Keep your head down advice to Hong Kong contractors

Overseas contractors have been urged to keep a low profile and resist taking part in ongoing protests in Hong Kong.

Earlier this week, Recruiter reported how recruiters are stepping up to help candidates, clients and consultants alike keep calm and carry on amid ongoing pro-democracy protests threatening to bring Hong Kong to a standstill.

Hong Kong, which has been a special administrative region of China since rule of the region was transferred over from the UK in 1997, has been hit by a wave of pro-democracy protests over the last 10 weeks with protestors marching, participating in rallies and targeting the region’s airport and major transport links on Hong Kong’s MTR [mass transit railway] underground network.

But Graham Palfery-Smith, chairman at contractor, tax and compliance management services supplier 6 Cats International, told Recruiter the general advice for employees in Hong Kong – and that includes contractors working through management companies and recruitment agencies – is to keep your head down. 

 “Nobody knows what’s going to happen. Nobody knows what the outcome will be, what the Chinese government will do… It could easily blow over as a lot of Hong Kongers realise they are not going to actually win anything and if they continue to get violent then there will be very serious percussions – there won’t be any messing about.

“But in terms of contractors and employees in Hong Kong, the general advice is to keep a low profile, don’t participate in anything unlawful, so go about your daily business…

“It’s different if you are a Hong Konger. If you are an external contractor then generally it’s wise to keep a low profile with regard to anything political … There is absolutely no sense in getting involved.”

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