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Almost 500 applicants of various professions have been admitted to Hong Kong since the launch of the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS), giving impetus to Hong Kong's economic development and international competitiveness.
Speaking on "Opening our Doors to Pool Talent and Wealth" at the dinner reception of the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong today (May 29), the Secretary for Security, Mr Ambrose S K Lee, said the Government launched the QMAS in June, 2006.
To cast a wider net for quality migrants, a revised scheme was rolled out in January this year, under which the age limit was lifted and the assessment scheme adjusted.
"Since the launch of the scheme, nearly 500 applicants have been allocated quotas to come to Hong Kong. They are from a wide array of professions, including commerce and industry, finance, accounting, legal, logistics, IT, academic and education, arts and culture, engineering and architecture, performing arts, media and sports," Mr Lee said.
Turning to the Entry for Employment as Professionals Scheme, Mr Lee said that more than 210,000 people had come to Hong Kong through the arrangement since the reunification. The arrangement gives employers the flexibility to recruit talent in different fields having regard to the changing demand of the relevant sectors and the market.
From the 2008-09 academic year, non-local students having freshly graduated from full-time recognised programmes at degree level or above in Hong Kong are allowed to stay for one year, during which they are free to take up or change employment. This arrangement is geared to developing Hong Kong into a regional education hub to attract promising non-local students to pursue their studies and develop their careers in Hong Kong after graduation.
Mr Lee said non-local graduates, who had obtained a degree or higher qualification in a full-time and recognised programme, could apply for returning to work in Hong Kong as long as they were offered a job commonly taken up by degree holders with a remuneration package in line with the market rate. He said these measures were among the most liberal in the developed economies of the world.
He said that different places around the world were competing keenly to attract and retain talent, and that there was no room for complacency.
"New application forms and streamlined procedures have been adopted by the Immigration Department starting from this month. Now, talent from both the Mainland and overseas use the same newly simplified form to apply to work in Hong Kong," Mr Lee said.
"The Immigration Department will continue to explore ways to streamline and expedite the application and processing procedures to offer the greatest convenience to the prospective entrants and their employers."
Mr Lee said that while the Government sought to improve the entry arrangements, it would also make an effort to promote its arrangements on the Mainland and other places.
Noting the accelerated pace of globalisation and the Mainland's rapid integration with the world, Mr Lee said Hong Kong had to grasp the invaluable opportunities arising to reinforce its position as Asia's world city.
"Attracting top talent from around the world is imperative to maintaining our competitiveness. As far as immigration policies and arrangements are concerned, the Security Bureau and the Immigration Department will continue to introduce more facilitating measures for non-local talent," Mr Lee said.
Ends/Thursday, May 29, 2008
Issued at HKT 20:50
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