6,000 reasons make first day for new chief

The Immigration Department's recruitment drive is looking up following some 6,000 applicants lining up to fill job vacancies this year, a 40 percent increase year on year, incoming director Benson Kwok Jung-foon said on his first day on the job.

After meeting with union representatives, Kwok said the department has received more applications of late.

"I also believe there will be more and more young people interested in working in the Immigration Department," he said.

"As director, I also recommend more young people seize the opportunity to visit the department and learn more about our work. I believe by that time, there will be more young people hoping to join us upon their graduation from university," he added.

Kwok said his main challenges after taking the reins at a department with some 9,000 officers will be the peak travel periods during the mid-autumn festival and national day holidays.

"We are expecting more people to use our border control points than usual during the weekend holidays," Kwok said.

More than 900,000 travelers cross the border on normal Saturdays and Sundays, while more than one million is expected during the long holidays.

"I would therefore like to call on Hongkongers to plan their trips in advance, and avoid crossing the border during peak hours," he added.

Kwok also said he would focus on four main areas as department head, including introducing a new policy, which will be announced in due course, to increase the efficiency in processing of Hong Kong identity card applications.

Others include providing more services with the help of innovative technology once the department moves into its new headquarters in Tseung Kwan O in the middle of next year, strengthening youth development work and continuing to safeguard national security.

His predecessor, Au Ka-wang, stepped down yesterday and went on preretirement leave after 34 years at the department.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said he was confident Kwok's 34 years with the department had given him the extensive experience he needed to lead it and thanked Au for his contributions since his appointment in July 2020.

Kwok was deputy director for immigration control, visa and identity documents after climbing through the ranks since joining the department in 1989.

He was one of the officers stationed at the SAR government's office in Beijing and led the counterterrorism division in the interdepartmental counterterrorism unit under the Security Bureau upon his return.