Hong Kong VTC courses touted as short cut to residency for babies of mainland mothers

Agencies are promoting Vocational Training Council (VTC) courses to pregnant women in mainland China as a low-cost option for securing Hong Kong residency for their newborns. The VTC, the city’s largest vocational training institution, claims these courses are the cheapest route for mothers to give birth in Hong Kong, granting their children access to top-tier mainland universities and potential civil service jobs.

However, critics question whether this practice will effectively boost the youth population and urge authorities and VTC to protect local resources and prioritize talent development.

An SCMP reporter discovered a series of social media posts on RedNote in late October that touted VTC courses as a cheap way for mainland women to gain Hong Kong residency by giving birth while their program continued. These posts, published by education agencies and social media influencers, claimed that pregnant women in their thirties were admitted to VTC courses within weeks of applying, and that their babies would receive permanent residency immediately.

The reporter contacted a company called Meibang Overseas Education, which claimed to offer the best option for budget-conscious mothers planning a pregnancy. The agent advised the reporter that enrolling in a VTC program would cost just a few ten thousand dollars, significantly less than a master’s program, and provided benefits such as free public education and easier entry to prestigious mainland universities.

Critics worry that this practice may not actually increase the overall youth population, as women may not graduate from the VTC program and would need to spend significant amounts of money to live in Hong Kong before qualifying for permanent residency. The VTC has seen a 22% increase in non-local intake for higher diploma programs from 678 in the 2024-25 academic year to 829 in the 2025-26 academic year, but the student retention rate remains high at about 95%.

Despite these concerns, the VTC claims that its role ends once the student visa is secured and that attendance or completion of the programme is a matter between the school and the client. The agency also assures the reporter that coming to Hong Kong to study with the intention of giving birth is legal and normal.