Immigration news update for the APAC region
Asia-Pacific
Hong Kong: Enhanced Talent Admission
The Hong Kong SAR government has recently made three important updates to its Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) and Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS):
- Expanded the list of eligible universities under the TTPS: Initially, there were 185 universities eligible under the TTPS. To expand the network for attracting top talent globally, 13 prestigious Mainland and overseas universities have been added to the list, bringing the total to 198 eligible institutions. The expanded list of eligible universities/institutions has been uploaded to the webpage of the Immigration Department and Hong Kong Talent Engage.
- Extended the validity period of the first visas of Category A applications under the TTPS to three years: Applicants can apply to the Immigration Department for an extension of stay up to three months before their current limit expires, and they will receive a one-year extension unconditionally. If they have secured employment offers or have established or joined a business in Hong Kong at the time of their application, they may be eligible for an extension of stay for up to three years, provided they submit the necessary documentation.
- Enhanced the assessment criteria and arrangements of the General Points Test under the QMAS: The Government enhanced the General Points Test (GPT) under the QMAS by implementing clearer scoring criteria and streamlining the application process. The new system replaces the previous item-by-item scoring with an assessment questionnaire, where applicants must confirm if they meet 12 criteria across six areas: age, academic qualifications, language proficiency, work experience, annual income, and business ownership. Applicants can apply if they meet at least six criteria. Eligible applications will be reviewed by a new assessment panel chaired by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, which will advise the Director of Immigration on approval decisions. There will be no annual quotas under the enhanced GPT. Applications submitted under the original GPT will continue to be processed according to the previous criteria.
This summary was prepared using the information from the Government of Hong Kong
Japan: eVISA system
As of November 11, 2024, foreign nationals who wish to travel to Japan for short term tourism purposes can apply for online visa via the eVISA system.
The eVISA applies to foreign nationals residing in:
- Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Taiwan, United Kingdom, U.S.A. All foreign nationals/people residing in these countries/regions, except those who are exempt from short-term visa, can apply for an eVISA through the JAPAN eVISA website
- Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Macau, Mongolia, the Republic of Korea (except jurisdiction over the Consulate General of Japan in Jeju).
- United Arab Emirates, except those who are exempt from short-term visa
- Chinese nationals, residing in China, will receive eVISAs with a period of stay of either 15 or 30 days.
- For nationals of Vietnam residing in Vietnam, the period of stay of electronic visas will be 15 days.
Japan eVISA is available for those traveling to Japan by air or sea (limited to international scheduled passenger ferries between Japan and Busan or Shanghai).
During the application process, the applicant may be requested to appear in person at the Japanese overseas establishment with jurisdiction over the place of the applicant’s residence for an interview.
Only ordinary passport holders are eligible to apply through JAPAN eVISA website.
This summary was prepared using the information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
Disclaimer: The above information is provided for general information purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. If you have any further inquiries regarding the applicability of this information, please contact Debra Jane Beynon (Regional Immigration Manager, APAC) and Roberta Carnaccini (Global Director of Immigration).
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