GBA officials sign agreement to improve cross-regional employment

South China's Guangdong province, Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions have vowed to jointly enhance the quality and competitiveness of skilled talent to better serve the construction of the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area in the months to come.

On Tuesday, the three regions came together to sign the Guangdong-Hong Kong Skilled Talent Evaluation Cooperation Framework Agreement. Additionally, they unveiled the operation of a skilled talent evaluation station in Guangzhou's Nansha district. This initiative aims to strengthen cooperation and promote the integration of skilled talents in the GBA.

According to the agreement, Guangdong and Hong Kong will promote cooperation in the training and evaluation of skilled talents in the three regions to accelerate their development.

Meanwhile, the three regions, which are eager to further advance integrated development, will leverage their respective advantages and jointly establish a standardized evaluation system for skilled talents in GBA, said the agreement.

The signing of the agreement indicates a comprehensive upgrade of cooperation among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao in talent training through the mutual recognition of professional certificates.

The agreement allows residents from to obtain three vocational skill level certificates that are recognized by all three regions, making cross regional employment more convenient for talents in the GBA, it said.

Ye Lei, director of the Guangdong Vocational Skills Service Guidance Center, said the signing of the framework agreement would further enrich the construction of high-level talent in the GBA.

"Relevant departments from Guangdong will focus on industrial development and jointly explore the expansion of 'one exam, three certificates' cooperation in the areas, such as tourism and catering, engineering technology and nursing services in the following months," said Ye.

Ho Kai-ming, Under Secretary of the Hong Kong Labor and Welfare Bureau, said whether at the national, GBA, or Hong Kong SAR level, talent is an important driving force for economic development.

The SAR government encourages more professional and technical talent exchange, Ho said.

"The signing of the agreement will help achieve mutual recognition and exchange of qualifications for more professions in the future and further promote talent mobility in the GBA and thus enhance the competitiveness of the entire GBA," said Ho.

Hong Kong's Vocational Training Council (VTC) has established very close relations with the Guangdong Provincial Department of Human Resources and Social Security in the previous decade, he added.

Wong Chi-hong, director of the Macao Labor Affairs Bureau, said Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao would develop their respective advantages to meet the demand for skilled talents in the GBA's industrial development and conduct more advanced exams and expand more work types in different fields, including tourism, catering and personal services in the following years.