Extension of Retirement and Re-employment Ages and Plans to Review Retirement and Re-employment Ages for Officers under Uniformed Services Schemes

Mr Desmond Choo asked the Minister for Home Affairs in view of the impending extension of the retirement and re-employment ages (a) how many civilian officers in the Ministry will benefit from this extension; and (b) whether there are plans to review the retirement and re-employment ages for officers under the uniformed services schemes.

There are about 3,800 civilian officers in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), and 5,200 officers under the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority scheme of service, whose retirement and re-employment ages follow the national framework.

As for Home Affairs uniformed officers, MHA last increased their retirement age from 50 to 55 in 2013. MHA periodically reviews it to ensure that we are able to meet the manpower requirements of the Home Team, taking into consideration changes in life expectancy and years of healthy living, as well as the ability and desire of our officers to work longer. MHA is in the midst of such a review, which will be completed in the next several months.