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Hong Kong considers raising MPF contributions after 13-year freeze on thresholds

Leopold Chen
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Hong Kong’s pension regulator is considering raising Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) contribution thresholds after a 13-year freeze, citing outdated income levels that no longer reflect living costs. MPF Authority Chairwoman Ayesha Macpherson Lau announced consultations with labor groups, employers, and business chambers since February to adjust minimum and maximum income brackets for contributions. Stakeholders propose increasing the minimum income level to ease burdens on low-wage workers and adjusting maximum thresholds to prevent erosion of retirement protections for higher earners. The regulator will compile feedback into a mid-2026 review report, marking the first potential adjustment since 2013, after prior reviews were stalled by social unrest and the pandemic. Previous thresholds remained unchanged during 2014–2022 review cycles due to economic disruptions, leaving contributions misaligned with inflation and wage growth.
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Hong Kong considers raising MPF contributions after 13-year freeze on thresholds

AdvertisementHong Kong economyHong KongHong Kong EconomyHong Kong considers raising MPF contributions after 13-year freeze on thresholdsPension regulator chairwoman says income limits may be raised to reflect living costs and ensure fair retirement protection2-MIN READ2-MIN ListenLeopold ChenPublished: 2:14pm, 8 Mar 2026Updated: 2:27pm, 8 Mar 2026Hong Kong’s workers and employers may have to pay more into the Mandatory Provident Fund, as the pension regulator considers calls to raise the contribution threshold, which has remained unchanged for 13 years.Ayesha Macpherson Lau, chairwoman of the Mandatory Provident Fund Authority (MPFA), said in her blog on Sunday that the body had consulted various stakeholder groups since February on adjusting the minimum and maximum income levels used to determine contributions.She hinted at a possible increase in the thresholds, noting that the prolonged lack of adjustments had left pension fund contributions out of touch with the cost of living.Advertisement“There is a call to raise the minimum income level to alleviate financial burden on low-income employees, while also considering suitable increased adjustments to the mandatory contributions of employees whose wages exceed the current maximum income level, to ensure MPF’s basic retirement protection function is not eroded,” Macpherson Lau said, citing opinions gathered so far from labour groups, business chambers, employers’ representatives and professional service bodies.She added that the feedback also included suggestions on how much the contributions should be raised.AdvertisementMacpherson Lau said the authority would consolidate all views into a review report to be submitted by the middle of this year.The last two review cycles, covering 2014-18 and 2018-2022, were kept at 2013-2014 levels because of social and pandemic-related factors.AdvertisementSelect VoiceSelect Speed0.8x0.9x1.0x1.1x1.2x1.5x1.75x00:0000:001.00x

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Source: South China Morning Post Business

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