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Hong Kong and Canada today (December 6) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to mark the establishment of a bilateral working holiday arrangement to benefit young people of the two places from March 1, 2010.
The Memorandum was signed by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung, and the Minister of International Trade of Canada, Mr Stockwell Day at Government House. Chief Executive Mr Donald Tsang and Prime Minister of Canada Mr Stephen Harper witnessed the signing ceremony.
Canada is the sixth country and the first in North America to establish such bilateral arrangement with Hong Kong. The arrangement provides an opportunity for young people to broaden their horizons and to gain first-hand living and working experience while they are travelling. It will also further reinforce the long-standing bilateral ties between Hong Kong and Canada.
Hong Kong established bilateral working holiday schemes with New Zealand and Australia in 2001, Ireland in 2005, and Germany and Japan in 2009.
So far, more than 9,450 Hong Kong youngsters have benefited from participating in the schemes while about 1,280 young people from New Zealand, Australia, Ireland and Germany have experienced Hong Kong's cosmopolitan and vibrant way of life.
There are 200 places available on each side for 2010 under the arrangement. Participants will be allowed to stay up to 12 months for holiday and take up employment to finance their stay.
The Hong Kong Immigration Department or the Consulate General of Canada in Hong Kong will issue a working holiday visa to a successful applicant from Canada or Hong Kong respectively who meets the following eligibility criteria among others:
- The applicant must be either a Canadian citizen possessing a valid Canadian passport, or a HKSAR passport or British National (Overseas) passport holder ordinarily residing in Hong Kong, who is aged between 18 and 30 and intends primarily to holiday in Canada or Hong Kong for a specified period of not more than one year;
- The applicant must not be accompanied by dependent family members;
- The applicant must possess a departure ticket or sufficient funds to purchase such a ticket, and sufficient funds for his/her maintenance during the period of initial stay in Canada or Hong Kong; and
- The applicant must hold insurance for medical and health care for the duration of stay.
Details on visa application procedures for Hong Kong applicants can be found via the website of the Consulate General of Canada at www.hongkong.gc.ca. Canadian applicants may contact the Hong Kong Immigration Department by telephone on 2824 6111 or download the necessary information from the Department's website www.immd.gov.hk.
Ends/Sunday, December 6, 2009
Issued at HKT 11:01
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