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Basic Law and National Security Test:
 (From 2023/24)
  - Application and Details
  - Applies to New Ts and Changing Schools
      - Replaces Basic Law Test (From 2022/23)
  - Study/Revision:
      - Basic Law English Translation: 1, 2
      - Hints and Tips: 1
          - Info and FAQ (Civil Service Version)
      - National Security Law Overview
      - Revision Apps: 1, 2, 3,
      - Sample Questions (Civil Service Version)
Extension Beyond 60:
  - see NET Scheme Info - Contract Related
  - Extension of Service (2024).pdf
       (2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019)
Language Proficiency Requirement (LPR):
  - Certificate of Merit
  - Details:
      - EDB Website
      - Annual Circular (2024)   (2023)
      - Original Proposal see Ed'n Comm'n Report No. 6
  - LPR/LPAT Exemption:
      - Details
      - Local Qualifications for Exemption (Para iii)
      - NET Scheme:
         - From 2024: Circular 74/2024 Paras 2
         - Previously:
             - Circular 116/2023 Paras 2,6
             - Circular 106/2009 Paras 2,7 (SCOLAR Policy)
  - LPAT Test (Language Proficiency Assesm't for Ts):
      - Withdrawn from 2024/25: 1, 2
      - Replaced by IELTS 7.5+
          - EPC Post Requires IELTS 8+ or LPAT Level 4
        - Previous Info:
           - Admin Arrangements (2024)
           - Classroom Language Assessment
           - Details
           - Deployment Requirements (EDBCM14099E).pdf
                 (Non-NET Scheme NETs must do it is section 6)
           - Experiences of Taking Test
           - Marking and prep
           - NET Scheme Exemption: see above
           - Results: 2024, 2023, 2022
Principals:
  - Certification for Principalship (EDB 1/2024)
      - Renewing Certification (EDB 3/2024)
      - Restarting Certification (EDB 2/2024)
  - Induction Programme
      - CPD to Support School Devt
  - PD Programme Courses
  - Salary Band Realignment (2022)
Qualifications Assessment:
  - see NET Scheme Information
Retirement:
  - Aided, Special and Caput Schools:
      - Age is:
          - Latest EDB Policy Document (Dec 2018)
      - Policy Review (2016-2019)
          - EDB to Adopt 65 Retirement Age (2016)
              - Not Yet Implemented (Feb 2018): 1, 2
              - New Ts only (Jun 2018)
              - Consultation Announced (Jun 2018)
                 - Consultation Paper
                 - Details
              - New Ts Only Confirmed (Jan 2019)
                (But not implemented until legislation updated)
  - Civil Service Guidelines (Govt School Ts)
      - LegCo Authorisation Not Needed
      - Retirement at 65 to be Choice After 2000
          - Legal Background to Policy Change
          - Starting Sep 2018
          - One-time only choice

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* Note: 5 Aided/Govt primary schools have <6 classes and are not eligible to employ a PNET.

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Note: The respective number of SPSM/PSM/AM and APSM/CM rank positions available is determined by
         the school's grade structure plan but is restricted by an EDB mandate that only 65% of positions
         excluding Principal and Deputy Principal can be graduate positions (APSM/PSM). This does not
         not stop graduates being employed in the non-graduate AM/CM ranks.

Sources: Code of Aid Appendix 2 and Appendix 3; Graduate Teacher Posts in Aided Primary Schools;
              Civil Service Recruitment Ranks in Education Bureau

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NETs are not civil servants but are paid, as for all aided and government school teachers, according to the Civil Service Master Pay Scale, which is subject to annual review via the Civil Service Pay Adjustment Mechanism as follows. Year-on-year data including this year's figures are available below.

Jan-May
The Pay Survey and Research Unit conducts a Pay Trend Survey over the 12 month period 2 Apr-1 Apr using a methodology that collects data for "basic salaries and additional payments relating to cost of living, general prosperity and company performance, general changes in market rates, in scale increment and merit during the survey period" across 113 companies (134,376 employees). It uses Survey data to compile provisional 'Gross Pay Trend Indicators'.

May
In mid-May, the provisional Gross Pay Trend Indicators are presented to the Pay Trend Survey Committee for ratification and published on their website. The Civil Service Bureau publishes the 'Tentative Results' and the 'Payroll Cost of Increments' (PCI) defined as "The payroll cost of civil service increments incurred in [the previous year] expressed as a percentage of the total civil service payroll cost of the respective salary band". From 2019-20, a cap is placed on the PCI such that the lower of the annual PCI or the average 1989-90 to 2019-20 PCI is applicable.

A week later, the provisional Gross Pay Trend Indicators are ratified by Pay Trend Survey Committee and published on their website.

June
In the first week of June, the Civil Service Bureau takes the ratified Gross Pay Trend Indicators and subtracts the Payroll Cost of Increments (PCI) to calculate the 'Net Pay Trend Indicators'. The Chief Executive uses the Net Pay Trend Indicators alongside "five other factors" to determine the suggested pay adjustment to be awarded: "the state of Hong Kong's economy, the Government's fiscal position, changes in the cost of living, the staff sides' pay claims and civil service morale". The government publishes the suggested pay award "Offer" via press release and commences consultation with "the four central consultative councils" and "the four major service-wide staff unions/associations".

- This approach was adopted in 1989 as recommended by the Committee of Inquiry into the 1988 Civil Service Pay Adjustment and Related Matters and until 2019 used an annually calculated PCI.  In 2019, after ten years of increasing PCI, the government decided to instead use the lesser of either the annually calculated PCI or the average PCI since 1989.

In the second week of June (Tuesday), after receiving responses from "staff sides", the government Executive Council meets to finalise details of the pay adjustment offer. The Civil Service Bureau issues a press release announcing the pay award "Decision" having considered: the Pay Trend Indicators, the state of Hong Kong's economy, changes in the cost of living, the Government's fiscal position, the pay claims of the staff sides and civil service morale. The final terms of the offer of pay adjustment is then submitted to the LegCo Panel on Public Service for discussion.
Note: The Council's schedule of meetings does not appear to be made public, so the date of the meeting is only known once the press release has been issued. The date of the Panel on Public Service meeting is, however, usually known in the first week of June when a pay adjustment item is added to the relevant meeting agenda.

In the third week of June, the Panel on Public Service discusses the pay adjustment offer and, so long as the Panel Chairman concludes the offer has the support of the Panel, it is passed to the LegCo Finance Committee for final legislative approval where it is added to its typically long list of outstanding items to discuss.

Late June/Early July
Depending on the number of outstanding agenda items, the submitted adjustment is discussed and voted upon by the LegCo Finance Committee before its summer recess with additional meetings being scheduled, if needed, to address all agenda items. The authorised adjustment is then announced via Circular Memorandum to all schools together with the anticipated month of payment e.g. 2016-17 Pay Adjustment 102/2016. The month of payment is typically July even if the normal monthly salary grant cut-off date of 10 July has been missed. The adjustment is automatically included in Salaries Grant payments to schools as are a salary payment backdated to 1 April and any related backdated gratuity payments.

October
Should the LegCo Finance Committee be unable to discuss and vote upon the pay adjustment before its summer recess (such as in 2017 and 2019) it is held over until the first meetings of the following LegCo session commencing in late October with likely payment in November. The exact month of payment is either the first or second month after the adjustment is approved depending upon whether approval is forthcoming before the EDB Finance Division processing deadline of the 10th of the month. In government schools, backdated payments are split into two, 1 Apr - 15 Aug and Aug 16 - 30 Nov, with the second payment sometimes made 1 month later.

Payments for backdated gratuity for contracts completed in August are also made. These are either paid at the same time as backdated salary payments or sometimes 2-4 weeks later. Schools are allowed to ignore past MPF contributions when calculating backdated gratuity, so your backdated gratuity may be less than expected (a full explanation is provided here).

As for the end of the financial year, schools should automatically update the IRD of the backdated taxable salary/gratuity payments resulting in an additional tax bill being issued for payment. This also applies to NETs who have left Hong Kong and have previously obtained IR56G tax clearance.

Analysis of the year-on-year data for Pay Trend Indicators shows that:
- Until 2015, the provisional Gross Pay Trend Indicators were always ratified without amendment. In 2015 an error was found in one company's submission to the Pay Trend Survey leading to a small adjustment in the ratified figures.
- Until 2015, the Net Pay Trend Indicators were always the final pay adjustment awarded regardless of any consultations/other considerations. In 2015 and 2017 the government awarded a pay rise 0.5% higher than the Net Indicators.
- May 15-19 is the important date as on that date it is possible to calculate the Net Pay Trend Indicators before they are officially released a week later.

Sources:
  Gross Indicators: Pay Trend Survey Committee Meeting Minutes
  Net Indicators: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
  Pay Increase Awarded: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
  Master Pay Scale (MPS), Annual Pay Adjustments

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