CEF for HR Leaders: Helping Hong Kong Employees Claim HK$25,000

Why HR Leaders Should Promote CEF

Direct Benefits to Your Company

✅ Reduce training costs by 60-80% - Employees use CEF for courses you'd otherwise fund ✅ Increase training participation - HK$25,000 subsidy motivates enrollment ✅ Zero cost to company - Government pays, not corporate budget ✅ Better-skilled workforce - More employees can afford professional development ✅ Talent retention - Employees value companies supporting their CEF claims

ROI Example

Scenario: 20 employees need AI training

Without CEF awareness:

• Course cost: HK$30,000 per person
• Company pays: 20 × HK$30,000 = HK$600,000
• Employee net cost: HK$0

With CEF strategy:

• Course cost: HK$30,000 per person (CEF-approved)
• Employees claim CEF: 20 × HK$17,000 = HK$340,000 government subsidy
• Company pays difference: 20 × HK$13,000 = HK$260,000
• Company saves: HK$340,000 (57% reduction)

How CEF Works for Employers

Important Clarifications

❌ Employers CANNOT claim CEF directly ✅ Employees claim CEF individually ✅ Companies can sponsor courses, employees claim reimbursement ✅ Reimbursement goes to employee (not company)

Three Employer Strategies

Strategy 1: Employee Self-Funded

• Employee pays course fee: HK$30,000
• Employee claims CEF: HK$17,000
• Employee net cost: HK$13,000
• Company cost: HK$0
• Use when: Employees willing to invest in own development

Strategy 2: Company Sponsors, Employee Keeps CEF

• Company pays course fee: HK$30,000
• Employee claims CEF reimbursement: HK$17,000
• Employee keeps CEF money (bonus)
• Company net cost: HK$30,000
• Use when: High-value retention strategy, attracting talent

Strategy 3: Company Sponsors, Employee Returns CEF

• Company pays course fee: HK$30,000
• Employee claims CEF reimbursement: HK$17,000
• Employee reimburses company: HK$17,000
• Company net cost: HK$13,000
• Use when: Standard corporate training program

Implementation Guide for HR

Phase 1: Educate Yourself (Week 1)

Learn CEF basics: ☐ Review www.wfsfaa.gov.hk/cef ☐ Understand 80%/60% reimbursement tiers ☐ Browse CEF-approved course catalog ☐ Identify courses relevant to your industry

Calculate potential savings: ☐ List planned training for next 12 months ☐ Check which courses are CEF-approved ☐ Calculate potential CEF subsidy (HK$17,000-25,000 per employee) ☐ Project total company savings

Phase 2: Create Internal Resources (Week 2-3)

1. CEF Information Guide for Employees

Create 1-page guide covering:

• What is CEF (HK$25,000 lifetime subsidy)
• Who is eligible (HK residents, age 18-70)
• How to create CEF account
• Reimbursement rates (80%/60%)
• Step-by-step claim process
• Company support available

2. CEF-Approved Courses Relevant to Your Company

Create list of:

• AI & Machine Learning courses (HKU, CUHK, PolyU)
• FinTech courses (for financial services)
• Data Science courses (for analytics roles)
• Digital Marketing (for marketing teams)
• Programming (for tech teams)
• Include: provider, duration, fee, CEF subsidy, net cost

3. Company CEF Policy

Define:

• Will company sponsor CEF course fees upfront?
• Must employees return CEF reimbursement to company?
• Or can employees keep CEF as benefit?
• Process for requesting CEF course sponsorship
• Required documentation
• Approval workflow

Phase 3: Launch CEF Awareness Campaign (Week 4)

1. All-staff announcement email

Subject: Unlock Your HK$25,000 Government Training Subsidy

Dear Team,

Did you know you're eligible for HK$25,000 in government training subsidies?

Hong Kong's Continuing Education Fund (CEF) reimburses:

• 80% of first HK$10,000 in course fees
• 60% of next HK$15,000 in course fees
• Total: Up to HK$25,000 lifetime

This covers professional courses in: ✅ AI & Machine Learning ✅ Data Science & Analytics ✅ FinTech & Digital Finance ✅ Programming & Software Development ✅ Digital Marketing ✅ Business & Management

Company Support: [Describe your company's CEF policy - sponsorship, reimbursement arrangement, approval process]

Next Steps:

1. Read attached CEF guide
2. Create CEF account at www.wfsfaa.gov.hk/cef
3. Browse CEF-approved courses
4. Contact HR to discuss training plans

[Link to internal CEF guide] [Link to relevant CEF courses list]

Questions? Contact [HR contact]

2. Department-level information sessions

• 30-minute lunch & learn
• Explain CEF benefits
• Show relevant courses for each department
• Demo how to create CEF account
• Answer questions

3. One-on-one support

• Offer individual consultations
• Help employees identify suitable courses
• Assist with CEF account creation
• Clarify company sponsorship policy

Phase 4: Ongoing Support (Continuous)

Monthly: ☐ Send CEF reminder in company newsletter ☐ Highlight employees who completed CEF courses ☐ Share new CEF-approved courses

Quarterly: ☐ Review CEF utilization rates by department ☐ Identify departments with low participation ☐ Targeted outreach to increase awareness

Annually: ☐ Calculate total CEF subsidies claimed by employees ☐ Measure company training cost savings ☐ Refine CEF strategy based on results

Sample Company Policies

Policy A: Full Sponsorship, Employee Returns CEF (Cost Reduction)

Policy:

1. Company pays full course fee upfront for approved CEF courses
2. Employee creates CEF account and enrolls
3. Employee completes course and claims CEF reimbursement
4. Employee returns CEF reimbursement to company
5. Net: Company pays only HK$13,000-15,000 vs HK$30,000-42,000

Best for: Cost-conscious companies, standard L&D programs

Employee agreement template:

"I acknowledge that [Company] is sponsoring my enrollment in [Course Name] with the understanding that I will claim the CEF reimbursement and return it to the company upon receipt. I understand that failure to claim or return the CEF reimbursement may result in repayment obligation to the company."

Policy B: Full Sponsorship, Employee Keeps CEF (Retention Benefit)

Policy:

1. Company pays full course fee upfront
2. Employee creates CEF account and enrolls
3. Employee completes course and claims CEF reimbursement
4. Employee keeps CEF reimbursement as bonus
5. Net: Company pays HK$30,000, employee receives HK$17,000 bonus

Best for: Competitive talent markets, executive development, retention strategies

Benefit: Positions company as generous, attracts/retains talent, HK$17,000 effective bonus

Policy C: Partial Sponsorship, Shared Investment

Policy:

1. Company pays 50% of course fee
2. Employee pays 50% of course fee
3. Employee claims CEF reimbursement (keeps it)
4. Net: Company pays HK$15,000, employee effective cost ~HK$-2,000 (profit)

Best for: Encouraging employee ownership, high-performing teams

Example calculation:

• Course fee: HK$30,000
• Company pays: HK$15,000
• Employee pays: HK$15,000
• CEF reimburses employee: HK$17,000
• Employee net: +HK$2,000 (profit from taking course!)

Recommended CEF Courses by Role

Tech Teams

Data Scientists / Analysts:

• HKU Postgraduate Diploma in Data Science (HK$48,000, net HK$23,000)
• CUHK Professional Diploma in AI (HK$36,000, net HK$15,000)

Developers / Engineers:

• VTC Higher Diploma in Software Engineering (HK$41,800, net HK$16,800)
• PolyU Certificate in Cloud Computing (HK$24,000, net HK$9,600)

IT Managers:

• HKU Postgraduate Certificate in Cybersecurity (HK$44,000, net HK$19,000)
• CityU Professional Diploma in IT Project Management (HK$28,000, net HK$11,200)

Finance Teams

Analysts / Associates:

• PolyU Postgraduate Certificate in FinTech (HK$39,000, net HK$15,600)
• CUHK Professional Diploma in FinTech Applications (HK$24,000, net HK$9,600)

Risk / Compliance:

• HKU Certificate in Regulatory Compliance (HK$32,000, net HK$13,200)
• HKIB Certificate in Digital Banking (HK$16,000, net HK$6,400)

Marketing Teams

Digital Marketers:

• HKU Postgraduate Certificate in Digital Marketing (HK$38,000, net HK$14,800)
• HKBU Professional Diploma in Social Media Marketing (HK$22,000, net HK$8,800)

Content / Brand:

• CityU Certificate in Content Marketing Strategy (HK$18,000, net HK$7,200)
• VTC Diploma in Creative Media (HK$28,000, net HK$11,200)

Measuring CEF Program Success

Key Metrics to Track

Participation Metrics:

• % of employees with CEF accounts created
• % of employees who completed CEF courses
• Number of CEF courses claimed per employee
• Average CEF subsidy claimed per employee

Financial Metrics:

• Total CEF subsidies claimed by employees
• Company training cost savings
• Average training cost per employee (before vs after CEF)
• ROI of CEF awareness program

Business Impact Metrics:

• Skills gained through CEF courses
• Certifications earned
• Employee retention rates (CEF vs non-CEF participants)
• Employee satisfaction with L&D opportunities

Sample Tracking Dashboard

Employee	Course	Fee	CEF Claim	Company Net Cost	Skills Gained
Alice Chan	AI Certificate	HK$36,000	HK$21,000	HK$15,000	Machine Learning
Bob Wong	FinTech Diploma	HK$24,000	HK$14,400	HK$9,600	Digital Finance
Carol Lee	Data Science	HK$48,000	HK$25,000	HK$23,000	Analytics
Total		HK$108,000	HK$60,400	HK$47,600
Savings			56% reduction

Common HR Questions

Can we require employees to return CEF reimbursement?

Yes, with proper employment contract clauses. Include agreement that employees will claim and return CEF subsidies for company-sponsored courses.

What if employee leaves before completing the course?

Include training bond provisions:

• Must stay X months after course completion
• Prorated reimbursement if leaving early
• CEF reimbursement becomes repayment obligation

Can we sponsor CEF courses for new hires?

Yes! Excellent onboarding strategy. New hires use CEF for professional development, company saves on training costs.

What if employees don't claim CEF?

Provide support:

• Create CEF accounts for them (with consent)
• Reminder emails after course completion
• HR assistance with claim form submission
• Track claim rates and follow up

Should we make CEF claims mandatory?

Not legally mandatory, but you can:

• Make it condition of company sponsorship
• Include in training agreement
• Incentivize with bonus/recognition for claiming

Next Steps for Your Organization

This Week

☐ Review current training budget and courses ☐ Identify CEF-approved alternatives ☐ Calculate potential savings ☐ Draft company CEF policy

This Month

☐ Create employee CEF information guide ☐ Launch CEF awareness email campaign ☐ Host department information sessions ☐ Set up tracking system

This Quarter

☐ Support employees in creating CEF accounts ☐ Sponsor first batch of CEF courses ☐ Track participation and savings ☐ Measure employee feedback

This Year

☐ Integrate CEF into annual L&D planning ☐ Report CEF savings to leadership ☐ Refine policy based on results ☐ Scale program across organization