Regularisation and expansion of Pilot Scheme on Immigration Facilitation for Visitors Participating in Short-term Activities in Designated Sectors

     With effect from June 1, the Government will regularise the Pilot Scheme on Immigration Facilitation for Visitors Participating in Short-term Activities in Designated Sectors and expand the scope of the scheme to cover more authorised host organisations and an additional designated activity. Upon regularisation, the scheme will be named the Immigration Facilitation Scheme for Visitors Participating in Short-term Activities in Designated Sectors.
      
     The pilot scheme has been welcomed by the industry since its launch and has been operating in an orderly manner. As of the end of March this year, the pilot scheme benefited over 16 600 non-local talents from nearly 120 countries/regions, and facilitated their coming to Hong Kong to participate in various short-term events and activities, such as the International Chinese New Year Night Parade, the InnoEX, the Asian Financial Forum, the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races and more. The scheme is conducive to bringing together talent worldwide for exchanges in Hong Kong, giving full play to Hong Kong's strength as a place of "connect and excel" under "one country, two systems".
      
     To respond more fully to the needs of various sectors, the Government decided, after a review, to regularise the pilot scheme and expand five of the original sectors, including adding 18 new authorised organisations and expanding a designated short-term activity. Details are set out at the Annex. After regularisation, the scheme will continue to cover the existing 12 sectors, and other arrangements will remain unchanged:
 

• Medical and healthcare;
• Higher education;
• Arts and culture;
• Sports;
• Heritage;
• Creative industries;
• Innovation and technology;
• The Hong Kong Laureate Forum;
• Aviation;
• International/mega events;
• Finance; and
• Development and construction.

     The Government launched the two-year pilot scheme in June 2022 to provide immigration facilitation for visitors participating in short-term activities in designated sectors, with a view to facilitating business, promoting development of relevant sectors and raising Hong Kong's international profile. Under the pilot scheme, organisations authorised by relevant government bureaux or departments can issue invitation letters to relevant non-local talents in their sectors. Invited persons may come to Hong Kong and participate in designated short-term activities as visitors without the need to apply for employment visas or entry permits from the Immigration Department (ImmD). Invited non-local talent are talent in shortage or whose participation in designated short-term activities in Hong Kong is conducive to economic development or achieving relevant policy objectives. They may participate in the designated short-term activities for up to 14 consecutive calendar days upon each arrival, and receive remuneration for the designated activities concerned. At present, the scheme covers 12 sectors with a total of some 400 authorised organisations.
      
     For more information on the scheme, please visit the ImmD’s website (www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services/visas/stv.html).