The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

     The Legislative Council (LegCo) Panel on Welfare Services visited the call centre of Care-On-Call Service (call centre) under Senior Citizen Home Safety Association (SCHSA) today (February 8) to learn more about its services.

     During the visit, Members first received a briefing by the representatives of SCHSA on its services, including the 24/7 Care-on-Call Service which provides emergency aid, integrated care, health management and daily living assistance, as well as the EasyHome Services which provides medical escort, home care, house cleaning and rehabilitation services. They went on to exchange views on how to leverage technology and innovative, client-centred approaches to ease the pressure and challenges that come with aging and to facilitate aging in place.

     Members then visited the call centre and Care Call Programme Centre. They also observed the training on EasyHome Services in the Innovation Lab to understand the actual operation of their services. 

     Members who participated in the visit were the Panel Chairman Revd Canon Mr Peter Douglas Koon Ho-ming, Panel members Ms Lam So-wai, Mr Andrew Lam, Mr Chan Pui-leung and Mr Tang Ka-piu; as well as non-Panel members Dr Johnny Ng and Mr Edward Leung.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesperson for Kwong Wah Hospital announces today (February 8) a sentinel event:

     A 51-year-old male patient was admitted to the isolation ward of Kwong Wah Hospital due to shortness of breath on December 16, 2023. He was later transferred to the Intensive Care Unit due to sepsis shock and respiratory failure and required the support of a ventilator. His condition was critical. He was diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis after an investigation. After receiving treatment, he was transferred to the isolation ward at around 2.30pm on February 5 to continue his treatment. The patient was conscious but still required the support of a ventilator. 

     In order to ensure the patient's safety, healthcare staff applied upper limb restrainer to secure the patient on the bed to prevent his body movement from causing disconnection with the ventilator tubes. The healthcare staff then checked the ventilator and other medical equipment and confirmed that they were in normal function, and then left the room at 3.20pm. The healthcare staff later entered the room again at 3.45pm to observe the patient's condition and recorded the ventilator data. There was no abnormalities observed and the staff left at 3.55pm. At 4.40 pm, when the healthcare staff entered the room for medical procedures, the ventilator tubes connected to the patient were found detached. The patient was unresponsive with no pulse. The healthcare staff immediately reconnected the ventilator tubes and performed resuscitation. The patient's pulse recovered and was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit. He is currently in critical condition.

     The hospital is very concerned about the incident and has conducted a review, including the records of the ventilator and the operation of other medical equipment. After a preliminary investigation, it is believed that the ventilator tubes were detached after the healthcare staff left the room due to the movement of the patient. However, the healthcare staff outside the room were unable to note the alert sound from the ventilator immediately as the negative pressure isolation room is equipped with double doors. In addition, there was suspected connection abnormality of the vital index monitoring equipment connected to the patient. Therefore, the healthcare staff at the nurse station was not being alerted when there was abnormality in the patient's condition. 
      
     The hospital has informed the family members explaining the incident. The incident has been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office via the Advance Incident Reporting System. A Root Cause Analysis Panel has been set up to look into the incident and aimed to set out enhanced measures to ascertain the safety of patients using ventilators in the negative pressure isolation room. The panel members are as follows:

Chairperson
Dr Yan Wing-wa           
Consultant, Hyper-baric Oxygen Therapy Centre, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital

Members 
Dr Yeung Yiu-cheong   
Deputy Chief of Service, Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, Princess Margaret Hospital
Dr Helen Yip                 
Consultant, Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, Kwong Wah Hospital
Mr Li Chi-man               
Ward manager, Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, Kwong Wah Hospital 
Ms Terry Ko                   
Department Operation Manager, Department of Medicine, North District Hospital 
Dr Nicole Chau               
Senior Manager (Patient Safety & Risk Management), Hospital Authority

     The panel will complete the investigation and recommend improvement measures within eight weeks. The report will be submitted to the Hospital Authority Head Office.

     The Hospital Authority has also informed the manufacturer of the equipment about the incident and requested the manufacturer to review the case to strengthen patient safety.

     The Director of Immigration, Mr Kwok Joon-fung, held a press conference today (February 8) to review the work of the Immigration Department (ImmD) in the past year and look ahead to the future. The following is a summary of the department's major activities in 2023 and its outlook:
 
Staying committed to its mission   Safeguarding national security
 
     The ImmD has shouldered the responsibility of safeguarding national security with strong determination, guarding tightly the country's southern gateway over immigration matters in accordance with all applicable laws and prevailing immigration policies for the protection of national sovereignty, security and development interests. The ImmD fully supports the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and relevant agencies to improve the legal system and enforcement mechanisms related to national security. Meanwhile, the ImmD strives to build a united and committed immigration service with an affection for the country and Hong Kong, and continues to serve the public with excellence and a people-oriented approach, with a view to contributing to Hong Kong in its critical transition from stability to prosperity.
 
Enhancing efficiency   Facilitating connection and integration
 
(A) Passenger traffic at control points
 
     Given the orderly resumption of normal travel of persons between Hong Kong and the Mainland in phases starting from January 2023, the control points where passenger immigration clearance services had been suspended in response to the pandemic have been reopened. In 2023, a total of around 212 million passengers passed through Hong Kong's control points, representing a rise of 39 times over 2022. The total number of visitor arrivals was around 34 million, representing a rise of 55 times as compared with that of 2022, of which Mainland visitor arrivals were around 26.76 million, representing a rise of 70 times when compared with that of 2022. Meanwhile, the number of arrivals of other visitors in 2023 was around 7.24 million, which was higher than that of 2022 by 31 times. Among the visitor arrivals in 2023, around 6.92 million visitors travelled through the Airport Control Point, while around 25.67 million visitors and around 1.41 million visitors passed through land control points and sea control points respectively. In general, the total number of passengers passing through Hong Kong's control points in 2023 recovered to 70 per cent of that in 2019.
 
(B) Extension of e-Channel service
 
     The ImmD launched the Contactless e-Channel service in 2021 to allow registered Hong Kong residents to undergo self-service immigration clearance using an encrypted QR code generated by the Contactless e-Channel mobile application and facial recognition technology. Starting from July 2023, the e-Channel service has been further extended to foreign domestic helpers, non-local students and imported workers. As at the end of 2023, around 4 million Hong Kong residents had registered for the service and the number of passengers who used the service reached around 47 million, accounting for nearly 45 per cent of the number of passengers who used e-Channels for clearance during the same period. Furthermore, the Flight Token e-Channels service was launched at Hong Kong International Airport in October 2022 to tie in with the full implementation of the Flight Token service by the Airport Authority Hong Kong. Eligible Hong Kong residents using the Flight Token e-Channels service for departure could complete the departure clearance upon identity verification through facial recognition technology and, throughout the process, there is no need to present any documents or QR codes. As at the end of 2023, the number of Hong Kong residents who used the service was around 1.08 million.
 
Attracting talent to create strong impetus for growth
 
     To support the Government's initiatives to attract talent from outside Hong Kong, the ImmD has continued to enhance talent admission schemes. The number of applications under various schemes increased significantly in 2023. The ImmD has deployed additional manpower and streamlined the process to speed up the processing of relevant applications. Meanwhile, technology was also utilised to enhance electronic services, making the submission of visa applications more convenient and efficient. (For details of the numbers of applications for visas/entry permits/extension of stay received and approved under various admission schemes/policies, please refer to the Annex.)
 
(A) Attracting and retaining talent
 
(1) Suspension of annual quota under Quality Migrant Admission Scheme and revision of scoring scheme
 
     The annual quota under the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS) has been suspended since 2023 for a period of two years. The point-scoring scheme of the QMAS has also been revised to place a greater emphasis on the applicants' work experience. Under the General Points Test (GPT), applicants with not less than three years of work experience in multinational companies or reputable enterprises will be awarded 20 additional points.
 
(2) Expanding Talent List
 
     The Government announced in May 2023 the expanded Talent List, with its coverage increased from 13 professions to 51, which were immediately applicable to the QMAS, the General Employment Policy (GEP) and the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals (ASMTP). Under the QMAS, eligible applicants who meet the requirements of respective professions on the list will be awarded 30 bonus points under the GPT to stand a better chance of getting approval. Furthermore, employers recruiting talent under the GEP and the ASMTP to fill vacancies falling within the professions on the list are not required to provide proof to substantiate their difficulties in local recruitment. Instead, they can make visa applications directly, thus shortening their time for recruiting outside talent.
 
(3) Expanding list of universities under Top Talent Pass Scheme
 
     To attract high-income talent and graduates from the world's top universities to come to Hong Kong for development, the HKSAR Government launched the Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) at the end of 2022. With effect from November 2023, the list of eligible universities under the TTPS has added eight top institutions from the Mainland and overseas. There are currently 185 eligible institutions on the list.
 
(4) Relaxation of employment restrictions on full-time non-local postgraduate students
 
     With effect from November 2023, the restrictions on taking up part-time jobs for full-time non-local postgraduate students have been relaxed on a trial basis for two years. Eligible students who have been approved to come to Hong Kong to study in full-time locally-accredited local programmes at the postgraduate level would be allowed to take up employment without restrictions on workplace or the number of working hours within the duration of their studies.
 
(5) Relaxation of entry arrangements for nationals of Vietnam, Laos and Nepal
 
     With effect from October 2023, the ImmD relaxed the visa policy in respect of employment for Vietnamese talent and the criteria for Vietnamese applying for multiple‑journey visit visa to come to Hong Kong to facilitate their visit for business and travel purposes. Meanwhile, Laotian and Nepalese talent has also been allowed to come to Hong Kong for employment, training and study in full-time locally accredited local programmes at undergraduate or above level offered by the University Grants Committee-funded institutions.
 
(B) Importation of labour in shortage
 
     In June 2023, the HKSAR Government launched the Special Scheme to Import Care Workers for Residential Care Homes to allow operators of residential care homes having difficulties in recruiting suitable care workers locally to import care workers, with the quota capped at 7 000, including 4 000 plus care workers approved under the Supplementary Labour Scheme (SLS) who are working in Hong Kong. In addition, the HKSAR Government introduced in July 2023 the sector-specific labour importation schemes to allow employers of the construction and the transport sectors (including the aviation industry and the public light bus/coach trade) to apply for quotas for the importation of labour subject to fulfilment of the specified parameters, comprising 12 000 for the construction sector and 8 000 for the transport sector, of which 6 300 were for the aviation industry and 1 700 for the public light bus/coach trade. In September 2023, the HKSAR Government launched the Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme, including suspending the general exclusion of 26 job categories as well as unskilled/low-skilled posts from the SLS for two years. The ImmD also relaxed the limit of stay of imported workers to a maximum of 24 months.
 
Be people-oriented   Address people's concerns and difficulties
 
(A) Conclusion of Territory-wide Identity Card Replacement Exercise
  
     The Territory-wide Identity Card Replacement Exercise commenced in 2018 and ended on March 3, 2023. As at the end date, the ImmD had issued a total of more than 8 million new smart identity cards, of which around 6.84 million were issued under the Replacement Exercise. Moreover, upon the conclusion of the Replacement Exercise, the Service Teams of On-site Identity Card Replacement Service, which have once been suspended due to the pandemic, resumed to visit residential care homes (RCHs) for completing the replacement procedure for all eligible residents. As at the end of 2023, the Service Teams had visited over 700 RCHs to complete the replacement procedure for over 34 100 residents. The ImmD will continue to closely monitor the replacement progress of members of the public and the HKSAR Government will announce the arrangements to declare the old form of smart identity card invalid at an appropriate time.
 
(B) Arrangements for services in response to surging demand for identity card application and collection
 
     With the conclusion of the Replacement Exercise and the cessation of operation of the Smart Identity Card Replacement Centres, a significant number of residents outside Hong Kong gradually returning to Hong Kong upon the resumption of normal travel, and the soaring number of first-time applications for identity cards arising from the Government's introduction of various initiatives for attracting talent and the importation of labour, there was an upsurge in demand for the identity card application services at the Registration of Persons (ROP) Offices. Therefore, the ImmD launched numerous measures to boost the capacity of processing identity card applications. The average weekly processing capacity rose from about 10 000 applications before the pandemic to about 25 000 applications, representing an increase of 1.5 times. Moreover, starting from March 2023, the ImmD has unprecedentedly extended the service hours of four ROP Offices to 10pm. In addition, the ROP – Hong Kong Office launched Special Service Days on two public holidays in April 2023 to process all kinds of identity card applications, while the available booking period of identity card application at all ROP Offices was also extended to 96 working days in the same month. In November 2023, the ImmD further established the ROP – Kwun Tong (Temporary) Office and adjusted the scope of services of other ROP Offices to meet the surging demand for application and collection of identity cards.
 
(C) Responding to demand for travel document services
 
     With the gradual resumption of normalcy in society, the ImmD received a total of more than 1.45 million HKSAR passport applications in 2023, which has doubled the annual total figure before the pandemic. Over 195 000 applications were recorded in the single month of March. Both the numbers of applications for the whole year or by month reached record highs since the ImmD commenced the issuance of HKSAR passports in July 1997. To meet the public demand for application for and collection of HKSAR passports, the service hours of individual offices in various districts were extended according to the actual circumstances of any working days for the processing of all passport issuance and related work. Some Immigration Divisions of Mainland Offices also provided outreach services by deploying officers to Liaison Units, local schools or chambers of commerce in different cities within their service area to assist Hong Kong residents residing on the Mainland for application submission and collection of travel documents. In early 2023, the ImmD also made special arrangements for cross-boundary students to apply for re-entry permits through their schools. Seven Immigration branch offices also set up temporary designated counters from July to September for accepting and preliminarily processing all re-entry permit applications without setting any service quota. In view of the increased demand for travel document collection services during summer holidays, all document-handling offices under the ImmD provided additional special service sessions for the collection of travel documents on two consecutive Saturdays (i.e. July 15 and 22, 2023) to enable members of the public to collect their new travel documents.
 
(D) Introduction of electronic services for registration of births and deaths
 
     The Births and Deaths Registration (Amendment) Ordinance 2023 came into effect on March 31, 2023. The Amendment Ordinance extended the statutory time limit for the registration of deaths from natural causes from 24 hours to 14 days. It also removed the requirement for applicants for the registration of births and deaths to attend the registries in person. On the day the Amendment Ordinance was enacted, the ImmD concurrently introduced new electronic services for online registration of births and deaths. Eligible informants may complete the registration of births or deaths entirely online and choose to receive the relevant certificates by post. From December 15, 2023, onwards, informants may also opt to collect the relevant certificates in person at any registries they select.
 
(E) Granting of visa-free access for HKSAR passport holders
 
     In 2023, Malaysia, the Republic of Albania and the Republic of Uganda extended the period of visa-free entry for HKSAR passport holders to 90 days. The Republic of Angola, Georgia and the Kyrgyz Republic also agreed to grant HKSAR passport holders visa-free access for a stay of up to 30 days. As at the end of 2023, 171 countries or territories had granted visa-free access or visa-on-arrival for HKSAR passport holders. The ImmD will continue to lobby more countries or territories to grant visa-free access or visa-on-arrival for HKSAR passport holders to provide travel convenience.
 
(F) Services and support for Hong Kong residents in distress outside Hong Kong
 
     The ImmD's Assistance to Hong Kong Residents Unit (AHU) has been making every effort to provide practical assistance to Hong Kong residents in distress outside Hong Kong. The AHU maintains close ties with the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (OCMFA) in the HKSAR, Chinese diplomatic and consular missions overseas and other relevant HKSAR government departments to provide all practicable help and support to assistance seekers. In 2023, the AHU handled 3 035 requests for assistance in total, most of which involved loss of travel documents, hospitalisation, casualties, etc, outside Hong Kong. In February 2023, the HKSAR Government sent a rescue team including two ImmD officers to the quake-stricken areas in Türkiye to take part in the earthquake rescue mission. This was the first overseas rescue operation conducted since the establishment of the HKSAR. In October 2023, the AHU received 59 requests for assistance from Hong Kong residents in relation to the heightened tensions between Palestine and Israel. The AHU not only liaised with airlines to secure flight bookings for Hong Kong residents to leave as soon as possible, but also maintained close liaison with the OCMFA, the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the State of Israel, the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Office of the People's Republic of China to the State of Palestine to share information on transportation arrangements for leaving the area by sea, land and air. The AHU also rendered assistance to the Hong Kong residents concerned based on their wishes. Eventually, all assistance seekers left or took flights to return to Hong Kong safely.
 
(G) Grand Award of The Ombudsman's Awards for Public Organisations
 
     In 2023, the Department won the Grand Award of The Ombudsman's Awards for Public Organisations under the Ombudsman's Awards Scheme. This was the sixth time that the ImmD had been awarded this honour, an achievement surpassing all others over the years in terms of high frequency of winning the Grand Award. The Ombudsman's Award was a recognition of the department's professionalism in complaint handling and devotion to providing quality services for the public, in particular its continuous provision of flexible, efficient and people-oriented public services amid the surge in demand for various services in early 2023.
 
Stringent law enforcement  Securing social stability
 
(A) Law Enforcement
 
(1) Combating illegal employment
 
     In 2023, the ImmD conducted a total of 17 248 operations against illegal employment, including those against illegal workers who were non-ethnic Chinese illegal immigrants or non-refoulement claimants and their employers. Over the year, 2 924 illegal workers and 502 local employers in total were arrested. As for the enforcement operations against non-ethnic Chinese illegal workers, a total of 628 non-ethnic Chinese illegal workers and 250 local employers were arrested.
 
(2) Detection of bogus marriages
 
     The ImmD's special task force carried out enforcement action against non-Hong Kong residents obtaining residency by means of contracting bogus marriages with Hong Kong residents. The special task force gathered intelligence through various means and conducted in-depth investigation into each suspected case. In the two large-scale enforcement operations codenamed "Flashspear", two bogus marriage syndicates were smashed and three masterminds arrested. As of 2023, a total of 30 persons, including the three masterminds, were convicted of offences involving bogus marriages and sentenced to imprisonment for a term ranging from nine to 36 months. The operation is ongoing and more persons may be arrested.
 
(3) Counter-terrorism investigation and combating illegal transnational migration and document fraud
  
     Officers of the ImmD intercepted suspicious persons at immigration control points in the light of terrorist threat assessments and actual circumstances, and kept visitors in suspected association with terrorist activities under surveillance, so as to prevent such persons from attempting to enter Hong Kong. In 2023, the ImmD conducted a total of 13 370 related inspection operations at various immigration control points, and intercepted 20 811 passengers in total for enquiries. Moreover, the ImmD has been working with different law enforcement agencies to combat illegal transnational migration, with the focus on investigation into document fraud, in order to prevent anyone from entering Hong Kong or travelling to other countries or territories via Hong Kong with forged travel documents. The ImmD's Anti-Illegal Migration Agency conducted a total of 28 137 operations against forgery activities, including joint operations with overseas and local law enforcement agencies against illegal transnational migration. A total of 23 464 passengers were intercepted for enquiries.
 
(B) Handling non-refoulement claims
 
(1) Combating illegal entry of non-ethnic Chinese
 
     The ImmD has commenced dedicated operations with the Mainland and local law enforcement agencies since 2016 in order to take sustained enforcement action against illegal immigration activities of non-ethnic Chinese. In response to the illegal immigration of non-ethnic Chinese into Hong Kong in the second half of 2023, the ImmD mounted two joint enforcement operations codenamed "Mungoshunt-3" with the Guangdong law enforcement agencies in November 2023. During the operations, over 200 persons were arrested in Guangdong and Hong Kong, of whom most were non-ethnic Chinese illegal immigrants (NECIIs). About 20 arrangers were also arrested in the operations. After ongoing efforts of the ImmD with other law enforcement units, the number of NECIIs intercepted in December 2023 declined by about 74 per cent from the peak in October 2023.
 
(2) Stepping up screening process
  
     The ImmD has speeded up the screening of non-refoulement claims with enhancement of screening procedures and flexible deployment of manpower. In 2023, the ImmD determined over 1 400 non-refoulement claims. As at the end of last year, there were about 850 claims pending screening by the ImmD. Under the unified screening mechanism, over 95 per cent of the claimants rejected by the ImmD lodged appeals against the decisions. As at the end of 2023, there were about 1 050 claimants who had lodged appeals pending decision by the Torture Claims Appeal Board/Non-refoulement Claims Petition Office.
 
(3) Better management of detainees
 
     To strengthen various treatments of detainees at the Castle Peak Bay Immigration Centre (CIC) as well as striking an appropriate balance between upholding discipline and order at the CIC and the fundamental rights and welfare of the detainees, the Immigration (Treatment of Detainees) Order (Cap. 115E) governing the treatment of detainees at the CIC was amended and came into effect on November 1, 2023. The amendments include: empowering the relevant officers at the CIC to conduct body cavity search on a detainee where reasonable and necessary, and to require a detainee to submit urine specimen for examination and analysis for the purpose of assisting in the detection of drug possession and trafficking among the detainees; providing for more comprehensive offences against discipline; increasing the punishment for committing an offence against discipline; and putting in place an appeal mechanism against the punishment order. Moreover, with effect from May 18, 2023, the Nei Kwu Correctional Institution was included as a place of detention of the ImmD, thereby increasing the overall detention capacity by around one-third from 660 to 900. 
 
(4) Enhancing efficiency of removing unsubstantiated claimants
  
     The ImmD has been committed to promptly removing unsubstantiated non-refoulement claimants from Hong Kong. The number of removals in 2023 increased substantially by 63 per cent when compared with that in 2022. Under the updated removal policy effective from December 7, 2022, the ImmD may generally proceed with the removal of a claimant whose judicial review case has been dismissed by the Court of First Instance of the High Court, thereby enhancing the efficiency of and efforts in removing unsubstantiated claimants. Since the implementation of the policy till the end of 2023, the ImmD removed a total of 1 851 claimants from Hong Kong, including 215 claimants who were removed under the updated removal policy. Furthermore, the ImmD signed the Memorandum of Understanding with the Immigration Department of Vietnam in August 2023 to further enhance co-operation in respect of verification and repatriation of Vietnamese illegal immigrants.
  
Nurturing young people  Strengthening patriotic teams
 
(A) Hong Kong will prosper only when its young people thrive
 
(1) Immigration Department Youth Leaders Corps
 
     The ImmD formed the Immigration Department Youth Leaders Corps (IDYL) to provide systematic and regular disciplinary and leadership training for members by sending dedicated training officers to schools, and to build lasting relationships with a view to nurturing them to become pillars of society who love the country and Hong Kong. In 2023, the IDYL established the post-secondary student team "IDYL Plus" to enable members who have been admitted to post-secondary institutes to be experienced leaders to pass the values of the IDYL and their personal experiences to younger members. As at the end of 2023, a total of over 750 students from 24 secondary schools participated in the IDYL. To mark the 10th anniversary of the IDYL in 2023, the ImmD organised two highlight events, including a summer exchange tour to the Greater Bay Area in July, and the 10th Anniversary Grand Parade reviewed by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, in December.
 
(2) Immigration Department Youth Ambassador Programme
 
     The ImmD launched the Immigration Department Youth Ambassador Programme in November 2023 and appointed eight Hong Kong students who are currently studying in Beijing as Youth Ambassadors. The Programme aims to identify and nurture more young talent who are committed individuals with aspirations and a willingness to strive for the future of the country and Hong Kong, so as to assemble a youth force that demonstrates their love for the country and Hong Kong. During the one-year term, the appointed Youth Ambassadors will receive diversified training offered by the ImmD to gain an in-depth understanding of the operations of the HKSAR Government and the scope of work of the ImmD, laying solid groundwork for their different future positions in society. Meanwhile, the Youth Ambassadors will tell the good stories of Hong Kong and assist the ImmD in disseminating its information and latest developments through their own social networks, and act as a bridge of communication between the ImmD and young people as well as Hong Kong residents on the Mainland. 
 
(B) Staff training and continuous development
 
(1) Recruitment of service members
 
     The ImmD launched a new round of in-service appointment and open recruitment of Immigration Officers in June 2023, while the open recruitment of Immigration Assistants continued to be conducted all year round. During the recruitment exercises in 2023, the department recruited about 140 Immigration Officers and 260 Immigration Assistants.
 
(2) National studies
 
     In order to consolidate the concept of national security among young Immigration Officers, deepen their understanding of the history and development of the motherland as well as enhancing their knowledge of the country's immigration regime, with the staunch support of the Ministry of Public Security and the China People's Police University, the ImmD organised the first National Affairs and Immigration Control Training Course for Immigration Officer Trainees in October 2023 at the Guangzhou Campus of the China People's Police University, with participation of 103 Immigration Officer Trainees. Following the full resumption of normal travel between Hong Kong and the Mainland, Mainland study programmes for the ImmD service members were also resumed. In 2023, arrangements were made for a total of 138 service members to attend training courses in various Mainland institutes, such as the China People's Police University, the China Foreign Affairs University and the First Standing Force of the National Immigration Administration.

Relocation of headquarters with service enhancements

(A) New headquarters in Tseung Kwan O

     The construction of the new ImmD headquarters in Tseung Kwan O was completed in September 2023 and the building has already been handed over to the ImmD. It is currently at the final stage of installation and testing of building facilities and information systems. The ImmD scheduled to relocate offices and facilities concerned to the new headquarters in phases starting from March 2024, and the new headquarters will officially commence operations and provide services to the public starting from June 11, 2024. In view of the launch of the new headquarters, certain counter services and arrangements will be reorganised, and the relevant adjustments will be announced in due course. The completion of the new headquarters for the ImmD marks an important milestone in its development, providing the department with better facilities and infrastructure to deliver higher-quality public services to citizens.

(B) New submission and collection kiosks for personal documentation

     The new Personal Documentation Submission Kiosks (PDSKs) and Personal Documentation Collection Kiosks (PDCKs) will be set up at the new headquarters to further leverage technology for enhancing the capacity in processing identity card applications. The current Travel Document Submission Kiosks allow members of the public to submit their applications for HKSAR passports, while the new PDSKs will integrate the functions of submitting applications for identity cards (ICs) and HKSAR passports. Eligible applicants may submit their applications in a fully automated manner to have their ICs replaced. Furthermore, they can submit their HKSAR passport applications in one go. Regarding the collection of documents, members of the public can collect both ICs and HKSAR passports in a fully automated manner using the new PDCKs. In the future, the department will continue to provide a better user experience for the public in using the services, so that they will be able to apply for or collect documents using the self-service kiosks outside office hours.

(C) Upgrading infrastructure of boundary control points

     To tie in with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development blueprint and facilitate smooth and efficient people and cargo flows within the area, the HKSAR Government has been forging ahead with a series of measures to further enhance the capacity of control points and the clearance efficiency, with the redevelopment of the Huanggang Port as one of the key projects. Upon the redevelopment of the port, the implementation of the "co-location arrangement" and the adoption of a new clearance mode of "collaborative inspection and joint clearance" will be explored. Automatic channels and counters for both the HKSAR and Shenzhen will then be set up at the boundary line of the two territories, so that visitors only need to queue up once to complete the respective immigration procedures. The ImmD will continue to maintain close liaison with the authorities of both Hong Kong and the Mainland in doing all the preparatory work.

(D) Implementation of new Capital Investment Entrant Scheme and Vocational Professionals Admission Scheme

     To facilitate the HKSAR Government's measures for attracting and retaining talent, the ImmD will implement the new Capital Investment Entrant Scheme and the Vocational Professionals Admission Scheme in 2024. The ImmD will continue to adopt an open policy of attracting talent and promote various talent admission schemes in collaboration with relevant organisations to support the long-term economic development of Hong Kong.

(E) Enhancement of 1868 hotline system

     To step up its services and support for Hong Kong residents in distress outside Hong Kong, the ImmD upgraded the 1868 System in December 2023. Upon the upgrade, the system has provided new functions such as speech recognition, automatic transcription and a knowledge base to assist officers in handling requests for assistance more effectively. The ImmD is planning to introduce advanced functions to the system and provide additional communication channels in the first quarter of 2024, including instant messaging in the Hong Kong Immigration Mobile Application and the 1868 assistance hotline in the ImmD's WeChat official account.

(F) Commencement of study of Fourth Information Systems Strategy (ISS-4)

     To further work in tandem with the HKSAR Government's smart city initiative and proactively seize the opportunities of innovative technology and artificial intelligence technology, the ImmD will commission a consultant to embark on a new round of review and formulate the ISS-4 as the department's long-term information technology development blueprint. The ImmD will continue to endeavour to make better use of innovative technology in different areas of work and promote digitalisation of the HKSAR Government's services with the aim of providing more professional and quality services to members of the public.

　　Police will implement special traffic arrangements in various districts to facilitate the public to celebrate the festive season.

Hong Kong Island
—————-

     The following special traffic arrangements will be implemented by phases on February 9, until the roads are safe for re-opening:

A.    Roads closure

     The following roads will be closed:

From 8am onwards:

– Electric Road between Lau Li Street and Hing Fat Street, except for vehicles accessing to Park Towers car park;
– Hing Fat Street between Causeway Road and Lau Li Street, except for franchised buses and green minibuses (GMBs);
– Lau Li Street between Hing Fat Street and Ngan Mok Street; and
– Part of the traffic lanes of Electric Road between Gordon Road and Yacht Street.

From 4pm onwards:

– Sugar Street; and
– Northbound Gloucester Road between Causeway Road and Great George Street.

From 5pm onwards:

– Cleveland Street;
– Paterson Street;
– Kingston Street;
– Great George Street between Paterson Street and Gloucester Road; and
– Jardine’s Bazaar.

From 7pm onwards, except for franchised buses, GMBs and trams:

– Eastbound Hennessy Road between Percival Street and East Point Road;
– Yee Wo Street;
– The leftmost lane of Pennington Street between Irving Street and Yee Wo Street;
– Eastbound Causeway Road between King’s Road and Moreton Terrace;
– Westbound Hennessy Road between Jardine’s Bazaar and Percival Street;and
– Irving Street.

From 8pm onwards:

– Lockhart Road east of Percival Street;
– Jaffe Road east of Percival Street;
– Cannon Street; and
-  Shelter Street.

From 9pm onwards:

– The leftmost lane of westbound Causeway Road between King’s Road (near Queen’s College) and Tung Lo Wan Road (near St. Paul’s Convent School);
– Southbound Gloucester Road between the down ramp of Victoria Park Road Flyover and Causeway Road;
– Southbound Tai Hang Road Flyover;
– Northbound Causeway Bay Flyover; and
– Hing Fat Street between Causeway Road and Lau Li Street, except for franchised buses and GMBs.

B.    Traffic diversions

     In connection with the road closure as mentioned above, the following traffic diversions will be implemented:

From 5pm onwards:

     Lau Li Street between Electric Road and Hing Fat Street will be re-routed one-way westbound and closed to public light buses.

From 9pm onwards:

– Vehicles heading for southbound Tai Hang Road Flyover will be diverted to eastbound Victoria Park Road, Wing Hing Street and King’s Road; and
– Vehicles heading for northbound Tai Hang Road Flyover to Central will be diverted to Tung Lo Wan Road, Moreton Terrace and Leighton Road.

C.    Pedestrian precincts

     The following road section will be designated as pedestrian precinct from 4pm on February 9 to 7am of the following day:

– Lockhart Road east of Cannon Street;
– East Point Road; and
– Great George Street west of Paterson Street.

D.    Prohibition to learner drivers
 
     Learner drivers cannot use the following roads from 4pm on February 9 to 8am of the following day:

– Leighton Road;
– Tin Lok Lane;
– Caroline Hill Road;
– Eastern Hospital Road;
– Tai Hang Road north of Lai Tak Tsuen Road;
– Tung Lo Wan Road;
– Electric Road south of Gordon Road;
– Morrison Hill Road north of Queen’s Road East;
– Hennessy Road;
– Yee Wo Street;
– Causeway Road;
– King’s Road;
– Gloucester Road Service Road;
– Hing Fat Street;
– Westbound Tin Hau Temple Road west of Cloud View Road; and
– Eastbound Wan Chai Road.

E.    Suspension of parking spaces and car parks

     All on-street parking spaces on the following roads will be suspended from 2pm on February 9 to 8am of the following day:

– Hing Fat Street between Causeway Road and Lau Li Street;
– Lau Li Street between Hing Fat Street and Ngan Mok Street;
– Electric Road between Gordon Street and Yacht Street;
– Tung Lo Wan Road;
– Lockhart Road between Canal Road East and Cannon Street; and
– Jaffe Road between Canal Road East and Cannon Street.

     All parking spaces at Hing Fat Street Public Car Park will be suspended from 8am on February 9 to 8am of the following day, except for disabled parking spaces.

     During the road closure period, all vehicles will not be permitted to enter or leave the car parks at the above closed area, until the roads are safe for re-opening.

F.    Suspension of Tin Hau Public Transport Interchange

     Tin Hau Station Public Transport Interchange will be suspended from 6pm on February 9.

Kowloon
——–

(1)    Wong Tai Sin Morse Park

     The following special traffic arrangements will be implemented from 5pm on February 9 to 7am of the following day:

A.    Road closure

– The eastern egress of Ching Tak Street public light bus and taxi stands near Wong Tai Sin Government Primary School will be closed. Vehicles will be required to use the western egress and turn left to westbound Ching Tak Street for leaving; and
– Depending on traffic conditions, Ching Tak Street between Lung Cheung Road and Tung Tau Tsuen Road may be closed, vehicles will be diverted to Shatin Pass Road or Junction Road.

B.    Traffic Control

– The Police will implement no-stopping restriction in the vicinity of Morse Park No. 3 including Ching Tak Street, Tung Tau Tsuen Road, Shatin Pass Road, Fung Mo Street, Fu Mei Street, Wang Tau Hom East Road, Wang Tau Hom South Road and Wang Tau Hom Central Road; and
– Depending on traffic conditions, vehicles may be prohibited to turn left from westbound Lung Cheung Road to southbound Ching Tak Street and southbound Fung Mo Street, vehicles will be diverted to Lung Yin Road.

(2)    Wong Tai Sin Temple

     The following special traffic arrangements will be implemented from February 9 to February 26 to facilitate traffic and crowd control at Wong Tai Sin Temple during
the Lunar New Year:

A.    Road closure

     The following roads will be closed from 7am on February 9 to 00.01am on February 26:

– Shatin Pass Road between Lung Cheung Road and Fung Tak Road, except for GMBs and designated vehicles; and
– The unnamed road connecting Wong Tai Sin Temple and Wong Tai Sin Road, except for designated vehicles.

B.    Traffic Control

     All vehicles will be prohibited from parking or waiting at Wong Tai Sin Road (both directions) between Shatin Pass Road and Nga Chuk Street from 7am on February 9 to 00.01 am on February 26.

C.    Suspension of Car Park

     Wong Tai Sin Car Park will be suspended from 00.01am on February 9 to 11.59pm on February 13 and from 00.01am on February 23 to 11.59pm on February 25.

(3)    Cheung Sha Wan

     All metered parking spaces in Hang Cheung Street will be suspended from 8am on February 7 to 7am on February 10.

(4)    Sham Shui Po

     Depending on traffic and crowd conditions, the following special traffic arrangements will be implemented from 11am to noon on February 11:

A.    Road closure

     The following roads will be closed:

– Wong Chuk Street between Yu Chau Street and Cheung Sha Wan Road;
– Apliu Street between Nam Cheong Street and Wong Chuk Street;
– Southbound Nam Cheong Street between Cheung Sha Wan Road and Hai Tan Street;
– Hai Tan Street between Nam Cheong Street and Boundary Street;
– Boundary Street between Hai Tan Street and Yee Kuk Street;
– Yee Kuk Street between Boundary Street and Shek Kip Mei Street; and
– Shek Kip Mei Street between Yee Kuk Street and Apliu Street.

B.    Traffic diversions

     Vehicles heading for southbound Nam Cheong Street and southbound Shek Kip Mei Street will be diverted via southbound Yen Chow Street and eastbound Lai Chi Kok Road.

(5)    Mong Kok Fa Hui Park

     The following parking spaces will be suspended from 8am on February 8 to 8am on February 10:

– Metered parking spaces on Tong Yam Street (meter no. 9607 and 9608);
– All metered and motorcycle parking spaces on Duke Street between Embankment Road and Knight Street;
– All motorcycle parking spaces on Knight Street near its junction with Duke Street;
– Metered parking space on Belfran Road (meter no. 13413); and
– All metered parking spaces on Lincoln Road between Cumberland Road and Waterloo Road.

(6)    Kwun Tong Recreation Ground

A.    Road closure

     Kai Lim Road will be closed from 8pm on February 7 to 4am of the following day, from 3pm on February 8 to 4am of the following day, and from 3pm on February 9 to 4am of the following day.

     Fuk Ning Road and Fuk Tong Road will be closed from 3pm on February 8 to 4am of the following day and from 3pm on February 9 to 4am of the following day.

B.    Suspension of parking spaces

     The metered parking spaces, motorcycle parking spaces and disabled parking space on Kai Lim Road will be suspended from 8am on February 7 to 4am on February 10.

(7)    Kwun Tong Hoi Bun Road

A.    Suspension of pick-up/drop-off area

     The general pick-up/drop-off area on westbound Hoi Bun Road near D J Building will be suspended from 10am to 10pm on February 11.

B.    Suspension of parking spaces

     The following parking spaces will be suspended from 10am to 10pm on February 11:
– The metered, motorcycle and disabled parking spaces on westbound Hoi Bun Road near Hoi Bun Road Park; and
– The metered parking spaces on westbound Hoi Bun Road near D J Building.

New Territories
—————

(1)    Tsuen Wan

A.    Road closure

     The following roads will be closed from 3pm to 5am of the following day daily on February 8 and February 9:

– Kai Hong Close;
– Kai Chi Close; and
– Hoi Pa Street between its junction with Lo Tak Court and Tai Ho Road.

B.    Suspension of parking spaces

     The motorcycle parking spaces at Kai Hong Close will be suspended from 3pm to 5am of the following day daily on February 8 and February 9.

(2)    Sheung Shui

A.    Pedestrian precincts

    The following road sections will be designated as pedestrian precincts from 11am to 7pm daily on February 8 and February 9:

– San Kung Street; and
– San Hong Street between Tsun Fu Street and Fu Hing Street.

    During the implementation of the pedestrian precincts, all vehicles will be prohibited from entering the above roads, except for vehicles with permit.

B.    Road closure

    To facilitate the Lunar New Year Fair at Shek Wu Hui in Sheung Shui, the following roads will be closed from 6pm on February 9 to 4am of the following day, except for vehicles with permit:

– San Lok Street, except for access to Pearl Vista;
– San Tsoi Street; and
– Fu Hing Street between San Hong Street and San Tsoi Street.

C.    Suspension of parking spaces

– The metered parking spaces (meter no. 25343A/B, 25342 A/B, 25341A and 25344B) at San Hong Street will be suspended from 11am to 7pm daily on February 8 and February 9; and
– The motorcycle parking spaces on San Lok Street will be suspended from 6pm on February 9 to 4am of the following day.

(3)    Tuen Mun

A.    Road closure

     The following roads will be intermittently closed from 6pm to 3am of the following day on February 8 and 6pm to 7am of the following day on February 9, except for vehicles with permit:

– Tin Hau Road;
– San Hop Lane;
– Hung Cheung Road from its junction with Tin Hau Road to its southern junction with San Ping Circuit;
– Southbound Hung Cheung Road between its northern and southern junction with San Ping Circuit;
– San On Street from its southern junction with Hung Cheung Road to a point about 50 metres north of the same junction; and
– Hing Wong Street from its junction with Hung Cheung Road to a point about 50 metres north of the same junction.

B.    Cycle tracks closure

     The cycle track along the western riverside of Tuen Mun River Channel between Pui To Road and Yau Oi Bridge will be closed from 6pm to 3am of the following day on February 8 and 6pm to 7am of the following day on February 9.

C.    Traffic diversions

     The following traffic diversions will be intermittently implemented from 6pm to 3am of the following day on February 8 and 6pm to 7am of the following day on February 9, except for vehicles with permit:

– Traffic along Yip Wong Road cannot turn to northbound Tin Hau Road;
– Traffic along southbound Tin Hau Road cannot turn to Hung Cheung Road; and
– Hung Cheung Road between its northern and southern junction with San Ping Circuit will be re-routed one-way northbound.

D.    Suspension parking spaces

     The overnight on-street parking spaces on the following roads will be suspended from 8pm to 3am of the following day on February 8 and 8pm to 7am of the
following day on February 9, except for vehicles with permit:

– Tin Hau Road; and
– Hung Cheung Road from its junction with Tin Hau Road to its southern junction with San Ping Circuit.

(4) Kwai Tsing

     The metered parking spaces and disabled parking spaces at Ko Fong Street will be suspended from 2pm on February 8 to 8am on February 10.

(5)    Tai Po

     The cycle track on Ting Kok Road between Ting Tai Road and On Chee Road will be closed from 6pm on February 9 to 6am on February 10.

(6)    Sha Tin

     The following traffic diversions will be implemented from 6pm on February 8 to 3am of the following day and 6pm on February 9 to 5am of the following day, except for vehicles with permit:

– Fung Shun Street between Wo Che Street and Tak Hau Street will be re-routed one-way northbound, vehicles will be diverted via eastbound Tak Hau Street, southbound Yuen Wo Road and westbound Wo Che Street; and
– Traffic along Tak Hau Street cannot go straight to Sha Tin Sports Ground Carpark.

(7) Tseung Kwan O

     The parking spaces on Wan Lung Road will be suspended from 7am on February 8 to 7am on February 10.

(8) Land Crossings

     24-hour passenger clearance service at the Shenzhen Bay Control Point will be provided from 6.30am on February 9 to midnight on February 14.

     The following special land crossing arrangements will be implemented from midnight on February 10 to 6.30am on February 14:

– Only cross-boundary private cars issued with permits for the Lok Ma Chau/Huanggang Control Point are allowed to cross the Lok Ma Chau/Huanggang Control Point; and
– Cross-boundary private cars issued with permits for the Control Points of Lok Ma Chau/Huanggang, Shenzhen Bay, Man Kam To and Sha Tau Kok can use the Shenzhen Bay Port.

     Police will continue traffic enforcement action during the Lunar New Year period. All vehicles parked illegally during the implementation of the above special traffic arrangements will be towed away without prior warning, and may be subject to multiple ticketing.  

     Actual implementation of traffic arrangements will be made depending on traffic and crowd conditions in the areas. Members of the public are advised to exercise tolerance and patience and take heed of instructions of the Police on site.

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (February 8) investigating a case of invasive meningococcal infection, a communicable disease transmitted by direct contact with droplets from carriers or infected persons.

     The case involves a 76-year-old male with underlying diseases, who presented with fever and malaise since February 6. He visited North Lantau Hospital on the same day and was admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital for treatment. His clinical diagnosis was meningococcaemia. The patient is now in stable condition. His blood sample tested positive for Neisseria meningitidis upon laboratory testing.

      Initial enquiries revealed that the patient had no travel history during the incubation period. His household contacts have remained asymptomatic so far. The CHP's investigation is continuing.

     "Meningococcal infection is caused by a bacterium known as meningococcus. It is mainly transmitted by direct contact through respiratory secretions, including droplets from the nose and throat, from infected persons. The incubation period varies from two to 10 days, and is commonly three or four days," a spokesman for the CHP said.

     The clinical pictures among the infected may vary. Severe illness may result when the bacteria invade the bloodstream (meningococcaemia) or the membranes that envelop the brain and spinal cord (meningococcal meningitis).

     Meningococcaemia is characterised by a sudden onset of fever, intense headache, purpura, shock and even death in severe cases. Meningococcal meningitis is characterised by high fever, severe headache and a stiff neck followed by drowsiness, vomiting, fear of bright light, or a rash. It can cause brain damage or even death. The brain damage may lead to intellectual impairment, mental retardation, hearing loss and electrolyte imbalance. Invasive meningococcal infection can be complicated by arthritis, inflammation of the heart muscle, inflammation of the posterior chamber of the eye or chest infection.

     Meningococcal infection is a serious illness. Patients should be treated promptly with antibiotics.

     To prevent meningococcal infection, members of the public are advised to take heed of the following measures:
 

• Wash hands with liquid soap and water properly, especially when they are dirtied by respiratory secretions, e.g. after sneezing, and clean hands with alcohol-based handrub when they are not visibly soiled;
• Cover the nose and mouth while sneezing or coughing, hold the spit with a tissue, dispose of nasal and mouth discharge in a lidded rubbish bin, and wash hands immediately;
• Avoid crowded places;
• Avoid close contact with patients who have a fever or severe headache;
• Travellers to high-risk areas may consult doctors for meningococcal vaccination; and
• Travellers returning from high-risk areas should seek medical advice if they become ill, and should discuss their recent travel history with their doctor.

     The public may visit the CHP's website for more information on meningococcal infection.