Hong Kong immigration rules for foreign workers introduced

The Hong Kong immigration department has been implementing talent admission schemes to attract foreign workers. Hong Kong has expanded its talent list to include more foreign workers in various professions not previously included. The Hong Kong Government has announced that the latest round of the Talent List update has been completed. The new Talent List has taken effect from March 1 and covers 60 professions with local talent shortages.

Foreign workers who meet the eligibility criteria for relevant professions can enjoy immigration facilitation when applying under the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS), the General Employment Policy (GEP) and the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals (ASMTP).

With effect from November 1, 2024, the General Points Test (GPT) under the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS) has been enhanced by adopting clearer and more objective scoring criteria. The application and selection process of QMAS has also been streamlined.

The enhanced GPT replaced the original item-by-item scoring system with an assessment questionnaire comprising 12 assessment criteria across six major aspects, namely age, academic qualifications, language proficiency, work experience, income and business ownership.

Applicants may submit applications if they meet a minimum of six assessment criteria. The immigration department will pass the eligible applications to an assessment panel chaired by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare. The assessment panel will then provide advice to the Director of Immigration according to the selection results. There is no annual quota under the enhanced GPT.

Quality Migrant Admission Scheme seeks to attract highly skilled or talented persons to settle in Hong Kong in order to enhance Hong Kong’s economic competitiveness.

Applicants are not required to have secured an offer of local employment before applying for entry or being admitted to Hong Kong for settlement under the Scheme. Successful applicants under the Scheme may bring their spouse to Hong Kong.

List of eligible universities under the Top Talent Pass Scheme

To further expand the network for attracting talent, starting from November 1, 2024, 13 top Mainland and overseas universities have been added to the list of eligible universities under the Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS).

The aggregate list currently covers a total of 199 eligible institutions after the annual update.

In addition, with effect from October 16, 2024, the validity period of the first visa of applicants approved under Category A of the TTPS has also been extended from two years to three years to facilitate their advance planning for relocation to Hong Kong with their families.

Immigration Rules for Graduates
In late 2022, the Immigration Arrangements for foreign Graduates was expanded to include graduates from the Greater Bay Area (GBA) campuses of Hong Kong universities on a pilot basis for two years. The HKSAR Government announced in October 2024 that the arrangements would be extended for two years to the end of 2026.

Temporarily exempting full-time non-local undergraduate students from restrictions on taking up part-time jobs

Starting from November 1, 2024, full-time foreign undergraduate students have been temporarily exempted from the restrictions on taking up part-time jobs to enhance their personal experience of working in Hong Kong, thereby increasing their incentive to stay in Hong Kong for development after graduation.

Eligible full-time foreign undergraduate students are allowed to take up part-time employment within the duration of their studies, with no restrictions on the number of working hours and location.

New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme
Hong Kong has modified the rules of the Capital Investment scheme for foreign investors looking to become permanent residents. Earlier, foreign investors had to show that their capital holdings had been in their account over the last two years, which has now been reduced to six months.

The Hong Kong New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme requires a minimum investment of $HK 30 million in approved investment assets such as stocks, ETFs, and bonds. However, investment into real estate is not allowed.

From, March 1, 2025, Hong Kong has announced certain enhancement measures on the New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme.

Source: https://www.financialexpress.com/business/investing-abroad-all-about-immigration-rules-for-foreign-workers-working-in-hong-kong-3795420/