Immigration to Hong Kong

Highly skilled applicants or wealthy investors can apply for residency in Hong Kong. Point tests for skill applicants and economic contribution by investors were recently introduced by the Immigration Department of Hong Kong.

Immigration Categories

There are two main immigration categories in effect as of March 2016.

Skilled immigrants

This is a quota-based program that seeks to attract highly skilled persons to settle in Hong Kong. An applicant does not need to obtain a job offer in advance before entering into Hong Kong on a "skilled immigrants" transfer. Two sets of points system are used to evaluate applicants. These are the Achievement Based Points Test[1] and the General Points Test.[2]

Family class

Permanent residents can sponsor family members to immigrate to Hong Kong. The family member sponsored by the Permanent Resident must be either "their spouse, or an unmarried dependent child under the age of 18, or a parent aged 60 years or above".[3]

Suspended Categories

Capital investment

Under this category, investors from outside had to have net assets of no less than HK$10 million (US$1,300,000) to which they are entitled throughout the 2 years before submitting their application. (This amount was increased from HK$6.5M on 14 October 2010, and is to be reviewed every three years.) [4][5] The Capital Investment Entrant Scheme was suspended on 15 January 2015

Notes

  1. ↑ The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region - Immigration Department
  2. ↑ The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region - Immigration Department
  3. ↑ http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/hkvisas_1.htm#residence accessed 11/2/2007
  4. ↑ The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region - Immigration Department
  5. ↑ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) New Amendments to the Rules for Capital Investment Entrant Scheme accessed 2/5/2011

References

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