Changing jobs after 40: eligibility and steps for the Re-employment Allowance Pilot Scheme

HK$20,000, two deadlines. The Labour Department's Re-employment Allowance Pilot Scheme offers up to HK$20,000 in total to Hong Kong residents aged 40 or above who have had no paid work for at least 3 consecutive months. The catch is that participants must report their employment within 1 month of starting work, and submit an application within 2 months of completing the employment period. Miss either step and the allowance may be lost.

A Hong Kong Government press release announced the scheme on 15 July 2024, with registration open the same day. The eligibility rules and steps below follow the Labour Department's scheme page. That page shows a review date of 15 September 2026, and this article was checked against it on 20 October 2026, so the conditions listed are as of October 2026.

Three tests first: age, the gap in work, and the right to work

According to the Labour Department page, applicants must meet all of the following conditions:

• A Hong Kong resident aged 40 or above.
• Before joining the scheme, no paid work of any kind in Hong Kong for at least 3 consecutive months; employment, self-employment and running a business all count.
• Lawfully employable in Hong Kong.

Note the scope of "paid work": working for an employer, being self-employed and running your own business all count.

Who falls outside the scheme

The Labour Department page also lists several groups who are not eligible:

• People with a family relationship with the employer.
• Owners, partners or directors of the employing company.
• "Designated category persons".
• People who came to Hong Kong under talent and capital investment schemes, and their dependants.
• People who came to Hong Kong on employment or study status, and their dependants.

In other words, a job with an employer who is a relative, or at a company where you are a director, cannot be used to claim the allowance. This article could not obtain the full definition of "designated category persons" from the pages consulted; if you are unsure whether you belong to this group, ask the Labour Department first.

How the allowance is paid: one instalment after 6 months, another after 12 more

The allowance is paid in two instalments. The amounts as of October 2026 are:

• After 6 consecutive months of full-time work: up to HK$10,000.
• After a further 12 consecutive months of full-time work: up to another HK$10,000.
• Part-time work: half the allowance.
• The cap is HK$20,000 per eligible person over the life of the scheme.

The press release and the Labour Department page word the amount slightly differently: the former says HK$10,000, the latter says up to HK$10,000. This article follows the Labour Department page. How "full-time" and "part-time" are defined, for example any weekly hours or monthly pay threshold, is not stated on the pages consulted, so confirm with the Labour Department before you start work.

Four steps, two deadlines

1. Register: sign up to the scheme online or with a paper form.
2. Look for work: search through a variety of channels.
3. Report your employment: within 1 month of starting work, report to the Labour Department using the Employment Report Form.
4. Apply for the allowance: within 2 months of completing the 6-month or 12-month employment period, submit the Re-employment Allowance Application Form.

Pay particular attention to steps three and four. The Labour Department page states that cases not reported on time cannot be used to apply for the allowance, and late allowance applications are not accepted. Even if you complete 6 months and then 12 more, late paperwork may mean no allowance.

If you did not register before starting work

The Labour Department page allows late registration in special circumstances, but the request must be made within 1 month of starting the job, and later requests are not accepted. The job must start on or after 15 July 2024, the applicant must likewise have had no paid work for at least 3 consecutive months before starting that job, and must still be in that job when registering.

There is support for employers too

The press release says employers who hire scheme participants can join the on-the-job training allowance under the Employment Programme for the Middle-aged, and the Labour Department will extend the period for which eligible employers can receive that allowance to 6 to 12 months. At interviews, you may wish to pass this information on to the employer.

When the scheme ends is still unanswered

The 2024 press release described the scheme as running for three years, but the Labour Department page gives no end date. Whether the scheme has since been extended or revised could not be verified for this article. Anyone planning to join should rely on the latest information on the Labour Department page.

Whether proof of wages or employment must accompany an application is also not mentioned in the material consulted, so ask the Labour Department directly before submitting. This article provides general information only; for individual cases, the Labour Department's decision prevails.

On the day you start work, note down the 1-month and 2-month deadlines.

Prices and details correct as of October 2026

Compiled by the Focus50 Editorial Team from public sources, for general reference only and not professional advice. Details are correct as of the publication date and may change.