Hong Kong Immigrant Welfare System: Social Security and Relief System
Government civil servants enjoy long-term pensions (or provident funds) and gratuities. Employees of some private companies and public utility organizations enjoy provident funds or pension schemes. Employees are entitled to long-service payments or severance pay, and protection against insolvency and wage arrears. Employees are entitled to compensation for work-related deaths, disability compensation, and occupational disease compensation. Individuals or families with income below the standards set by the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme can receive cash subsidies, including basic assistance and disability supplements. Disaster victims can receive cash and material assistance, including funeral grants, death grants, disability grants, injury grants, and the provision of emergency food supplies.
Hong Kong Immigrant Welfare System: Social Service System
Services for the elderly include elderly centers, elderly day care centers, elderly outdoor recreational bus services, and elderly volunteer programs. Services for persons with disabilities are divided among service agencies according to the different needs of the individuals, including hostels for the severely mentally handicapped, halfway houses for the mentally handicapped, long-term care homes, and disability allowances. Children's services in Hong Kong are uniformly managed by the Social Welfare Department, including child protection services, foster care services, and adoption services. Youth are an important group focused on by Hong Kong's social welfare services, with over 200 youth centers across the territory providing guidance, counseling, and support services.
Hong Kong Immigrant Welfare System: Educational Security System
The Hong Kong government provides free compulsory education from primary to secondary school for every school-age child. Some schools also provide school bus services and free lunch services. The government's fiscal budget prioritizes education. From 1975 to 2004, education expenditure accounted for an average of 17% of the fiscal budget, a proportion that has approached or even exceeded that of developed countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Switzerland. To meet the requirements of the industrial and commercial sectors, the Hong Kong government also focuses on developing industrial and technical education. With the promotion and funding of the government and other entities, 500,000 people in Hong Kong enroll in various adult vocational and technical education courses every year.
Hong Kong Immigration Welfare System: Medical Security
Medical and health services are one of the main items of Hong Kong's social welfare. To meet the needs of social and economic development, the Hong Kong government has gradually improved medical and health services. While increasing medical institutions, it has focused on expanding equipment and improving the level of disease prevention and treatment, making medical and health services universal and modernized. The Department of Health divides the territory into 5 districts and has established 5 regional central hospitals as the main hubs and liaison centers for medical services in each district, supplemented by regional hospitals, general clinics, and specialist clinics to form a comprehensive regional medical service network. Hospitals in Hong Kong include government hospitals, government-subvented hospitals, and private hospitals. As long as Hong Kong residents hold an identity card, they can receive medical services at government and government-subvented hospitals for a nominal fee. Most low-income residents and some middle-income citizens seek treatment at these two types of welfare hospitals. High-income families can also choose to seek treatment in private wards within government hospitals or in private hospitals, where equipment is expensive, services are more comprehensive, and fees are higher, thus meeting the medical and health service needs of the high-income class.
