Hong Kong HR Guide
Onboarding
- Employment Contract
- Tax Enrollment IR56E
- MPF Enrollment
- MPF Registration for Non-HK Expatriates
- Compensation Insurance
- Employment for Age below 18
- Data Privacy
Daily Routine
- Continuous Contract (418)
- 468 New Amendment
- Annual Leave
- Rest Day
- Statutory Holidays
- Payroll
- Sick Leave
- Average Wage (713)
- Statutory Minimum Wage
- MPF Contribution
- eMPF
- Maternity Leave
- Reimbursement of Maternity Leave Pay
- Learning and Traning
Annual Wrap-up
On Termination
Why important?
On June 18, 2025, the Legislative Council passed the Employment (Amendment) Bill 2025, which revised the working hour threshold for a "continuous contract." The "418" work hour threshold has been changed to "468" and will officially take effect on January 18, 2026.
What Is the Difference Between 418 and 468?
Both "418" and "468" are common terms that refer to the working hour requirements for employees under a "continuous contract." The new amendment and the old regulation are different in the following ways:
| 418 Regulation | 468 New Amendment | |
|---|---|---|
| Working Hour Threshold | Employed by the same employer for at least 4 consecutive weeks, working a minimum of 18 hours per week | Employed by the same employer for at least 4 consecutive weeks, with total accumulated hours reaching 68 hours over the 4 weeks |
After the amendment, the working hour requirement is now cumulative, and there is no longer a minimum weekly work hour. Even if an employee works less than 18 hours in a given week, they will still qualify for the 468 condition and be entitled to employment benefits, as long as their total hours over the preceding four weeks meet the 68-hour threshold.
Example 1
Bob works two fixed days a week, totaling 17 hours. Over four weeks, he accumulates 68 hours, which meets the new 468 continuous contract requirements.
Example 2
Mei works 12 hours in week 1, 18 hours in week 2, 19 hours in week 3, and 21 hours in week 4, for a total of 70 hours over the four weeks (more than 68 hours). Starting January 18, 2026, she will qualify for the 468 rule and be entitled to rest days and sick leave, etc, employment benefits
What Are the Entitlement Benefits of Employees Under a "Continuous Contract"?
If an employee's working hours meet the requirements of a "continuous contract," they are entitled to the following statutory benefits:
- Rest Days
- Entitled to at least one rest day every seven days.
- Paid Annual Leave
- After every 12 months of employment under a continuous contract, an employee is entitled to paid annual leave, which increases from 7 days to a maximum of 14 days based on their years of service.
- Sickness Allowance
- Entitled to 2 days of sick leave per month, and after 12 months, this increases to 4 days per month, with a maximum accumulation of 120 days.
- Maternity and Paternity Leave
- A female employee who has been employed under a continuous contract before the start of her maternity leave is entitled to 14 consecutive weeks of maternity leave; A male employee who has been employed under a continuous contract for at least 40 weeks is entitled to 5 days of paternity leave.
- Severance Pay / Long Service Payment (upon termination of employment)
- An employee who has been employed under a continuous contract for at least 24 months is entitled to severance pay. An employee who has been employed for at least five years is entitled to long service payment.
It is important to systematically record the attendance of your staff. HR system helps you check whether staff fulfill the criteria of continuous contract.
