Hong Kong prioritizes visas for skilled workers and Vietnamese tourists

Responding to questions from some members at the meeting of the Hong Kong Legislative Council (China) on March 20, Security Director Dang Binh-Kuong said that after Hong Kong opened the work visa program for skilled workers from Vietnam, Laos and Nepal on October 25, 2023, as of February 29, the special administrative region government had received 132 applications from these three countries, of which 109 applications had been approved and the remaining applications were in the approval process.

Specifically, Hong Kong received 42 visa applications from Vietnamese skilled workers, of which 31 were approved. Laos received 5 applications, of which 4 were approved. Nepal had the largest number of applicants among the three countries, with a total of 90 applications, of which 71 were approved.

For visa applications under talent programs, the Immigration Department usually completes review and approval within 4 weeks after the applicant submits the required information and relevant documents.

In addition, in the Executive Policy Report announced by Chief Executive Lee Ka-chiu on October 25, 2023, Hong Kong also eased visa restrictions for Vietnamese people coming to do business and travel (multiple-entry visas). As of the end of February 2024, Hong Kong had received 493 applications for multiple-entry tourist visas, of which 490 had been approved.

After the new measures were implemented, the average number of approved monthly multiple-entry visa applications from Vietnamese nationals increased by about six times compared to 2019, when an average of 19 applications were approved each month. Multiple-entry visas are usually valid for a maximum of two years and each stay in Hong Kong does not exceed 14 days.

Hong Kong has also opened its doors to skilled workers from Laos and Nepal to the special administrative region to take training courses and study full-time programmes at universities sponsored by the University Grants Commission (UGC), to promote multifaceted talent exchanges.

Before 25 October 2023, Vietnamese skilled workers can only apply through the Internship Placement for Non-Local Graduates (IANG) program.

Under the relaxation measures introduced in October 2023, Vietnamese talents can apply for jobs in Hong Kong through other talent access programmes, including the Common Employment Policy and the Outstanding Talent Programme.