Hong Kong Work Visas Shift to Short-Term Contracts as Salary Data Reveals Lower Earnings
SCMP · 1 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong approved 31,278 General Employment Policy (GEP) work visas for foreign nationals last year, with approximately 80 percent on short-term contracts and nearly half of recipients earning less than HK$20,000 monthly . The proportion of short-term contract holders has risen steadily from 64 percent in 2023 to 72.1 percent in 2024 and 79.7 percent last year . Immigration Department data shows this marks the second consecutive year the scheme exceeded the 30,000 threshold, though figures remain below the more than 40,000 recorded in 2018 and 2019 . Experts attribute the shift to the government’s mega-events strategy aimed at diversifying the economy beyond property and finance . A new visa category for creative industry and performing arts services introduced in April has already approved 2,340 applications .
Key Points
- 31,278 GEP working visas approved last year, with 24,929 (79.7%) on short-term contracts lasting less than a year
- 14,850 successful applicants (47.5%) earned below HK$20,000 monthly, while Mainland Chinese residents are ineligible for the scheme
- First-half 2025 data shows 13,640 visas approved, with 68.6% short-term contracts and 49.8% earning under HK$20,000
- Alexa Chow Yee-ping of ACTS Consulting links the trend to government mega-events driving demand for temporary talent
- A new GEP category for creative and performing arts introduced April 1 has received 2,340 approvals
Why It Matters
The rising share of short-term work visa holders signals a fundamental change in how Hong Kong attracts foreign talent, potentially reducing the city’s capacity to retain skilled workers for long-term economic development . As Chow noted, Hong Kong must cultivate its own distinctive character beyond property and finance to maintain international attractiveness, suggesting the mega-events strategy may require broader evaluation .
The rising share of short-term work visa holders signals a fundamental change in how Hong Kong attracts foreign talent, potentially reducing the city’s capacity to retain skilled workers for long-term economic development . As Chow noted, Hong Kong must cultivate its own distinctive character beyond property and finance to maintain international attractiveness, suggesting the mega-events strategy may require broader evaluation .