Hong Kong has formally unveiled new coverage updates to its General Employment Policy (GEP) for 2025, welcoming a extra inclusive and responsive framework aimed toward attracting international professionals with area of interest abilities. These revisions—introduced by the Immigration Department—sign a renewed drive to place Hong Kong as a chief vacation spot for worldwide expertise amid rising regional competitors.
Highlights of the 2025 GEP Reforms
- Launch of Technical Professionals Stream [GEP(TP)] for non-diploma holders with commerce experience
- Broader acceptance {of professional} expertise as a substitute for a primary diploma
- Quicker processing time: 4 weeks from full application submission
- Inclusive household reunification coverage prolonged to authorized similar-intercourse partnerships
- Quota-free system for mainstream GEP candidates; selective quotas for GEP(TP)
- Overseas Chinese nationals with PRC passports can now apply if residing overseas for over 12 months
New Eligibility Criteria (Effective 2025)
To apply underneath the up to date General Employment Policy (GEP), overseas professionals should meet the next:
- No prison document and no recognized safety threats
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Academic Qualifications:
- Preferably maintain a primary diploma in a related area
- Alternatively, robust technical {qualifications} or confirmed expertise could now suffice (particularly underneath GEP(TP))
- Genuine job supply from a Hong Kong-based employer
- Position should match applicant’s background and never be simply stuffed by native workforce
- Market-rate wage and advantages masking earnings, housing, healthcare, and many others.
Jobs Eligible for the GEP and GEP(TP) Streams
GEP (Mainstream) – Open to all skilled sectors, together with:
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- Finance & Banking
- Information Technology
- Architecture & Engineering
- Legal and Healthcare Services
- Research & Development
- Academia and Education
GEP(TP) Stream – Specifically targets non-diploma expert tradespeople (ages 18–40) with expertise in:
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- Construction & Infrastructure
- Automotive and Mechanical Repairs
- Precision Manufacturing
- Energy and Utilities
- Technical Equipment Maintenance
Note: GEP(TP) is quota-restricted and sector-particular not like the common GEP which stays quota-free.
New Application & Visa Process for GEP 2025
If you might be planning to apply for the General Employment Policy (GEP) 2025 to work in Hong Kong, right here’s how the method works. First, collect all of the required paperwork together with a legitimate passport, tutorial or skilled certificates, a signed employment contract, proof of your employer’s enterprise registration and monetary standing, and proof of your work expertise or technical skillset related to the job supply. Once your paperwork are so as, you may submit your application on-line by way of the Hong Kong Immigration Department Portal, together with cost of the required visa charge.
After submission, the processing time typically takes round 4 weeks, offered that every one paperwork are full and correct. The Immigration Department won’t start processing incomplete functions, so guarantee each element is correctly submitted.
Once permitted, GEP visa holders are allowed to carry their partner or legally acknowledged accomplice—whether or not similar-intercourse or reverse-intercourse—in addition to single dependent kids underneath 18 to Hong Kong. These dependants are permitted to study or work throughout their keep, making it a gorgeous possibility for households trying to relocate collectively.
References
Hong Kong General Employment (GEP) 2025 New Changes – Faster Pathways for Skilled Foreign Professionals FULLY FUNDED SCHOLARSHIPS SCHOLARSHIPS SCHOLARSHIPS FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIPS