The Hong Kong government will,through the Hong Kong employers,cover 50% of employees’ salaries for six months. The subsidy for each Hong Kong employee will be capped at HKD 9,000.

The Employment Support Scheme (“ESS”) - as this measure was called - is estimated to cover 260,000 Hong Kong employers and over 1.5 million employees.

Tranche 1 will assist employers in paying their employees wages from June 2020 to August 2020.

Tranche 2 will assist employers in paying their employee wages from September 2020 to November 2020.

Self-employed persons who have set up an active MPF ( Mandatory Provident Fund) account on or before 31 March 2020 are also eligible to apply.