The Labour Department has named and shamed three companies—Grosswell Limited, Pei Ho Ming Ho Roasted Meat Restaurant and Tmomo (Tsuen Wan) Limited—for manipulating recruitment procedures to justify bringing in foreign workers. Effective 19 January 2026, the trio are barred from lodging applications under the Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme (ESLS) for two years and any applications already in the pipeline have been voided.(info.gov.hk)
Investigators found that Grosswell demanded extra, unauthorised qualifications from local clerical candidates, while the restaurant withheld available vacancies from job seekers. Tmomo simply rejected a qualified Hong Kong applicant in favour of an imported stock keeper. Such practices violate the ESLS mandate that employers must give “priority employment” to suitably qualified locals and conduct transparent, good-faith recruitment for at least six weeks.(info.gov.hk)
Companies navigating these rules don’t have to go it alone. VisaHQ, through its Hong Kong portal (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/), offers step-by-step guidance on work-visa categories, documentation checklists and filing timelines, helping HR teams stay compliant and avoid the costly missteps that just sidelined the above employers.
![Three Hong Kong employers black-listed for skirting local-hire rules]()
The Labour Department warned that future offenders will face similar sanctions—including withdrawal of previously approved quotas and suspension from the scheme for up to two years. In severe cases, breaches may also trigger prosecutions under the Immigration Ordinance or labour legislation, exposing employers to fines of HK $100,000 and jail terms.
For corporate mobility teams, the message is clear: vet local-hire campaigns carefully, document every interview, and ensure any additional job requirements are pre-cleared with the authorities. Failure to do so can derail staffing plans and jeopardise broader mobility projects.
The crackdown comes as lawmakers and unions intensify scrutiny of foreign-worker admissions amid still-elevated unemployment in construction and food services. Companies relying on imported labour should expect more random audits and community hot-line complaints.
Investigators found that Grosswell demanded extra, unauthorised qualifications from local clerical candidates, while the restaurant withheld available vacancies from job seekers. Tmomo simply rejected a qualified Hong Kong applicant in favour of an imported stock keeper. Such practices violate the ESLS mandate that employers must give “priority employment” to suitably qualified locals and conduct transparent, good-faith recruitment for at least six weeks.(info.gov.hk)
Companies navigating these rules don’t have to go it alone. VisaHQ, through its Hong Kong portal (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/), offers step-by-step guidance on work-visa categories, documentation checklists and filing timelines, helping HR teams stay compliant and avoid the costly missteps that just sidelined the above employers.
The Labour Department warned that future offenders will face similar sanctions—including withdrawal of previously approved quotas and suspension from the scheme for up to two years. In severe cases, breaches may also trigger prosecutions under the Immigration Ordinance or labour legislation, exposing employers to fines of HK $100,000 and jail terms.
For corporate mobility teams, the message is clear: vet local-hire campaigns carefully, document every interview, and ensure any additional job requirements are pre-cleared with the authorities. Failure to do so can derail staffing plans and jeopardise broader mobility projects.
The crackdown comes as lawmakers and unions intensify scrutiny of foreign-worker admissions amid still-elevated unemployment in construction and food services. Companies relying on imported labour should expect more random audits and community hot-line complaints.
