Hong Kong judges and judicial officers set for 2% pay rise following last year’s freeze

Judges and judicial officers in Hong Kong are set to receive a modest 2% pay increase for the current financial year, following a one-year pay freeze imposed due to the city's growing deficit. This salary adjustment is based on an annual review of judges' and judicial officers' compensation, which includes factors such as workload, private sector pay trends, and the economic climate in Hong Kong.

The Standing Committee on Judicial Salaries and Conditions of Service, responsible for the review, did not identify any significant changes in the judges' and judicial officers' responsibilities or working conditions. However, the committee did note that the judiciary is facing an increased number of complex cases, particularly those tied to the 2019 protests, national security legislation, and the heavy criminal caseload.

The courts are currently grappling with a continuous flow of judicial review applications related to non-refoulement claims from asylum seekers. Despite this, the judiciary anticipates that the impact of the caseload surge will lessen in the coming years. The current annual review mechanism for judges' and judicial officers' salaries has been in place since 2008, with five years without adjustments during the global financial crisis, Covid-19 pandemic, and last year's budget deficit.

Notably, this year's 2% increase is the smallest since the salary review mechanism began. Historically, increases have ranged from 2.5% in 2022 to nearly 7% in 2014. In April, the government reported a surplus of HK$11.2 billion for the financial year that ended in March, significantly exceeding the initial forecast of HK$2.9 billion.