Hong Kong’s Labour Department has revoked the employment agency licences of Manco Employment Agency located in Mong Kok and Many Maids Employment Agency located in Chai Wan in Hong Kong.

The licence of Manco Employment Agency was revoked as its licensee was earlier convicted of overcharging commission from a foreign domestic helper. Since the convicted person was also the licensee of Many Maids Employment Agency, the licence of Many Maids Employment Agency was revoked as well. The licensee concerned had appealed to the Administrative Appeals Board against the Department’s decisions to revoke the licences of his two agencies but the appeal was dismissed.

Under section 53(1)(c)(iv) of the Employment Ordinance (EO), the Commissioner for Labour may revoke the licence of an employment agency if the Commissioner is satisfied on reasonable grounds that the licensee or the person intending to be the licensee has contravened any provision of Part XII or any regulation made under section 62 of the Employment Ordinance.

A spokesman for the Labour Department said, “The Employment (Amendment) Ordinance 2018, which came into effect on 9 February 2018, stipulates that the Commissioner for Labour may refuse to issue or renew a licence, or may revoke a licence, if he is satisfied on reasonable grounds that the licensee or the person intending to be the licensee of an EA, or a related person of or an individual employed by the licensee or the person intending to be the licensee, has contravened any provision of Part XII or any regulation made under section 62 of the EO, such as overcharging job seekers of commission or operating an EA without a licence, or has not complied with the Code of Practice issued under section 62A(1) of the EO.”

The Labour Department has revoked the licences of a total of 10 employment agencies since 2020.