Hong Kong to mandate digital job applications for civil service

Hong Kong will extend digital-only applications to all civil service positions from next month, as part of the government’s efforts to promote digitalisation and improve recruitment efficiency.

Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan announced on social media on Sunday that, as of Tuesday, all job applications had to be submitted electronically, unless stated otherwise.

She also highlighted other measures adopted by the Civil Service Bureau under the same digitalisation drive to improve recruitment efficiency and leverage technology.

This included the launch of an online test on the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution, and national security law in May, enabling candidates to obtain an electronic score certificate the same day.

“These examples show how we make better use of existing resources and manpower, fundamentally improve the efficiency of recruitment work, and provide more convenience for jobseekers,” Yeung said on Facebook.

Since the end of July last year, certain positions, such as assistant clerical officer, clerical assistant and second-level personal secretary, have exclusively accepted online applications, phasing out paper forms, faxes and emails.