On 18 June 2025, the Hong Kong Legislative Council (LegCo) passed an important amendment to the Employment Ordinance, officially replacing the long-standing “418 Rule” with a new framework now referred to as the “468 Rule.” This change, gazetted on 27 June 2025 and coming into effect from 18 January 2026, is designed to broaden access to employment benefits by lowering the threshold for continuous contracts and adapting eligibility to better reflect modern, flexible working arrangements.
This development represents a significant policy shift in Hong Kong’s labour regulations and is expected to positively impact a wide range of employees, particularly those in part-time, irregular, or shift-based roles. For employers, however, it also introduces new compliance responsibilities that will require careful review of contracts, HR policies, and workforce management systems.