Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Immigration Department (ImmD) announced today (December 22) that electronic services for visa application and “e-Visa” arrangement will be launched on Tuesday (December 28), allowing applicants to complete the entire process of visa application, including application submission, payment and “e-Visa” collection, online without having to attend an Immigration office in person.
 
     Under the electronic services for visa application, eligible applicants can submit their applications online through the ImmD mobile application, the ImmD’s website or the GovHK website. Once their applications are approved, applicants can use the online payment service to pay the relevant fee and download the “e-Visa” instantly upon payment. The “e-Visa” can be printed and/or saved as a PDF file on a personal mobile device.
 
     The “e-Visa”, including the electronic “Notification Slip for Entry Visa/Permit”, “Notification Slip for Conditions of Stay” and “Foreign Domestic Helper – Notification Slip for Extension of Stay and Entry Visa”, will replace the existing sticker-type labels for entry visas/permits, extension of stay and more. Upon implementation of the “e-Visa” arrangement, the ImmD will cease issuing sticker-type labels. Labels including entry visas/permits and extension of stay issued before December 28, 2021, will remain valid in accordance with the information stated thereon.
 
     An “e-Visa” contains a QR code for anti-forgery purposes. Persons concerned can verify the information on the “e-Visa” by scanning the QR code with the ImmD mobile application. The QR code on the “e-Visa” is generated by the ImmD’s official encryption key. The information cannot be retrieved by scanning the QR code with other mobile applications. Persons concerned may also choose to input the information on the “e-Visa” for verification by using the “e-Visa” enquiry service through the ImmD mobile application, the ImmD’s website or the GovHK website.
 
     The “e-Visa” arrangement is not applicable to the entry visas/permits issued by Chinese diplomatic and consular missions or the Immigration Divisions of the Mainland offices of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
 
     After the implementation of electronic services for visa application, applicants may continue to use the existing methods to submit their applications and pay the fee. Regardless of the submission method, the eligibility criteria of relevant applications and fees remain unchanged.
 
     The electronic services for visa application will be introduced in phases. For further details on electronic services for visa application and “e-Visa” arrangement, please visit the ImmD’s website at www.immd.gov.hk/eng/evisaonline.html. For enquiries, please call 2824 6111, or send enquiries to the ImmD by fax at 2877 7711 or by email at enquiry@immd.gov.hk. read more

     The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Patrick Nip, visited the Transport Department (TD) today (December 22) and met with the Commissioner for Transport, Miss Rosanna Law, and staff of various grades to get an update on the department’s work and learn more about the concerns of colleagues.

     Accompanied by the Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, Mr Nip first visited the Hong Kong Licensing Office in Admiralty to learn more about the work of the department’s frontline colleagues in the provision of services relating to driving licences and vehicle licences, and the provision of services during the epidemic in the past two years.

     Among the four licensing offices of the TD, the Hong Kong Licensing Office is the largest one which provides all the licensing services of the department relating to vehicle and driving licences. Mr Nip was briefed about the department’s electronic initiatives, including the online licensing application services and the development of an electronic driving licence to be displayed in a mobile app, with a view to providing more convenience for driving licence holders.

     Mr Nip then proceeded to the TD’s Headquarters at West Kowloon Government Offices where he received a briefing on the department’s latest initiatives including the free-flow tolling service, the new parking meters and the automated parking system which was launched last month. He was also briefed on how colleagues effectively made use of technology to manage transport facilities that not only offers the public greater convenience, but also enhances the service quality and work efficiency.

     He also visited the Emergency Transport Co-ordination Centre to gain a greater understanding of how colleagues monitor public transport services and traffic conditions with technology, as well as co-ordinating and responding to emergencies in a timely manner when incidents happen.

     “The TD provides frontline services to the public every day. As Hong Kong is a densely populated city with many people and vehicles, members of the public rely heavily on convenient transportation networks and the public transport system. In the face of rapid development, I hope that our colleagues will have an innovative mind and make use of technology to drive innovative services so as to tackle issues related to people’s daily lives, promote smart mobility, improve road safety and enhance transport efficiency,” Mr Nip said.

     Before concluding his visit, Mr Nip met with staff representatives of various grades of the department to know more about matters that concern them. He also met with colleagues who have participated in the 2021 Legislative Council General Election and anti-epidemic work to listen to their experiences and views about their work, and thanked them for their efforts and contributions.

        

     The Fire Services Department (FSD), the Hong Kong Police Force and Hong Kong Customs mounted a territory-wide joint operation codenamed "Winter Thunder" yesterday and today (December 21 and 22). Thirteen illegal fuel … read more

     â€‹The Labour Department (LD) is highly concerned about a fatal work accident that happened at Chun Kwan Road, Chek Lap Kok, this morning (December 22), in which five workers were injured in relation to drainage pipe works at a sewer manhole. Two of them were certified dead later in a hospital. The LD is saddened by the deaths of the workers and expresses its deepest sympathies to the victims’ families.
 
     The LD’s spokesman said, “We commenced an immediate on-site investigation as soon as we were notified of the accident and will issue a suspension notice to the contractor concerned suspending drainage pipe works in the sewer manhole. The contractor cannot resume the work process until the LD is satisfied that measures to abate the relevant risk have been taken.”
 
     The spokesman added, “We will complete investigation as soon as possible to identify the cause of the accident, ascertain the liability of the duty holders and recommend improvement measures. We will take action pursuant to the law if there is any violation of the work safety legislation.”
 
     The general duty provisions of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance require employers to provide safe working environments, plant and safe systems of work for their employees. Those who contravene the above provisions are liable to a maximum fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for six months.
 
     In regard to today’s accident, the LD will issue a Work Safety Alert through its website and email, giving a brief account of the accident concerned to duty holders, workers’ unions, professional bodies of safety practitioners and others, reminding the industry of the importance of following safety precautionary measures to prevent recurrence of similar accidents.
 
     The LD will also remind the employer concerned of the liability for employees’ compensation under the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance, assist family members of the deceased to claim employees’ compensation and closely follow up on the case. For those with financial difficulties, the LD will assist them to apply for appropriate emergency funds. Subject to the needs and wishes of family members of the deceased, the LD will also liaise with the Social Welfare Department for financial or other assistance.
 
     For the sake of securing the safety and health of employees at work, the LD appeals to employers to provide plant and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health. Employees should co-operate with their employers, adopt all safety measures and use personal protective equipment provided properly to avoid endangering their own work safety and that of other workers. read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The Hospital Authority (HA) announced today (December 22) that it will dovetail with the latest epidemic controls of the Government and tighten regular staff testing arrangements for unvaccinated staff members amid the threat of the growing number of COVID-19 variant cases worldwide.

     With effect from January 4, 2022, all HA staff members will have to undergo COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction-based nucleic acid (PCR) tests once every three days, except for those vaccinated, to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection in the hospitals. The PCR tests will need to be taken outside working hours and at staff members’ expense.

     Furthermore, the HA noted the Government’s plan to implement a “vaccine bubble” arrangement at government buildings and offices from mid-February next year. By then, all HA premises, including public hospitals and clinics, will follow the same arrangement covering all HA staff. Meanwhile, the HA is working on the implementation details and will announce them to staff and the public in due course.

     The HA has all along encouraged staff members to vaccinate to protect themselves, family members and patients. Currently, over 96 per cent of the staff have been vaccinated. read more