Locals 'set for front-of-line place for nursing jobs'

Chief Executive John Lee announced on Tuesday that the government will increase training and manpower planning for nurses to address the growing demand, which is fueled by an aging population. He emphasized that locals are always given priority in recruitment, noting that 99.8 percent of nurses employed by the Hospital Authority have been trained in Hong Kong.

Lee mentioned that the Hospital Authority still has more than 3,000 nursing vacancies and that over a quarter of the 4,000 nursing graduates this year have applied for jobs in the private sector. He rejected concerns that nursing graduates are facing difficulties in finding employment, stating, "Every industry has instances where individuals choose not to apply for a job upon graduation due to personal reasons or where applicants are not recruited due to an organization's own requirements."

However, Lee stressed that society's demand for nurses remains constant, especially as Hong Kong's healthcare system continues to evolve alongside an aging population. Therefore, recruitment figures will ultimately reflect these ongoing needs. He acknowledged that opinions within the community differ on the challenges nursing graduates face in finding jobs, but expressed hope that everyone would consider Hong Kong's overall development and collaborate to enhance training and manpower planning for nursing staff.