Minimum Wage in Hong Kong 2026: HK$43.1 an Hour, Rules & Coverage
Kenji Farre, Director · Oct 7, 2026 · 5 min read
Hong Kong's statutory minimum wage is HK$43.1 an hour from 1 May 2026, up from HK$42.1. It applies to almost every employee, full-time or part-time, local or foreign, including casual staff not on a continuous contract. The main exclusions are live-in domestic workers (including foreign domestic helpers) and certain student interns and work experience students. Compliance is checked per wage period: your wages for the hours you actually worked must average at least HK$43.1 an hour. The rate is now reviewed every year using a formula based on inflation and economic growth.
This guide covers the current rate, monthly equivalents, who is and isn't covered, how to check your own pay, what counts as hours worked, and what to do if you're underpaid. For the bigger picture on pay, see our guide to the average salary in Hong Kong.
What Is the Minimum Wage in Hong Kong in 2026?
HK$43.1 per hour, effective from 1 May 2026. The Labour Department confirmed the rise from the previous level of HK$42.1, which applied from 1 May 2025.
If 1 May 2026 fell in the middle of your wage period, the new rate only applies to hours worked from that date onwards.
To put the minimum in context: the median hourly wage in Hong Kong was HK$85.7 and the median monthly wage HK$21,200 in May to June 2025, according to the Census and Statistics Department's 2025 Annual Earnings and Hours Survey. The minimum wage is about half the median hourly rate.
If you're looking for work that pays well above the minimum, browse English-speaking jobs in Hong Kong on ExpatJobBoard.com. We list thousands of jobs that don't require Cantonese or Mandarin.
What Is the Minimum Wage Per Month in Hong Kong?
There's no fixed monthly minimum. The law sets an hourly floor, so the monthly figure depends on the hours you work. Here's what HK$43.1 an hour works out to (our calculations):
| Working pattern | Hours a month | Minimum monthly pay |
|---|---|---|
| 8 hours a day, 5 days a week (22 days) | 176 | HK$7,585.60 |
| 8 hours a day, 6 days a week (26 days) | 208 | HK$8,964.80 |
| 9 hours a day, 6 days a week (26 days) | 234 | HK$10,085.40 |
| 20 hours a week, part-time (about 87 hours) | 87 | HK$3,749.70 |
The 234-hour line matches the Labour Department's own worked example in its Concise Guide to the Statutory Minimum Wage (2026).
Who Is Covered by the Minimum Wage?
The minimum wage covers almost every employee under the Employment Ordinance, whatever the pay basis (monthly, daily, hourly or piece rate) and whatever the contract (permanent, fixed-term, casual, full-time or part-time). Unlike many statutory benefits, you don't need to be on a continuous contract.
| Group | Covered by minimum wage? |
|---|---|
| Full-time and part-time employees | Yes |
| Casual and temporary staff | Yes |
| Foreign professionals on work visas | Yes |
| Employees with disabilities | Yes (they can opt for a productivity assessment) |
| Live-in domestic workers, including foreign domestic helpers | No |
| Student interns on qualifying programmes | No, during exempt student employment |
| Work experience students in qualifying summer jobs | No, during exempt student employment |
| Self-employed people and freelancers | No (they are not employees) |
Source: Labour Department Concise Guide to the Statutory Minimum Wage.
Foreign domestic helpers are paid under a separate Minimum Allowable Wage set by the government, which is outside the statutory minimum wage.
Internships are a grey area for many students. If yours isn't part of a qualifying programme, you're covered like any other employee. Our internships in Hong Kong guide explains the difference.
How Do You Check If You're Paid the Minimum Wage?
Compliance is checked for each wage period:
Wages payable for the period ÷ total hours worked in the period ≥ HK$43.1
Two details trip people up:
- Pay for time not worked doesn't count towards the minimum. Rest day pay, holiday pay, annual leave pay and sickness allowance are excluded from "wages payable" for the test.
- If you fall short, you're owed the difference. The employer must pay "additional remuneration" to top you up to the minimum.
Worked example
This one comes from the Labour Department's Concise Guide. An employee earns HK$11,000 a month, works 9 hours a day Monday to Saturday with a 1-hour meal break, and has Sundays off. That's 234 hours worked in a 30-day month, so the minimum wage is 234 × HK$43.1 = HK$10,085.40.
| How the HK$11,000 is structured | Wages that count | Top-up owed | Total pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal breaks and rest days unpaid | HK$11,000 | None | HK$11,000 |
| Meal breaks paid (HK$1,100), rest days unpaid | HK$9,900 | HK$185.40 | HK$11,185.40 |
| Meal breaks unpaid, rest days paid (HK$1,466.70) | HK$9,533.30 | HK$552.10 | HK$11,552.10 |
| Both paid | HK$8,580 | HK$1,505.40 | HK$12,505.40 |
The point: how your contract describes pay for rest days and meal breaks affects whether your pay clears the minimum.
What Counts as Hours Worked?
Under the minimum wage rules, hours worked include any time you are at your place of work, or any other place, because your contract or your employer requires it, whether or not you're actually given work to do.
| Situation | Counts as hours worked? |
|---|---|
| Normal working hours | Yes |
| Overtime your employer directs you to do | Yes |
| Waiting at work with nothing to do, as instructed | Yes |
| Travel for work during the day (for example between sites) | Yes |
| Commuting between home and your usual workplace | No |
| Meal breaks | Only if you're required to stay at work on duty |
Source: Labour Department Concise Guide to the Statutory Minimum Wage.
Do Employers Have to Record Your Hours?
Yes, for lower-paid staff. Employers must keep records of total hours worked in each wage period for employees covered by the minimum wage whose wages for the period are below HK$17,600 a month, up from HK$17,200 from 1 May 2026, according to the Labour Department's 2026 minimum wage flyer.
Even if you earn above that, your employer still has to pay at least the minimum wage for every hour worked. The record-keeping cap only affects paperwork.
If you work long hours on a modest salary, it is worth keeping your own record of start and finish times. It's the easiest evidence if you ever need to claim a top-up.
How Is the Minimum Wage Reviewed?
Hong Kong now reviews the minimum wage every year using a formula, instead of the old two-yearly review.
The Concise Guide describes the adjustment as the sum of two parts, each with a floor of zero:
- an economic growth factor: the latest year's real GDP growth minus the trend growth rate of the past decade, capped at 1 percentage point, and
- headline inflation, measured by the year-on-year change in the Consumer Price Index (A).
So the rate can't fall, and in a normal year it rises roughly in line with inflation. The next adjusted rate would normally take effect on 1 May 2027.
| Effective date | Hourly minimum wage |
|---|---|
| 1 May 2025 | HK$42.1 |
| 1 May 2026 | HK$43.1 |
Sources: Labour Department, Statutory Minimum Wage and 2026 flyer.
What Happens If Your Employer Pays Below the Minimum Wage?
Underpaying the minimum wage is a breach of the wage provisions of the Employment Ordinance. An employer who wilfully and without reasonable excuse fails to pay wages when due can be fined up to HK$350,000 and jailed for three years. Company directors and managers can be personally liable if the offence happened with their consent or through their neglect.
If you think you're underpaid:
- Work out the numbers using your payslips and a record of your hours.
- Raise it with your employer in writing, asking for the top-up.
- Call the Labour Department on 2717 1771 or 1823 for advice.
- Go to the Labour Relations Division for free conciliation, and the Labour Tribunal if that fails.
You can't sign away the minimum wage. Any contract term that pays less is void.
Minimum Wage for Part-Time Workers
Part-timers get exactly the same hourly minimum, and they don't need to meet the continuous contract test (17 hours a week, or 68 hours over four weeks, since 18 January 2026) to be covered. That test matters for other benefits such as paid annual leave and sickness allowance, not for the minimum wage.
Our part-time jobs in Hong Kong guide covers typical part-time pay, which for English-speaking roles such as tutoring is usually well above the minimum.
Does the Minimum Wage Matter for Expats?
For most professionals on a work visa, no: a GEP visa requires a salary broadly in line with the market for the role, which is far above the minimum. It matters if you are:
- a student working part-time or on a working holiday,
- a dependant visa holder taking a casual or retail job,
- doing hospitality, events or promotional work paid by the hour.
For those roles, check your payslip against the hours you work. Our working holiday visa guide and dependant visa guide explain who can work.
FAQs: Minimum Wage in Hong Kong
What is the minimum wage in Hong Kong in 2026?
HK$43.1 an hour from 1 May 2026, up from HK$42.1 an hour.
What is the minimum wage in Hong Kong per month?
There's no fixed monthly figure. At HK$43.1 an hour, 176 hours a month comes to HK$7,585.60, 208 hours to HK$8,964.80 and 234 hours to HK$10,085.40.
Do foreign domestic helpers get the minimum wage?
No. Live-in domestic workers are excluded from the statutory minimum wage. Foreign domestic helpers are covered by a separate Minimum Allowable Wage set by the government.
Does the minimum wage apply to part-time workers?
Yes. It covers all employees regardless of hours, and part-timers don't need to be on a continuous contract to be protected.
Are interns paid minimum wage in Hong Kong?
Usually yes. Only student interns on qualifying programmes and work experience students in qualifying summer jobs are exempt, and only during that exempt employment.
Does overtime count for the minimum wage?
Yes. Overtime your employer directs you to work counts as hours worked, so your total pay for the period must cover those hours at HK$43.1 or more.
Do meal breaks count as working time?
Only if you're required to stay at work and on duty. A meal break where you're free to leave doesn't count as hours worked.
How often does the minimum wage change in Hong Kong?
Every year since the move to an annual review. Adjustments follow a formula based on inflation and an economic growth factor, and normally take effect on 1 May.
What is the penalty for not paying minimum wage?
An employer who wilfully fails to pay wages when due can be fined up to HK$350,000 and jailed for three years. You're also entitled to the shortfall.
Is the minimum wage the same for foreigners and locals?
Yes. The minimum wage applies to all employees covered by the Employment Ordinance, regardless of nationality or visa type.
Key Takeaways
- The statutory minimum wage is HK$43.1 an hour from 1 May 2026, up from HK$42.1.
- There's no monthly minimum: 208 hours a month at the minimum is HK$8,964.80.
- It covers full-time, part-time and casual employees, but not live-in domestic workers or exempt student interns.
- Compliance is checked per wage period, excluding pay for rest days, holidays and leave.
- Employers must record hours for staff earning under HK$17,600 a month.
- The rate is reviewed every year using an inflation and growth formula.
- Wilful non-payment can bring a HK$350,000 fine and three years in prison.
Find a Better-Paid Job in Hong Kong
The minimum wage is the floor, not the goal. Browse English-speaking jobs in Hong Kong on ExpatJobBoard.com and find roles that pay what your skills are worth.
