Hong Kong Construction Salary Report January 2022
Posted by Richard Poulter, Construction Recruitment Director, Hong Kong on Sunday, January 23, 2022
The Hong Kong construction industry continues to ebb and flow and currently is buoyant and set to be very busy both over the coming months and we anticipate for at least the next 5 years.
Here, we take a look at current salaries available for critical disciplines within the construction industry and share key drivers, terms and conditions in the local market as well as what it takes to secure that next great job.
Note that the salaries will vary according to whether the role is with a construction contractor or a construction or engineering consultant or client organization. A job with a construction contractor will typically pay more to reflect the additional hours and work pressures that are involved.
Typical Total Salary Package Earned by Quantity Surveyors in Hong Kong:
| Job | Typical Salary |
| Assistant Quantity Surveyor in Hong Kong | HK$23,000 – HK$28,000 p/m |
| Quantity Surveyor in Hong Kong | HK$28,000-33,000 p/m |
| Project Quantity Surveyor in Hong Kong | HK$33,000 – HK$43,000 p/m |
| Senior Quantity Surveyor in Hong Kong | HK$43,000 – 65,000 p/m |
| Managing Quantity Surveyor in Hong Kong | HK$65,000+ |
| Assistant Commercial Manager in Hong Kong | HK$65,000 – HK$100,000 p/m |
| Commercial Manager in Hong Kong | HK$100,000 – HK$150,000 p/m |
Typical Total Salary Package Earned by Planners in Hong Kong:
| Job | Typical Salary |
| Planning Engineer in Hong Kong | HK$40-55k |
| Senior Planning Engineer in Hong Kong | HK$55-75k |
| Planning Manager in Hong Kong | HK$75-130k |
| Senior Planning Manager in Hong Kong | HK$130-160k |
Typical Total Salary Package in Construction / Site Management
| Job | Typical Salary |
| Project Engineer in Hong Kong | HK$25K-35K p/m |
| Senior Project Engineer in Hong Kong | HK$35K-55K p/m |
| Site Agent in Hong Kong | HK$45K-70K p/m |
| Construction Manager in Hong Kong | HK$60K-85K p/m |
Typical Total Salary Package in Project Management
| Job | Typical Salary |
| Assistant Project Manager in Hong Kong | HK$30K-40K p/m |
| Project Manager in Hong Kong | HK$40K-75K p/m |
| Senior Project Manager in Hong Kong | HK$75K-120K p/m |
| Project Director in Hong Kong | HK$120K-200K p/m |
What are the main factors affecting construction salaries in Hong Kong?
- Qualifications: Qualifications are extremely important in Hong Kong. Having a relevant degree from a good university is pretty much a must. Degrees from western universities are a big plus as they are one proof of strong English skills. Having a chartership, fellowship, or membership guarantees a higher starting salary, especially for quantity surveying roles.
- Relevant experience: It’s very unlikely Hong Kong based companies will hire expats with little to no post-graduate work experience. At least 5-6 years of relevant experience is a minimum requirement. For locals, some overseas experience is considered an advantage as well as knowledge of NEC contracts for example as a lot of Hong Kong companies are looking to adopt global best practice
- Supply & Demand: When the market is hot, salaries tend to skyrocket. In the current climate where an increasing number of local talent is leaving Hong Kong, employers are finding they need to offer higher salaries than in the recent past.
- Bonuses: Some employers offer a 13th month bonus to their employees. It’s a guaranteed bonus of 1 month’s extra salary typically paid during the Chinese New Year celebrations. Aside from that, some companies offer performance related discretionary bonuses which are typically 1-3 months’ salary.
- Tax rate: Income tax levels in Hong Kong are attractive compared with the UK, Australia, the USA and many other countries. Personal tax is rated on a sliding scale and averages at around 14-15%. See Tax Rates of Salaries Tax & Personal Assessment for further details.
Typical working week:
| Job | Typical Working Week |
| Quantity Surveyor | 5.5 – 6 days (contractor), 5 days (consultancy, client) |
| Project Engineer | 5-6 days |
| Planner | 5 - 5.5 days |
| Project Manager | 5 days |
What a good CV should look like and what should it include:
- About 2-3 pages long
- An eye- catching succinct career summary on the front page which includes:
- Key qualification summary
- Number of years in the industry
- Main areas of expertise
- Career Aspirations
- Career history in reversed chronological order, including a clear and concise explanations of your duties and responsibilities, type of project you were involved in with a project value.
- Stable periods of employment with well-respected companies
- Demonstrable career development
- Experience in projects from concept design through to completion, close out and handover.
Secure that next great job
Please check out our website for the latest jobs as a Quantity Surveyor, Project Engineer, Planning Engineer or Project Manager on www.maximrecruitment.com
Here’s a taster of some of our most exciting roles as of the end of January 2022:
Commerical Director | Hong Kong and Macau
Assistant Quantity Surveyor | Hong Kong
Project Quantity Surveyor | Hong Kong Island
Electrical Site Manager | Hong Kong Airport
Senior Planning Engineer | West Hong Kong
Project Manager | Hong Kong Island
Senior Capital Project Manager | Hong Kong
Richard has successfully recruited for the construction industry for the past 13 years following 15 years as a civil engineer and construction project manager. He is based in Hong Kong and responsible for Maxim Recruitment operations in Hong Kong, Asia, Australia and the Middle East.