Q253 · What is the approximate salary range for…

Q253 · Category F: Fees, Budget and Financial Planning (Q251-Q300)

Hiring a qualified full-time registered pharmacist is one of the main costs of opening a licensed pharmacy and has a decisive impact on your financial budget. Based on market rates, a newly registered pharmacist with limited experience in Hong Kong generally earns between HKD 40,000 and HKD 50,000 per month. If you need a more experienced senior pharmacist to manage the pharmacy, the monthly salary may be as high as HKD 60,000 to HKD 80,000 or more. This is a fixed monthly staffing cost and must be treated as a top-priority operating expense in your financial model.

📘 Regulatory basis

Under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (Cap. 138), a licensed pharmacy (an Authorised Seller of Poisons (ASP)) must have a registered pharmacist present at all times during its business hours to personally supervise the sale of all pharmaceutical products. This is a non-negotiable legal requirement.

📗 Drew Tang's recommendations

The pharmacist is the professional core of your pharmacy and the person legally responsible for it. Their remuneration is a key investment in ensuring service quality and compliant operations. To attract and retain excellent staff, when drawing up a remuneration package we recommend considering benefits in addition to basic salary, such as a year-end double salary, performance bonuses, medical insurance and professional training allowances, to make the position more attractive.

📕 Risk notice

Recruitment difficulty and the time required must be fully considered in the business plan. If your pharmacist leaves and a replacement cannot be found in time, your Pharmacy may be unable to operate lawfully, and every day of closure means direct financial losses and loss of customers. It is therefore essential to maintain a good staffing pipeline or working relationships.

Plan Your Hong Kong Pharmaceutical Licensing Project with Drew Tang

Business Manager Tang Shangyong (Drew Tang) will review your products, operating model, licence type and preparation requirements with you one-to-one. The precise service scope is confirmed in writing; pharmaceutical duties are carried out by legally qualified personnel, and approvals are determined by the competent authorities.

What is the approximate salary range for hiring a full-time registered pharmacist as an ‘Authorised Person’? How will this affect my overall budget?

Plan Your Hong Kong Pharmaceutical Licensing Project with Drew Tang