To find a solution to the issue of unfilled vacancies in the police force, the Hong Kong government, in May 2023, relaxed the entry requirements for police constables, police inspectors, and police constables (auxiliary). Among the relaxations put into practice, is another pathway to satisfy the language proficiency requirement, for those who did not gain a pass at level 2 of the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE). However, as of the end of December 2023, the overall pass rate since its implementation, is less than 50 percent, while only 27.6 percent passed the English test.
It is long known that the police in Hong Kong earn higher than average salaries and benefits, and the entry requirements are relatively low, so joining the police force has long been an attractive career pathway for a lot of young secondary school graduates who do not perform too well academically at school. However, after the anti-extradition movement in 2019, it has become exceedingly difficult for the Hong Kong government to recruit police officers. It seems a lot of people are getting more reluctant to help enforce the notorious national security law (NSL) on the government’s behalf.
