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Following is a summary of the Immigration Department's major activities covered by the Director of Immigration, Mr Lai Tung-kwok, at the department's year-end briefing 2006 today (February 8):
Traffic at control points
Control Branch experienced a very busy flow of passenger traffic in 2006. More than 200 million passengers passed through our control points, up 5.6% when compared with 2005. The total number of visitor arrivals reached 25 million, representing an increase of 8.1%.
The Automated Passenger Clearance System was introduced at the end of 2004. By mid-2006, a total of 243 passenger e-Channels and 40 vehicular e-Channels were installed at existing control points. To the end of 2006, more than four million Hong Kong residents, or an accumulated 103.8 million passengers, had passed through passenger e-Channels, while 6.8 million vehicles had passed through vehicular e-Channels. Since the implementation of e-Channels at various control points, the monthly usage figure has increased steadily, with an average usage rate of more than 70%. More than 200 service staff can be redeployed to handle the rapid growth of visitors.
The coming year sees a great challenge for Control Branch. Two boundary control points - Shenzhen Bay Control Point and Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point - and a new air departure terminal - SkyPlaza, will be put into operation within this year. These new control points will help alleviate the pressure on infrastructure and work of the boundary and airport control points.
Progress of New Control Points
Shenzhen Bay Control Point
The first boundary control point with co-location facilities - Shenzhen Bay Control Point - is located at Shekou, Shenzhen. Both Hong Kong and Shenzhen sides have contributed greatly to the project with a view to meeting the target of being operational by mid-2007.
Under the mode of co-location, coach passengers can present for departure and arrival clearance to and from both Hong Kong and Mainland sides within the same passenger terminal building. Also, a "one-stop" service will be provided for vehicles through "combined kiosks" for immigration and customs clearance. There will also be a public transport interchange adjacent to the passenger terminal building to allow passengers easy access to other means of transport.
Lok Ma Chau SpurLine Control Point
Construction work on the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point has almost been completed. The control point is expected to come into operation by mid-2007. There will be 66 immigration counters and 70 e-Channels for passenger clearance in the control point.
SkyPlaza
The department is working with the Airport Authority in developing the SkyPlaza, with a view to promoting Hong Kong International Airport as an integrated multi-modal transportation and business centre. The SkyPlaza is located east of the existing passenger terminal building at Hong Kong International Airport. Starting from February 26, 2007, the SkyPlaza will become the second terminal building providing additional immigration facilities for departing passengers.
Facilitation of Movement of people
e-Channel Services to be enjoyed by more Hong Kong Residents
From January 2006, e-Channel services were extended to holders of Documents of Identity for Visa Purposes with smart identity cards. The services have been further extended to holders of smart identity cards, who have the right to land or are on unconditional stay in Hong Kong and non-permanent residents who have been issued with a notification label as from September, 2006.
Policies to attract capital and talent
Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS)
The QMAS, launched on June 28, 2006, aims to attract talented people from the Mainland and overseas to settle in Hong Kong. To the end of 2006, 587 applications had been received. The result of the first selection exercise was announced on November 7, 2006.
The scheme is quota-based with an initial annual quota of 1 000. Applicants are required to choose to be assessed under one of the two points-based tests under the scheme - the General Points Test or the Achievement-based Points Test - and compete for quota allocation. Selection exercises will be conducted on a regular basis. Under the QMAS, successful applicants are not required to secure an offer of local employment before their entry to Hong Kong for settlement.
The Advisory Committee on Admission of Quality Migrants and Professionals recently held the second selection exercise. Among the 96 applications tabled for discussion, 66 applicants - 56 under the General Points Test and 10 under the Achievement-based Points Test - will be allocated quotas.
Successful applicants under the General Points Test are mainly from Financial and Accounting Services, Information Technology and Telecommunications, and Commerce and Trade. Under the Achievement-based Points Test, successful applicants came from Sports as well as Arts and Culture.
Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (CIES)
The CIES, launched on October 27, 2003, has been well received and successfully attracted entrants who are bringing in new capital. At end-2006, 1,910 applications had been received. The reported personal assets amount to an average $ 25.25 million per applicant.
Of the 1,910 applicants, 978 had made the requisite investments and their 1,837 dependants were given formal approval to reside in Hong Kong. These entrants with formal approval have invested a total of $6.99 billion in permissible investment assets, an average of $7.15 million per entrant, which exceeded the requisite investment by 10%. In 2006, 380 applicants were given formal approval, representing an increase of 24% when compared with 2005. Another 205 applicants were given approval-in-principle to enter Hong Kong to procure the required investments.
Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals (ASMTP)
The ASMTP, implemented on July 15, 2003, to meet the needs of the Hong Kong economy, has attracted a wider variety of qualified talented people and professionals to come to work in Hong Kong.
In 2006, 5,031 applications were approved, represented a yearly increase of 25%. The companies concerned considered that the professionals enhanced efficiency/productivity of their companies, broadened their business profile and fostered collaboration between Hong Kong and the Mainland.
Extension of Individual Visit Scheme (IVS) for Mainland Residents
The IVS was extended on May 1, 2006, to six more Mainland cities - Nanchang, Changsha, Nanning, Haikou, Guiyang and Kunming. Effective on January 1, 2007, the IVS has been extended to cover Shijiazhuang, Zhengzhou, Changchun, Hefei and Wuhan, making a total of 49 cities.
Law enforcement
Combating Forged Travel Documents
The department has put much effort into combating forged travel document activities. In the past three years, the number of forged travel documents detected had steadily decreased from more than 2,500 in 2004 to around 2,300 last year, representing a drop of more than 5%. The department has been very concerned about every forgery case. To smash forgery syndicates, thorough investigations will be conducted on users to trace the source.
Face Recognition System
The Face Recognition System, implemented in December, 2004, has facilitated the work of officers at control point, investigation and visa-control offices to verify the identity of suspected passengers, immigration offenders and visa applicants. To the end of 2006, 670 people who attempted to circumvent immigration control by using false identities had been identified. The system has been effective in detecting people who attempt to hide their true identities when entering Hong Kong by using unlawfully obtained or altered documents.
Deterrent to Global Illegal Migration Activities
In late 2006, the department hosted the 12th Pacific Rim Immigration Intelligence Conference, which brought together 35 delegates from 12 member jurisdictions and two observer organisations in the field of immigration intelligence. The conference was successfully convened and there was fruitful dialogue about combatting illegal migration activities.
Apart from conferences and workshops, new contact points in regions such as the Middle East were established during the past year and previous contacts were continued, facilitating effective operational liaison. Throughout the year, immigration investigators teamed up with foreign authorities to apprehend a number of organised immigration crimes involving illegal migration activities.
Bogus Marriages Uncovered
The department has been very concerned about non-Hong Kong residents obtaining stay in Hong Kong by means of bogus marriages. A special task force has been set up to gather intelligence through various avenues and a thorough investigation will be conducted once evidence comes to light. If there is enough evidence, the department will launch prosecutions.
Between April and December, 2006, 15 Mainland residents and eight Hong Kong residents were convicted of offences relating to bogus marriages. As at end December, there were 75 bogus marriage cases under investigation. The 23 defendants involved were sentenced to jail terms ranging from four to 21 months.
Investigation operations
Immigration investigators conducted 9,183 operations in 2006 and arrested 11,310 people, representing an increase of 41% and decrease of 18% respectively when compared with 2005. In total, 10,325 illegal workers and 985 employers were arrested. An increase in the number of operations and the drop in arrestees indicate a deterrent effect on illegal workers, resulting in a decrease in the number of illegal workers. In addition to tightening up visa control, the department has co-operated with foreign authorities to combat illegal working activities. Arrival clearance checks have been stepped up at all control points to prevent entry of people having doubtful intention of visit.
CAT Screening
The Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) is applicable to Hong Kong. The HKSAR Government has put in place an administrative mechanism for handling torture claims, which complies with a high standard of procedural fairness.
In 2006, the number of torture claim cases increased significantly to 514 (involving 528 people), up 176% compared with 186 (involving 211 people) in 2005. The claimants mainly came from South Asian and African countries. Information indicated that majority of the torture claimants lodged their torture claims only after being arrested for breaching Hong Kong laws and upon repatriation to their home countries. Besides, vast majority (more than 90%) of them made their torture claims after staying in Hong Kong for an average of more than one year. For the torture claimants who had also made refugee claims, most of them lodged torture claims after their refugee claims had been rejected by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for an average of almost one year. All these suggested possible abuses of the existing mechanism.
To discourage abusive and frivolous claims, we have stepped up our visa and entry controls. At the same time, we are considering strengthening the manpower for processing torture claims with a view to speeding up the process to prevent abuse of the existing mechanism. With these measures, we hope that the problem of abusive claims can be effectively contained.
Travel documents
HKSAR Electronic Passport (e-Passport)
To tie in with the international trend for enhancing passport security and to promote the travel convenience enjoyed by HKSAR passport holders, the department started to receive applications for HKSAR electronic passport (e-Passport) on February 5, 2007, and enhanced the supporting information system.
The e-Passport contains an embedded contactless chip that stores the holder's facial image and personal particulars. More advanced security features are also incorporated into the e-Passport. With the new e-Passport issuing system, the processing time of e-Passport applications can be shortened from 15 to 10 working days.
Hong Kong Smart Identity Card Replacement Exercise
The Hong Kong Smart Identity Card Replacement Exercise has been making steady progress. The replacement exercise will be completed on March 31, 2007.
In 2006, the department received 1,495,280 applications for smart identity cards, making a cumulative total of 4,945,361 applications since the implementation of the replacement exercise.
Assistance to Hong Kong Residents in Distress Outside Hong Kong
The Assistance to Hong Kong Residents Unit works closely with the Security Bureau, Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, our diplomatic and consular missions overseas, the Office of the HKSAR Government in Beijing (Beijing Office), the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Guangdong (GDETO) as well as other government departments in providing practical assistance to Hong Kong residents in distress outside Hong Kong. In 2006, 1,818 requests were handled.
Civil Celebrants of Marriages Scheme
The purpose of the Civil Celebrants of Marriages Scheme is to meet the increasing public demand for the Government to provide more flexible marriage solemnisation services and to make better use of private sector resources in providing such services.
The Marriage (Introduction of Civil Celebrants of Marriages and General Amendments) Ordinance came into operation on March 13, 2006, and the first batch of civil celebrants was appointed on April 21, 2006.
At the end of 2006, a total of 1,097 civil celebrants had been appointed . From April 21, 2006, to December 31, 2006, 10,068 marriage notices were given through civil celebrants, representing 24.9% of total applications received and 8,824 marriages were solemnised by civil celebrants, representing 23.7% of total marriage registrations.
Recruitment and Training
Recruitment of Service Staff
To meet the staffing needs arising from the commissioning of the Shenzhen Bay Control Point, Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point by mid-2007, the airport expansion project, and taking into account the manpower released upon completion of the new identity card replacement exercise and full implementation of automated passenger clearance system, more than 500 additional staff are required. A recruitment exercise has been launched.
Induction and In-service Training
In 2006, a total of 79 new recruits - 11 Immigration Officers and 68 Immigration Assistants - received induction training, while 1,900 Immigration staff attended in-service training at the Immigration Service Institute of Training and Development (ISITD).
Overseas and Mainland Training and Exchange Programmes
To facilitate sharing of experience and expertise with officers of other countries or regions, 19 officers were sent overseas for exchange programmes, for study visits or to attend courses. At the same time, study programmes at the ISITD were arranged for 15 immigration officers from other countries or regions.
In 2006, a total of 71 immigration staff participated in training visits on the Mainland including Beijing, Dalian and Chengdu while the department arranged for 250 Mainland officials to attend a one-week study programme at the ISITD.
Information Systems
IT Awards
The department won four prestigious awards in the first "Hong Kong Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Awards 2006": the e-Channel scored the eGovernment Grand Award and eGovernment (Most Popular ePublic Service) Gold Award; the Smart Identity Card System won the Gold Award in eGovernment (Best Transformation) while the eGovernment (Most Innovative) Silver Award went to Control Point System.
The e-Channel won the top prize in the category of e-Government and Services of the "APICTA 2006" held in Macau. It was a great honour for the department to have won the award for three consecutive years with the Smart Identity Card System in 2004 and Face Recognition System in 2005.
The department won the "CIO Awards 2006" organised by the CIO Asia Magazine. The awards were given to the top five outstanding organisations from the CIO 100 honourees.
The department was selected for its Face Recognition System and e-Channel by a renowned information technology magazine, Network World Asia, as one of the 15 winners of the "Network World Asia Enterprise All Stars Awards 2006".
Vision for 2007
From early 2007, the department will implement the Application and Investigation Easy System (APPLIES) and Electronic Records Programme (ERP) by stages. With the digitisation of records, manual efforts on maintenance and distribution of files and records will be saved. Significant service improvement is anticipated in areas including applications for visas, permits, travel passes and nationality matters, and registration of births, deaths and marriages, etc. The processing time for applications will be shortened.
Following the full rollout of e-Channels in mid-2006 and further enhancement of working procedures, the performance targets for immigration services provided to Hong Kong residents is to be improved in 2007.
Our new target will aim at clearing within 15 minutes 95% of residents who present for immigration clearance inside passenger halls at air, land and sea control points.
Vehicular e-Channel services will be extended to private car passengers in early-2007. Immigration clearance will be conducted through face recognition technology. We also aim to enable frequent visitors with HKSAR Travel Passes to use e-Channels when travelling in and out of Hong Kong in mid-2007.
The introduction of the new Electronic Services System will enable the public to enjoy e-services, including booking of appointments, submission of applications, enquiries about application status and payment of application fees through the internet. "One-stop" service will be possible for more types of applications upon full implementation of APPLIES.
To optimise the available resources, the Tactical Squad will be restructured in early 2007 to form a section with 135 officers to cope with the dynamic work demands and ever-increasing cross-boundary traffic.
In early 2007, two new immigration launches will be delivered to the department. These two new vessels will replace two of the seven launches that have been in service for almost 20 years - "Immigration 1" and "Immigration 2". They are larger in size, 23.7 metres in length and 6 metres wide, and faster, travelling up to a speed of 25 knots, which will certainly enhance immigration clearance and enforcement operations at sea.
The department will keep monitoring services provided by civil celebrants and reviewing the operation of the scheme to ensure that people are able to enjoy flexible and quality marriage solemnisation services. Existing marriage related services provided by marriage registries, such as accepting notice of intended marriage, celebrating marriage, providing marriage records, etc., will continue.
Ends/Thursday, February 8, 2007
Issued at HKT 19:26
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