Go to main content
 
LCQ21: Admission schemes for outside talent, professionals and entrepreneurs
****************************************************************************
     Following is a question by the Dr Hon Lo Wai-kwok and a written reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Lai Tung-kwok, in the Legislative Council today (March 1):

Question:

     In order to replenish the human capital for Hong Kong and meet the challenges of an ageing population and a dwindling workforce, the Government implemented the Admission Scheme for the Second Generation of Chinese Hong Kong Permanent Residents (ASSG) in May 2015 to encourage such persons to come to Hong Kong for career development. In the same month, the Government also enhanced a number of admission schemes for talents and professionals, including the relaxation of stay arrangements under the General Employment Policy (GEP), the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals (ASMTP) and the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS). In addition, the Government launched the Higher Education Employment Information e-Platform (e-Platform) in December last year to furnish job seekers who possess degree qualifications with employment-related information and a job search channel, with a view to providing support for those Hong Kong residents studying overseas and the aforesaid second generation of Chinese Hong Kong permanent residents in their search for jobs in Hong Kong. Regarding the implementation of various admission schemes for talents and professionals, will the Government inform this Council:
     
(1) of the respective numbers of persons applying for entry to Hong Kong, in each month in the past three years, under (i) GEP, (ii) ASMTP and (iii) QMAS, as well as the respective numbers and percentages of those persons whose applications were approved; whether the Government has reviewed if the relaxation of stay arrangements under those schemes has achieved the expected results; if it has reviewed, of the outcome; if not, whether it will conduct such a review in the near future; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(2) of the number of persons applying for entry to Hong Kong under ASSG since its implementation;

(3) whether it knows the number of Hong Kong residents in each of the past three years who returned to Hong Kong after completion of their overseas studies; whether the Government will enrich the relevant information provided by e-Platform so as to encourage those Hong Kong residents who have become the high-end professionals that Hong Kong lacks (such as innovation and technology talents) to return to Hong Kong for career development; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(4) whether it has taken the initiative to contact overseas students pursuing studies in Hong Kong or their relevant student associations so as to know their main concerns and aspirations in considering whether to stay in Hong Kong for career development; and

(5) whether it has conducted tracking studies on those persons who have come to Hong Kong under the various aforesaid schemes so as to know their periods of stay and career development in Hong Kong; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     In consultation with the Education Bureau (EDB) and the Labour Department (LD), the reply to Dr Hon Lo's question is as follows:

(1) and (2) The Immigration Department (ImmD) has implemented since May 2015 a series of measures to facilitate outside talent, professionals and entrepreneurs to come and stay in Hong Kong, thereby building up Hong Kong's human capital in response to the population challenges of an ageing population and a dwindling workforce. In particular, 417 applications were received under the Admission Scheme for the Second Generation of Chinese Hong Kong Permanent Residents from its implementation in May 2015 to the end of 2016, with 235 of them approved. The response has been positive.

     The relevant statistics on the General Employment Policy, the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals and the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme for the past three years are at Annex 1.

     ImmD has stepped up publicity of these measures through overseas duty visits and through various Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSARG) offices outside Hong Kong. The HKSARG will closely monitor the implementation of these measures, review their effectiveness in due course and, where necessary, make adjustments based on social and economic situation.

(3)LD launched the Higher Education Employment Information e-Platform (e-platform) in December 2016 to strengthen employment support for persons with higher education level, particularly Hong Kong students who are educated in tertiary institutions outside Hong Kong, the second generation of Hong Kong emigrants who are interested in returning to Hong Kong to work, as well as persons from overseas with higher academic/professional qualifications. The e-platform aims to enhance their understanding of the Hong Kong employment market and facilitate them to search and apply for openings applicable to them. LD also actively promotes the e-platform to employers to encourage them to post job vacancies with the academic requirements of degree or above to attract talent to come and develop their career in Hong Kong.

     HKSARG does not maintain statistics mentioned in the question.

(4)EDB has subsidised relevant institutions to engage a consultant to conduct surveys from the academic years 2013/14 to 2016/17 to learn about the experience of non-local students studying and living in Hong Kong and also their major concerns, including considerations affecting whether they would stay in Hong Kong for career development.

(5)ImmD compiles data from time to time concerning the duration of stay of persons who have come to Hong Kong under various talent admission schemes, and also maintains statistics on those who have obtained the right of abode (relevant information of the past three years is at Annex 2). ImmD has not conducted longitudinal studies on the career development of entrants in Hong Kong.
 
Ends/Wednesday, March 1, 2017
Issued at HKT 16:35
NNNN
Today's Press Releases  

Attachment