Hong Kong expands short-term visitor scheme to social welfare sector from 1 October 2026

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Invited persons may participate in specified short-term activities in Hong Kong as visitors for up to 14 consecutive calendar days without applying for employment visas or entry permits.

Hong Kong will expand its Immigration Facilitation Scheme for Visitors Participating in Short-term Activities in Designated Sectors (STV Scheme) from 1 October 2026 to cover the Social Welfare sector, enabling more non-local talent to participate in specified short-term activities as visitors without applying for employment visas or entry permits.

Following a review, the HKSAR Government decided to add social welfare to the existing 17 designated sectors, with a view to facilitating the entry of non-local talent into Hong Kong to participate in specified short-term activities, including symposiums, workshops, research, and other activities organised by authorised host organisations for the benefit of the welfare sector.

The Government will also add more authorised organisations and eligible activities across three existing sectors: international/mega events, higher education, and finance.

The expanded STV Scheme will cover the following 18 sectors with a total of some-490 authorised organisations:

• Medical and healthcare
• Higher education
• Arts and culture
• Sports
• Heritage
• Creative industries
• Innovation and technology
• The Hong Kong Laureate Forum
• Aviation
• International/mega events
• Finance
• Development and construction
• Environment
• Occupational safety and health
• Maritime
• Think tanks
• Social welfare
• Others

To facilitate business, promote development of relevant sectors, and raise Hong Kong's international profile, the HKSAR Government launched the Pilot Scheme on Immigration Facilitation for Visitors Participating in Short-term Activities in Designated Sectors (Pilot Scheme) in June 2022. It was regularised as the STV Scheme in June 2024.

Under the STV Scheme, organisations authorised by relevant government bureau and departments can issue invitation letters to relevant non-local talent in their sectors.

Invited persons may come to Hong Kong and participate in specified short-term activities as visitors without the need to apply for employment visas/entry permits from the Immigration Department.

The participation of non-local talent in specified activities in Hong Kong must be conducive to economic development or achieving relevant policy objectives, without displacing the local workforce.

Participants may take part in specified short-term activities for up to 14 consecutive calendar days upon each arrival, and receive remuneration for the specified activities concerned.

As of end-June 2026, the Pilot Scheme/STV Scheme had benefited over 56,000 non-local talent, enabling them to enter Hong Kong as visitors to participate in over 9,500 short-term activities, including the International Chinese New Year Night Parade, the Asian Financial Forum, the Hong Kong Sevens, the Hong Kong Performing Arts Expo and other major events.

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