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…
In the latest Immigration Department statistics, about 80% of the 31,278 working visas granted to foreigners under Hong Kong's General Employment Policy last year were for short-term contracts. Nearly half of the successful applicants earned less than HK$20,000, or approximately US$2,564, per month. The number of approved GEP visas has been steadily increasing, reaching a peak of 4,517 in the first half of the year, with 68.6% of those positions being short-term.
The creative industry and performing arts services category, introduced in April 2024, saw 2,340 applications approved, many of which were for short-term work related to mega-events. These events attracted over 1.75 million visitors, generating an estimated HK$5.8 billion in spending and contributing HK$3.3 billion to the economy.
South Korea accounted for the largest proportion of approved GEP applicants, with nearly 5,500 visas issued annually in 2024 and 2025, a 85% increase from 2019. Many of these applicants sought employment in sports and entertainment industries, often bringing their managers and entourages.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
