It has been announced that employment is to be a heavy focus of Hong Kong's Special Administrative Region's (SAR) 2009 budget.

According to financial secretary John Tsang, the SAR can survive the current global economic crisis and its budget for next year will therefore focus mainly on employment issues in the region.

The main principles to be adhered to, he observed, are increasing attempts to open up employment opportunities, correlating expenditure with public interests and creating sustainable development through the exploration of new opportunities.

"We should focus on who should receive preferential aid from the government first. We should also pay attention to the impact of increased living expenses on low-income people," stated Tsang.

In related news, the Hong Kong Institute of Resource Management's latest survey shows that more and more of the region's citizens are choosing to remain in their jobs for longer rather than look for work abroad.