### Apprenticeship Ordinance 《學徒制度條例》

15. Compulsory registration of new contracts of apprenticeship
(1) Every contract of apprenticeship entered into in compliance with section 6(1)(a) shall be sent by the employer to the Director within 14 days after it is executed (or such further time as the Director may permit) for registration under this Ordinance and the Director shall, subject to subsection (2), register all such contracts.
(2) The Director may refuse to register a contract of apprenticeship sent under subsection (1) if he is satisfied that—
(a) the apprentice has not attained or will not attain the age of 14 years at the date of commencement of his employment as an apprentice;
(b) the apprentice is disqualified under section 31 from entering into the contract of apprenticeship;
(c) the contract does not provide for adequate training in a designated trade;
(d) the apprentice is not certified medically fit to undertake the employment contemplated by the contract;
(e) the apprentice has not attained the minimum educational standard prescribed as a prerequisite to employment as an apprentice in the designated trade in which he is to serve his apprenticeship;
(f) the employer does not employ sufficient persons who are sufficiently skilled in the designated trade concerned and able to give adequate instruction to enable the apprentice to learn and attain a reasonable standard of proficiency in the skills and operations specified by the Director in relation to that trade;
(g) the employer does not have sufficient machinery, equipment and materials to enable the apprentice to learn the skills and operations specified by the Director in relation to the designated trade concerned during the normal hours of employment laid down by the employer for his employees;
(h) subject to section 23, the period of apprenticeship required to be served by the apprentice differs from that specified for the designated trade in which he is apprenticed;
(i) the apprentice is subject to any obligations under any other contract of apprenticeship;
(j) the contract has not been read over and explained to, and is not clearly understood by, the apprentice and his guardian (if any);
(k) the apprentice and his guardian (if any) have not freely assented to the contract;
(l) the contract contravenes this Ordinance;
(m) the terms and conditions of the contract as a whole are not for the benefit of the apprentice.
(3) Where the Director refuses to register a contract of apprenticeship under subsection (2) he shall forthwith notify the parties to the contract in writing of his refusal and the grounds for refusal and the contract shall cease to be valid with effect from the date specified in such notice.
(Amended 13 of 1982 s. 11)

### Apprenticeship Ordinance 《學徒制度條例》

16. Compulsory registration of existing contracts of apprenticeship
(1) An employer who is a party to a contract of apprenticeship to which section 7(2) applies shall within 60 days after the date on which the trade or occupation to which the contract relates is specified as a designated trade (or such further time as the Director may permit) send the contract to the Director for registration under this Ordinance and the Director shall, subject to subsections (2) and (3) and section 18(2), register such contract.
(2) Before registering a contract of apprenticeship under subsection (1), the Director may require the parties to make any necessary variations to the contract so that it complies with section 8(1) and such variations shall become part of the contract and shall be signed by the Director and the parties.
(3) The Director may refuse to register a contract of apprenticeship sent under subsection (1) on any ground specified in section 15(2).
(4) Where the Director refuses to register a contract of apprenticeship under subsection (3) he shall forthwith notify the parties to the contract in writing of his refusal and the grounds for refusal and the contract shall cease to be valid with effect from the date specified in such notice.
(Amended 13 of 1982 s. 11)

17. Voluntary registration of apprenticeship
(1) An employer who enters into a contract of apprenticeship that is not required to be registered under section 15(1) or 16(1) may, if the contract is in a form similar to that provided for in section 8, send the contract at any time to the Director for registration under this Ordinance, and the Director may, subject to subsections (2) and (3), register that contract. (Replaced 43 of 1980 s. 3)
(2) Before registering a contract of apprenticeship under subsection (1), the Director may require the parties to make any necessary variations to the contract so that it complies with section 8(1) and if the parties agree such variations shall become part of the contract and shall be signed by the Director and the parties.
(3) The Director may refuse to register a contract of apprenticeship sent under subsection (1) if he is satisfied that—
(a) the trade or occupation to which the contract relates is one in respect of which an apprenticeship is not appropriate or necessary;
(b) had the contract been in respect of a designated trade, he would have refused to register the contract on any ground specified in section 15(2).
(4) Where the Director refuses to register a contract of apprenticeship under subsection (3) he shall forthwith notify the parties to the contract in writing of his refusal and the grounds for refusal.
(Amended 13 of 1982 s. 11)

### Apprenticeship Ordinance 《學徒制度條例》

18. Exemption from registration of contracts of apprenticeship
(1) (Repealed 13 of 1982 s. 6)(2) In the case of any contract of apprenticeship to which section 7(2) applies, the Director may, if he is satisfied that the apprentice has undergone the major part of his apprenticeship period, instead of registering the contract grant to the employer an exemption in writing from registration of the contract on such terms and conditions as the Director thinks fit.
(3) Where the Director grants an exemption from registration under subsection (2) he shall forthwith notify the parties to the contract of the exemption and the terms and conditions (if any) under which the exemption is granted.
(Amended 13 of 1982 s. 11)

19. Effect of not lodging contracts of apprenticeship for registration
If a contract of apprenticeship which is required to be registered under this Ordinance is not sent for registration within the prescribed time or such further time permitted by the Director the employer shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine at level 1, and the court may order any employer who is convicted of an offence under this section to send the contract of apprenticeship to the Director for registration.
(Amended 13 of 1982 s. 11; E.R. 1 of 2013)

20. Compulsory registration of variation documents
(1) Every variation document shall be sent by the employer to the Director within 14 days after it is executed (or such further time as the Director may permit) for registration under this Ordinance and the Director shall, subject to subsection (2), register all such variation documents.
(2) The Director may refuse to register a variation document sent under subsection (1) if he is satisfied that—
(a) the apprentice and his guardian (if any) have not freely assented to the variation;
(b) the variation contravenes this Ordinance; or
(c) the variation is not for the benefit of the apprentice.
(3) Where the Director refuses to register a variation document under subsection (2) he shall forthwith notify the parties to the contract in writing of his refusal and the grounds for refusal.
(Amended 13 of 1982 s. 11)

21. Variation of registered contracts of apprenticeship
Without prejudice to this Part, no variation of a registered contract of apprenticeship shall be valid unless—
(a) the variation is contained in a document signed by the parties to the contract; and
(b) the variation document is registered under section 20.