On October 31, 2025, the Immigration Department (ImmD) announced the expansion of the Immigration Facilitation Scheme for Visitors Participating in Short-term Activities in Designated Sectors (STV Scheme), enabling more foreign nationals to participate in specified short-term activities as visitors without the need to apply for employment visas/entry permits.
Effective November 1, 2025, in addition to the existing 12 designated sectors, the STV Scheme has been expanded to cover five new sectors, with the addition of more authorised organisations and specified short-term activities.
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 June 2024. As of the end of September 2025, the Pilot Scheme/STV Scheme had benefited over 38,000 foreign nationals, 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.
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 authorized organizations and specified short-term activities in seven existing sectors. The “Others” sector in particular allows more flexibility in issuing invitations.
The expanded STV Scheme will cover the following 17 sectors with a total of some-490 authorized organizations:
- 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
- Others
Under the STV Scheme, organizations authorized by relevant government bureau/departments can issue invitation letters to relevant foreign nationals 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 ImmD.
The participation of foreign nationals 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.
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