Building finishers and related trades workers

How to become a plumber or pipe fitter

Official title: Plumbers and pipe fitters

Also called: Drain technician, Gas fitter, Pipe fitter, Pipe layer, Plumber, Ventilation pipe fitter

Plumbers and pipe fitters assemble, install, repair and maintain pipe systems, drains, gutters, ducts and related fittings and fixtures for water, gas, drainage, sewerage, heating, cooling and ventilation systems, and for hydraulic and pneumatic equipment.

Main tasks

Examining blueprints, drawings and specifications to determine the layout of plumbing and ventilation systems and materials required
Measuring, cutting, threading, bending, jointing, assembling, installing, maintaining and repairing pipes, fittings and fixtures of drainage, heating, ventilation, water supply and sewerage systems
Installing gas appliances, dishwashers and water heaters, sinks and toilets using hand and power tools
Laying clay, concrete or cast-iron pipes in ditches to form sewers, drains or water mains, or for other purposes
Inspecting, examining and testing installed systems and pipes, using pressure gauge, hydrostatic testing, observation or other methods

Ways in

Apprenticeship: Gas Utilization Fitter. Gas Utilization Fitter (用戶氣體燃料技工) is a designated trade under the Apprenticeship Ordinance (Cap. 47); the period of apprenticeship is 3 years (Cap. 47C). Apprentices sign a registered contract with an employer.
Apprenticeship: Plumber. Plumber (喉管工) is a designated trade under the Apprenticeship Ordinance (Cap. 47); the period of apprenticeship is 3 years (Cap. 47C). Apprentices sign a registered contract with an employer.
Licence or registration: Registering body: Construction Industry Council. Law: Construction Workers Registration Ordinance (建造業工人註冊條例), Cap. 583. Summary by Peernovo; check the body's current rules.
Licence or registration: Registering body: Gas Authority (Electrical and Mechanical Services Department). Law: Gas Safety Ordinance (氣體安全條例), Cap. 51. Summary by Peernovo; check the body's current rules.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: HK$21,000 a month
About 387,500 people in 2025, and about 403,200 projected by 2028. (+4.1%)
Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Questions people ask

How do I become a plumber or pipe fitter?

Ways in include: Gas Utilization Fitter.

Do you need a degree to become a plumber or pipe fitter?

Usually not. Only 4% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Gas Utilization Fitter.

Will AI change the work of a plumber or pipe fitter?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

Census and Statistics Department (2021 Population Census): 2021 Population Census, Interactive Data Dissemination Service: working population by occupation (38 groups) and sex, age, education, income; median income and field of education (9 groups) (2021 Population Census), retrieved 4 October 2026
Census and Statistics Department (General Household Survey): Median monthly employment earnings by occupation (9 groups), excluding foreign domestic helpers (Table 210-06317A); employed persons by occupation, age and sex (210-06307A) and by industry (210-06308A) (2025 annual (series to 2026-07)), retrieved 4 October 2026
Labour and Welfare Bureau; tables published by C&SD: Mid-term Update of Manpower Projection to 2028: supplementary statistical tables (5 occupation groups, 17 selected industries) (2025 to 2028 (published 2026-09)), retrieved 4 October 2026
Census and Statistics Department: Average daily wages of workers engaged in public sector construction projects, 39 trades (Table 220-20001) (Monthly, 2021 series, 2026-07), retrieved 4 October 2026
International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026

Updated 4 October 2026