HK increases minimum wage to HK$42.1 per hour, effective May 1

The Chief Executive (CE) John Lee in Council has adopted the recommendation of the Minimum Wage Commission on raising the Statutory Minimum Wage (SMW) rate from its prevailing level of HK$40 per hour to HK$42.1, an increase of HK$2.1 or 5.25%.

The HKSAR Government will publish the Minimum Wage Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule 3) Notice 2025 in the Gazette this Friday (Feb. 21) and table it in the Legislative Council (LegCo) on Feb. 26. Subject to the approval of the LegCo, the revised SMW rate will come into force on May 1 this year.

As announced in the CE's 2024 Policy Address, the Government will implement a new annual review mechanism of the SMW. The first SMW rate derived under the new mechanism is expected to take effect on May 1, 2026.

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