Government Addresses Nursing Workforce Mismatch as HA Hires 99% of Applicants
HK01 · 4 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
The Health Bureau issued a statement addressing recent public discussion about nursing workforce planning in Hong Kong, confirming that public hospitals continue to experience genuine demand for nurses while maintaining their commitment to prioritizing locally trained personnel. The Hospital Authority reported approximately 3,200 remaining nursing vacancies despite successfully hiring 99 percent of applicants who completed the recruitment assessment process.
Key Points
- Hospital Authority nurse headcount increased 23 percent over the past decade, from approximately 23,500 in March 2016 to about 29,000 by March 2026
- Attrition rate has improved significantly, declining from a peak of 10.9 percent to 5.4 percent currently, yet roughly 3,200 positions remain vacant
- Approximately 4,000 potential nursing graduates emerged in 2025, with about 3,500 becoming registered or enrolled nurses; roughly 2,500 applied to HA positions, representing 60 percent of graduates
- Non-locally trained registered nurses comprise less than 0.5 percent of the total workforce, with approximately 50 currently employed at the Hospital Authority, accounting for under 0.2 percent
- The HA received about 3,000 applications during this year's recruitment drive, issuing approximately 2,200 offer letters during the first phase
Why It Matters
The apparent contradiction between graduates reporting difficulty finding positions and hospitals maintaining vacancies suggests a structural mismatch rather than an oversupply, raising questions about whether Hong Kong's nursing education expansion aligns with actual workforce planning needs as healthcare infrastructure continues expanding with new hospital projects .