Visa policy brings in more foreigners on short-term jobs and HK$20,000 salaries
About 80 per cent of the foreign nationals granted working visas under Hong Kong’s General Employment Policy (GEP) last year were hired on short-term contracts, while nearly half of successful applicants earned less than HK$20,000 (US$2,564) a month. According to the latest Immigration Department data, 31,278 GEP working visas for foreigners were approved last year. Mainland Chinese residents…
The General Employment Policy (GEP) in Hong Kong has seen a significant increase in the number of foreign nationals granted working visas, with about 80% of successful applicants being hired on short-term contracts. These visas, which numbered 31,278 last year, marked a 2% increase from the previous year, although they fell short of the 40,000 annual level seen in 2018 and 2019.
A notable trend is that 47.5% of the successful applicants earned less than HK$20,000 (US$2,564) per month, a figure that also increased from 64% in 2023. The GEP's new category for creative industry and performing arts services has contributed to this trend, with 2,340 applications approved so far. The influx of short-term workers is seen as beneficial for Hong Kong's economy, particularly in sectors like tourism, catering, retail, and hospitality, driven by the mega-events that attract international visitors.
Brief written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post - Hong Kong's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
