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Following is a question by the Hon Sin Chung-kai and a written reply by the Secretary for Education and Manpower, Professor Arthur K C Li, in the Legislative Council today (March 28):
Question:
Some educational bodies have told me that in recent years a growing number of Mainlanders want to apply for visas for entering Hong Kong to attend the post-secondary programmes, such as part-time upgrading courses for acquiring professional qualifications, offered by the tertiary institutions in Hong Kong. Under the existing immigration policy, Mainland students may apply to attend programmes in Hong Kong, including full-time studies in locally accredited post-secondary programmes, full-time exchange study programmes for not more than one year at degree level or above, part-time studies in locally accredited taught post-graduate programmes run by the University Grants Committee-funded institutions, etc. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) how the Government currently processes visa applications from Mainlanders for entering Hong Kong to attend programmes other than those mentioned above, as well as the criteria for vetting such applications; and
(b) in order to further attract Mainlanders to study in Hong Kong so as to promote the development of Hong Kong into an education hub, whether the Government will consider relaxing the restrictions on Mainlanders to study in Hong Kong (such as issuing student visas to Mainlanders for entering Hong Kong to take up part-time studies in post-secondary programmes run by tertiary institutions recognised by the Government, as well as registered non-local full-time and part-time post-secondary programmes); if it will, of the relevant details and timetable; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
Madam President,
(a) Under the prevailing policies, Mainland residents can apply to study in Hong Kong through taking up full-time studies in locally accredited post-secondary programmes, full-time exchange study programmes of not more than one year at degree or above level, and part-time studies in locally accredited taught post-graduate programmes run by the University Grants Committee-funded Institutions.
Visa applications from Mainland residents for entering Hong Kong to study post-secondary programmes other than those mentioned above will be considered by the Immigration Department exceptionally on a case-by-case basis having regard to the merit of the application. In processing such applications, apart from the requirements that are generally applicable to non-local students (e.g. proof of financial soundness), the Immigration Department will consider other factors such as the availability of the programme in question on the Mainland, the relevance of the programme to the applicant's academic qualifications or profession, and the duration of the programme, etc. Whether the visa application will be approved depends on the merits of the case.
(b) The Steering Committee chaired by Chief Secretary for Administration has been examining various strategic issues relating to the development of Hong Kong as a regional education hub. The Committee will examine, among other things, the existing immigration and other policy considerations as well as the resources implications. The Steering Committee will submit its recommendations to the Chief Executive in Council for consideration upon completion of its deliberations.
Ends/Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Issued at HKT 13:02
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