Hong Kong Expands Immigration Facilitation Scheme for More Non-Local Talent Participation in Short-Term Activities.

Expansion of Immigration Facilitation Scheme for Visitors Participating in Short-term Activities in Designated Sectors announced

With effect from tomorrow (November 1), the Government will expand the Immigration Facilitation Scheme for Visitors Participating in Short-term Activities in Designated Sectors (STV Scheme), enabling more non-local talent to participate in specified short-term activities as visitors without the need to apply for employment visas/entry permits. Following a review, in addition to the existing 12 designated sectors, the STV Scheme will be expanded to cover five new sectors, with the addition of more authorised organisations and specified short-term activities.

With a view to facilitating business, promoting development of relevant sectors and raising Hong Kong's international profile, the Government launched the Pilot Scheme on Immigration Facilitation for Visitors Participating in Short-term Activities in Designated Sectors (Pilot Scheme) in June 2022, which was regularised as the STV Scheme in June2024. As of end-September 2025, the Pilot Scheme/STV Scheme had benefited over 38000 non-local talent, enabling their entry into Hong Kong as visitors to participate in various 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. The STV Scheme enables more talent to visit Hong Kong for exchanges, giving full play to Hong Kong's strength as a "super connector" under the "one country, two systems" framework.

Upon review, the Government decided to further expand the STV Scheme to cover five new sectors, namely "Environment", "Occupational Safety and Health", "Maritime", "Think Tanks" and "Others", with the addition of more authorised organisations and specified short-term activities in seven existing sectors. For more details, please refer to the Annex. Among them, the Government will introduce the "Others" sector, enabling relevant policy bureaux/departments to invite non-local talent to come to Hong Kong under the scheme to participate in events or activities they host, cohost and/or support as necessary. This will inject greater flexibility into the STV Scheme, thereby helping more non-local talent to visit Hong Kong for exchanges. Other arrangements will remain unchanged after the expansion.

The expanded STV Scheme will cover the following 17 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; and

Others.

​Under the STV Scheme, organisations authorised by relevant government bureaux/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 (ImmD). Participation of the 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. They may participate in the specified short-term activities for up to 14 consecutive calendar days upon each arrival, and receive remuneration for the specified activities concerned. Through an established mechanism, all participating bureaux/departments would assist in ensuring that the implementation of the scheme consistently meets relevant policy objectives and will neither displace the local workforce nor constitute a risk of abuse (including illegal employment).

For more information on the STV Scheme, please visit the ImmD's website (www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services/visas/stv.html).

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Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $7.95 million

Hong Kong Customs detected two dangerous drugs cases in Tseung Kwan O and Hong Kong International Airport respectively yesterday (May 21) and today (May 22), and seized a total of about 21.8 kilograms of assorted drugs with a total estimated market value of about $7.95 million. Two men and one woman, aged between 38 and 49, were arrested.

In the first case, Customs officers intercepted a 48-year-old man and a 49-year-old woman in Tseung Kwan O during an anti-narcotics operation yesterday afternoon. About 3.8kg of suspected drugs, including ketamine, methamphetamine, etomidate capsules, psilocybin mushrooms, MDMA and a batch of suspected drug packaging paraphernalia were found in their residence in the same district. They were then arrested.

In the second case, a 38-year-old male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, today. During customs clearance, Customs officers found about 18kg of suspected ketamine inside his check-in suitcase and 33 sticks of duty-not-paid cigarette inside his carry-on baggage. The man was subsequently arrested.

The arrested man and woman in the first case have been jointly charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug and one count of possession of apparatus fit and intended for the inhalation of a dangerous drug. The case will be brought up at the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (May 23), while an investigation is ongoing for the second case.

Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people.

Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.

Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, cigarettes are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $7.95 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $7.95 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases