The Hong Kong government’s Census and Statistics Department recently released the latest data on construction worker wages. In March, information was submitted by major contractors on workers engaged in public construction projects, and the overall average daily wages for all trades increased by 1.0% to HK$1,367 per month.
Among the 39 types of trades within the scope of the statistics, the highest wage goes to rebar workers, with a daily average wage of HK$2,242.6, while the lowest wage is for truck drivers at HK$956.7.
There were increases recorded in 30 categories of trades and decreases in 9 categories on a monthly basis. The top five gainers were floor layers, with a 5.2% increase to HK$1,524, gas installation technicians with a 4.4% increase to HK$1,061, equipment and systems technicians with a 4.1% increase to HK$1,196, mechanical grinding and assembly workers with a 4.1% increase to HK$1,107, and ground workers with a 3.7% increase to HK$1,465.
On the other hand, the bottom five in terms of wage decreases were false ceiling workers with a 3.8% decrease to HK$1,302, marine construction machinery operators with a 2.7% decrease to HK$1,465, lift and escalator technicians with a 1.6% decrease to HK$1,025, flatwork workers with a 1.3% decrease to HK$1,340, and mechanical equipment operators (heavy-duty) with a 0.9% decrease to HK$1,598.
Public construction projects encompass engineering projects from the Buildings Department, Civil Engineering and Development Department, Drainage Services Department, Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, Environmental Protection Department, Highways Department, Housing Department, and Water Supplies Department.
The average daily wages for some professions may experience significant monthly fluctuations, primarily due to the lower demand for these professions and the limited number of workers hired for public construction projects each month, which may vary significantly from the previous month. Additionally, the skill levels and experience required for workers in different projects can also vary greatly.