regard, in view of the copyright issues arising from the rapid development of artificial intelligence technology, the Government will conduct a consultation soon to explore further enhancement of the relevant protection provided by the Copyright Ordinance, so as to ensure that Hong Kong’s copyright regime remains robust and competitive. read more