The new Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals will be implemented from July 15 and the Immigration Department will start receiving applications from that date onwards, said the department Thursday.
Upon the launch of the new scheme, the existing Admission of Talents Scheme and the Admission of Mainland Professionals Scheme would be abolished.
"The objective of the scheme is to attract mainland talents and professionals to work in Hong Kong in order to meet local manpower needs, so as to facilitate local economic and other development and to enhance Hong Kong's competitiveness in the globalized market," a spokesman for the department said.
Under the scheme, the candidate must possess professional skills or knowledge not readily available or in shortage locally.
Apart from professionals in the commercial and financial fields, talents and professionals in the arts, culture and sports sectors and those in the culinary profession may also apply.
The candidate's spouse and unmarried dependent children under 18 years of age may also be admitted if the candidate can prove, to the satisfaction of the Director of Immigration, that he or she is able to accommodate and maintain his or her dependants at a reasonable standard.
The number of talents and professionals to be admitted under the scheme will be governed by the demand in the local human resources market.
Admitted talents and professionals must be able to contribute to the operation of the firms and sectors concerned with a view to facilitating economic development in Hong Kong.
Successful candidates will normally be granted an initial stay of 12 months upon entry. Extension of stay will be granted if the candidate continues to meet the eligibility criteria.
(Xinhua News Agency July 4, 2003)
