{"id":28412,"date":"2019-06-13T11:38:19","date_gmt":"2019-06-13T03:38:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zegal.com\/?p=28412"},"modified":"2024-12-27T18:07:02","modified_gmt":"2024-12-27T10:07:02","slug":"the-modern-apprentice-the-ins-and-outs-of-interns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zegal.com\/en-hk\/blog\/post\/the-modern-apprentice-the-ins-and-outs-of-interns\/","title":{"rendered":"The Modern Apprentice: The Ins and Outs of Interns\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Not too long ago, the concept of an internship was virtually unheard of, but in the present the \u201cintern\u201d is a ubiquitous occurrence in the modern-day office. Prior to that, the closest relative for a whole a millennium was the role of the apprentice. Ever since the medieval ages (in the west at least) the idea of taking on students who are willing to learn a trade has persisted, particularly in technical and skilled trades. Back then, apprentices were expected to live with and serve their masters for no wage, remain unmarried, and often had to pay<\/em> their masters to take them on as apprentices\u2014a bit draconian to say the least.   <\/span><\/p>\n

It was not until the 1990s that the trend of utilising unpaid students caught on in the office. For the university student today, undertaking one or more internships is a mandatory rite of passage. Thus, the laws around the employment of interns have also developed in many countries, including Hong Kong. The rules are straightforward and do not differ significantly from hiring any other employee. Here are a few key issues to look out for when hiring an intern: <\/span><\/p>\n

Does An Intern Need To Be Paid?<\/h4>\n

In the eyes of the law, an employer is exempt from paying two categories of student employees: \u201cStudent Interns\u201d and \u201cWork Experience Students\u201d. The statutory exemption from paying the minimum wage applies to both categories of student employees. <\/span><\/p>\n

Student employees are defined as those enrolled in full-time programmes being provided by local education institutions specified by Schedule 1 of the Minimum Wage Ordinance\u2014this basically includes all students in Hong Kong higher education institutions and vocational colleges. The definitional also covers all Hong Kong residents that are enrolled in a degree (or higher) programme anywhere abroad. And now for the specifics of the two: <\/span><\/p>\n

Student Interns<\/b><\/h5>\n