Scheme 2027

In view of the continued industry demand for nurturing and retaining professional talent, the Construction Industry Council (CIC) and the Development Bureau (DEVB) will extend the Construction Industry Professional Degree Graduates On-the-Job Training Subsidy Scheme in 2027 and 2028. The Scheme will provide subsidies to Main Contractors and Consultancy Firms in the construction industry to support them in providing structured on-the-job training to graduates of recognised programmes in engineering, architecture, surveying, planning, landscape architecture, and environmental sectors. In 2027 and 2028, the CIC, together with the Government, will jointly allocate HK$300M each year to subsidise the construction industry in providing on-the-job training for a total of 5,000 subsidy quotas (making a total of 10,000 quotas over two years). The Scheme aims to:

  • Strengthen the industry’s talent pipeline
  • Support graduates in gaining practical experience required for professional qualifications
  • Maintain overall industry competitiveness amid ongoing manpower challenges

The following is the information for the Scheme 2027:

Eligibility

Applicants must fulfil all the criteria listed below:

  1. The Applicants must be Consultancy Firms or Main Contractors engaging in one of the six professional disciplines of the construction industry (i.e. engineering, architecture, surveying, planning, landscape architecture & environmental sectors), and must be included in any one of the lists below:

    Main Contractors

    Main Contractors who have paid a levy to the CIC pursuant to the Construction Industry Council Ordinance (Cap. 587) since 1 April 2025.

    Consultancy Firms

    They are on the lists maintained by construction professional institutes or the Government:

    1. The Engineering and Associated Consultants Selection Board (EACSB)
    2. The Architectural and Associated Consultants Selection Board (AACSB)
    3. The Band 3 Architectural Consultants and the list of Registered Practices maintained by the Hong Kong Institute of Architects (HKIA)
    4. The Band 3 Architectural Consultants maintained by the Association of Architectural Practices Ltd (AAP)
    5. Member companies of the Association of Consultant Quantity Surveyors (ACQS)
    6. Member companies of the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors (HKIS)
    7. Member companies of the Association of Consultant Engineering of Hong Kong (ACEHK)
    8. Member companies of the Association of Registered Engineering Consultants (AREC)
    9. The Hong Kong Institute of Planners (HKIP)
    10. The Hong Kong Institute of Landscape Architects (HKILA)
  2. The Applicants must be registered companies pursuant to the Business Registration Ordinance (Cap. 310, Laws of Hong Kong); and
  3. The employees of a subsidiary company, which does not fulfil the eligibility criterion under item 1 above, but with 30% or more ownership is being held by the Applicant, irrespective of different Business Registration numbers, can be treated as the Applicant’s employees. However, the Applicant is required to justify that these employees are engaged for performing the Applicant’s contracts during the entire subsidy period at the disbursement stage.
  4. The Applicants must employ construction graduates as their full-time employees to engage in construction-related professional work within the subsidy period, and they must fulfil the following criteria before 1 July 2027:
    1. Valid Hong Kong identity card holders under the age of 35; and
    2. Under the full-time employment of the Applicant; and
    3. Graduates of relevant degree programmes in any of the six professional disciplines of the construction industry (recognised by local statutory professional institutes of the construction industry) and meet the professional academic requirements to become relevant professionals, but are yet to obtain the professional qualifications*; or
    4. Associate members who are graduates of higher diploma programmes accredited by local statutory professional institutes of the construction industry, and are:
      1. Full-time employed by main contractors; and
      2. Performing similar professional duties at their work, e.g. Project Coordinators or Site Agents working on construction sites.
    * Note:
    For the academic qualifications recognised by HKIE, HKIA, HKIS, and HKIQEP, please refer to the links below:
    HKIE / HKIA / HKIS / HKIQEP
    For the courses not on the list, please enquire with the corresponding professional institutes for eligibility checking.

(The above eligibility criteria are subject to change, and the latest information published at the commencement of the application period shall prevail. Please stay tuned for further announcements on this webpage when the application opens.)

Subsidy Level

Approved companies will receive a monthly subsidy of HK$5,000 for each of their eligible graduate quotas for a maximum period of 12 months.

Subsidy Period

The subsidy period runs from 1 July 2027 to 30 June 2028 (a total of 12 months). Approved companies must employ eligible graduates throughout the entire subsidy period, and the number of such graduates shall not be less than the approved quota.

Application Period and Application Arrangements

The Scheme is expected to open for application in around the second quarter of 2027. Further details will be announced in due course.

Liability of the Applicants

  1. Apart from providing all the employment protections as stipulated under labour legislation, the Applicants shall also provide on-the-job training to the subsidised graduates to enrich their professional knowledge and experience, and assist more young people in obtaining professional qualifications;
  2. The Applicants shall submit sufficient, true and accurate supporting documents as approved by the CIC for the purpose of application approval and disbursements;
  3. The Applicants shall sign a declaration to confirm that they will follow all the requirements under the Scheme. In case any false declaration is found or the approved applicants fail to fulfil all the requirements under the Scheme, the CIC shall be entitled to demand the return of the disbursements in part or in full or take other actions; and
  4. The Applicants shall agree that the CIC may spot-check the applications, including checking the related documents on-site, and transferring the application information and documents to relevant Government departments on request for reviewing and assuring that the approved applicants have followed all the requirements under the Scheme. The CIC shall ensure that the use and disclosure of related information is only for purposes related to the Scheme.