Immigration Department Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government

1. Immigration Department Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government DEVELOPING HONG KONG AS A REGIONAL EDUCATION HUB :Immigration-related Policies

2. Immigration Department Hong Kong SAR Government TODAY’S ITINERARY • The Relaxed Policies • Relaxed employment restrictions • Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG) • Questions and answers session

3. Immigration Department Hong Kong SAR Government THE RELAXED POLICIES

4. Immigration Department Hong Kong SAR Government THE RELAXED POLICIESTHE POLICY BACKGROUND • 2007-2008 Policy Address • Enhance HK’s status as an education hub • Bring young, new and high quality talent into our population

5. Immigration Department Hong Kong SAR Government THE RELAXED POLICIESTHE DETAILS • Increase the admission quota for non-local students to tertiary institutions • Allow students from the Mainland, Macao and Taiwan to pursue short-term studies in HK

6. Immigration Department Hong Kong SAR Government THE RELAXED POLICIESTHE DETAILS • Relax employment restrictions on non-local students • Allow non-local graduates to stay and to work in HK (IANG)

7. Immigration Department Hong Kong SAR Government RELAXATION OF EMPLOYMENT RESTRICTION

8. Immigration Department Hong Kong SAR Government RELAXATION OF EMPLOYMENT RESTRICTIONTHE AIM • Enhance HK’s attractiveness to non-local students • Help non-local students to: • widen their exposure • assimilate into local community upon graduation • acquire real-life work experience • enhance communication and interpersonal skills

9. Immigration Department Hong Kong SAR Government RELAXATION OF EMPLOYMENT RESTRICTIONBEFORE THE POLICY CHANGE • According to reg. 2(3) of the Immigration Regulations: • persons admitted to HK as a student • cannot take up employment • whether paid or unpaid • Those who would like to take up employment need to seek prior approval from ImmD

10. Immigration Department Hong Kong SAR Government RELAXATION OF EMPLOYMENT RESTRICTIONTHE RELAXATION DETAILS • Non-local students may take up: • internship • part-time on campus employment • summer job

11. Immigration Department Hong Kong SAR Government RELAXATION OF EMPLOYMENT RESTRICTIONINTERNSHIP • Study/curriculum-related • Arranged or endorsed by the institution • Duration up to 1 academic year, or 1/3 of the normal duration of the programme, whichever is shorter • No restriction on work location, salary, working hours • Cannot take place before or after the study programme

12. Immigration Department Hong Kong SAR Government RELAXATION OF EMPLOYMENT RESTRICTIONPART-TIME JOB • On campus • At designated operators • If the work location is outside campus, the employer must be the institution • For not more than 20 hours per week • Unused hours will not be allowed to roll-over from one week to another

13. Immigration Department Hong Kong SAR Government RELAXATION OF EMPLOYMENT RESTRICTIONSUMMER JOB • From 1 June to 31 August • No limit in relation to work hours, location and nature

14. Immigration Department Hong Kong SAR Government RELAXATION OF EMPLOYMENT RESTRICTIONELIGIBILITY CRITERIA DEGREE LEVEL OR ABOVE FULL-TIME HOW ABOUT EXCHANGE STUDENTS? LOCALLY-ACCREDITED STUDY PERIOD >/= 1 ACADEMIC YEAR

15. Immigration Department Hong Kong SAR Government RELAXATION OF EMPLOYMENT RESTRICTIONEXCHANGE STUDENTS • Study/curriculum-related internship arranged or endorsed by the institution PART-TIME JOB SUMMER JOB

16. Immigration Department Hong Kong SAR Government RELAXATION OF EMPLOYMENT RESTRICTIONTHE ARRANGEMENT • A “No Objection Letter” (NOL) will be issued upon approval of entry / extension of stay application • The NOL will become invalid upon any change in study programme/expiry of the permitted limit of stay • Eligibility for the NOL will be assessed afresh and a new NOL will be issued if applicable • Ineligible non-local students need to seek prior approval from ImmD for taking up any employment

17. Immigration Department Hong Kong SAR Government IMMIGRATION ARRANGEMENTS FOR NON-LOCAL GRADUATES

18. Immigration Department Hong Kong SAR Government IANGTHE ARRANGEMENT • NON-LOCAL FRESH GRADUATES may apply to stay in HK after graduation • RETURNING NON-LOCAL GRADUATES may apply to return to HK to work

19. Immigration Department Hong Kong SAR Government IANGFRESH VS RETURNING GRADUATES • Those who apply to stay and work in HK within 6 months after graduation are FRESHGRADUATES • Those who apply to work in HK after 6 months of graduation are RETURNINGGRADUATES

20. Immigration Department Hong Kong SAR Government IANGTHE AIM • Strengthen HK’s human capital and competitiveness • Enhance quality of HK’s workforce • Enhance HK’s attractiveness to non-local students

21. Immigration Department Hong Kong SAR Government BEFORE POLICY CHANGE • Students have to apply for entry to work in HK after graduation • General employment policy(GEP) • Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals (ASMTP) • Arrangement of Employment of Degree or Above Level Mainland Students Graduating from Educational Institutions in Hong Kong (MS) • Any change in employment requires prior approval from ImmD

22. Immigration Department Hong Kong SAR Government BEFORE POLICY CHANGE GEP / ASMTP / MS Normal immigration requirement Genuine vacancy Considerations for employment Terms & conditions offered Qualification & experience Locally unavailable Skills, knowledge & experience needed

23. Immigration Department Hong Kong SAR Government IANG THE APPROVAL • 12-month stay on time limitation without other condition of stay • Free to take up employment • Prior approval from the ImmD is not required for any change in employment

24. Immigration Department Hong Kong SAR Government IANG – FRESH GRADUATESELIGIBILITY CRITERIA DEGREE LEVEL OR ABOVE FULL-TIME LOCALLY-ACCREDITED Submits application within 6 months of graduation

25. Immigration Department Hong Kong SAR Government IANG – FRESH GRADUATESAPPLICATION SUBMISSION • Duly completed application form • Proof of graduation, e.g. copy of transcript/letter from university, showing mode of study (full-time) • Copy of HKID • Copy of travel document, showing personal particulars and the latest visa/permit label • Mainland students – consent from record-keeping authority

26. Immigration Department Hong Kong SAR Government IANG – RETURNING GRADUATESELIGIBILITY CRITERIA DEGREE LEVEL OR ABOVE FULL-TIME • Secure a local employment • at graduate level • salary at market level LOCALLY-ACCREDITED Submits application after 6 months from graduation

27. Immigration Department Hong Kong SAR Government IANG – RETURNING GRADUATESAPPLICATION SUBMISSION • Duly completed application form • Proof of graduation, e.g. copy of transcript/letter from university, showing mode of study (full-time) • Copy of HKID (if any) • Copy of travel document, showing personal particulars and the latest visa/permit label (if any) • Mainland students – consent from record-keeping authority

28. Immigration Department Hong Kong SAR Government IANG – RETURNING GRADUATESAPPLICATION SUBMISSION • Copy of employment contract, with detailed job description, salary package, employment duration • Employer’s company registration document, e.g. BR • Latest financial statements of the employer • Detailed business plan for newly set-up companies

29. Immigration Department Hong Kong SAR Government IANG EXTENSION OF STAY • Follow 2+2+3 years pattern • Criteria: Secured a graduate level employment with salary at market level • Apply for right of abode in HK after 7 years continuous ordinary residence in HK

30. Immigration Department Hong Kong SAR Government IANG ENTRY OF DEPENDANTS • May bring in spouse + unmarried dependent child under the age of 18 • Capable of supporting and accommodating the dependants • Dependants may apply for right of abode in HK after 7 years continuous ordinary residence in HK

31. Immigration Department Hong Kong SAR Government IANG THE ADVANTAGES • Stay in HK to work right after graduation • Flexibility on employment • Dependants are not prevented from taking up employment • A simplified and streamlined application procedure

32. Immigration Department Hong Kong SAR Government IANG YOUR APPLICATION

33. Immigration Department Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SESSION

34. Immigration Department Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

35. Immigration Department Hong Kong SAR Government SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION RIGHT OF ABODE • A person who has ordinarily resided in Hong Kong for a continuous period of not less than seven years

36. Immigration Department Hong Kong SAR Government SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION RIGHT OF ABODE • A person does not cease to be ordinarily resident in Hong Kong if he is temporarily absent from Hong Kong. • The circumstances of the person and the absence are relevant in determining whether a person has ceased to be ordinarily resident in Hong Kong.

37. Immigration Department Hong Kong SAR Government SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION RIGHT OF ABODE • The circumstances may include • the reason, duration and frequency of any absence from Hong Kong; • whether he has habitual residence in Hong Kong; • employment by a Hong Kong based company; and • the whereabouts of the principal members of his family (spouse and minor children).