Just 0.5% of nurses trained outside Hong Kong, authorities say amid hiring row

Less than 0.5 per cent of registered Hong Kong nurses received their training outside the city, while 99.8 per cent of those working in public hospitals are locally trained, health authorities have said amid a growing row with a trade union over employment concerns.

The latest figures were released on Tuesday after the city’s health minister repeatedly rejected claims that authorities had favoured mainland Chinese nurses over local candidates. On Saturday, the Association of Hong Kong Nursing Staff issued five demands, including a call to prioritise the hiring of local graduates.

A government spokesman said the number of non-locally trained registered nurses admitted to Hong Kong through limited and special registration pathways was “very small” as of the end of 2025, accounting for “less than 0.5 per cent” of all registered nurses.

“About 99.8 per cent of registered nurses serving in the Hospital Authority are locally trained, reflecting that locally trained nurses remain the backbone of the public healthcare system,” he said.