Immigration data shows trend in short-term foreign work visas for Hong Kong

AI-summarized · Neutrality-checked

Hong Kong's Immigration Department approved 31,278 General Employment Policy (GEP) visas for foreign nationals last year, a total that remained below the annual figures of over 40,000 recorded in 2018 and 2019. Data indicated that 79.7 per cent of these applicants held contracts lasting less than one year, while 47.5 per cent earned less than HK$20,000 per month. The trend continued into the first half of this year, during which 13,640 GEP visas were granted with 68.6 per cent of positions being short-term.

Consequences

The increasing proportion of short-term contracts under the GEP, which rose from 64 per cent in 2023 to 79.7 per cent last year, suggests a sustained shift in the nature of foreign labor utilization within the city. This trend highlights a reliance on transient employment roles for international workers entering the Hong Kong workforce under this policy.

Sources

Know where. Know why.