Work visas push for families split by border

Stacy Shi

The SAR administration should introduce new employment visas for singly and doubly non-permanent residents' mainland parents and allow early application from those who will soon be eligible for one-way permits, the Society for Community Organization proposed.

Singly and doubly non-permanent residents refer to children born locally who have one or both parents who are non-permanent residents of Hong Kong.

The organization said the measure should be implemented to meet demand in the local labor market and relieve financial pressure on these families but in such a way as to also not affect Hong Kong's employment market.

This could reduce the welfare burden in the long run, instead of encouraging more mainlanders to give birth here.

A survey conducted by SOCO in December and last month showed that over half of the 149 singly and doubly non-permanent residents' parents are at least 60 years old, making them eligible for one-way permits to Hong Kong.

Community organizer Wendy Huang Wenjie said these families are poor, with their incomes averaging HK$7,591 a month while outgoings were HK$8,552, as the parents are unable to work in Hong Kong.

Huang said new eligible one-way permit applicants will present challenges to the local medical and welfare systems.

She proposed that authorities permit mainlanders who possess work experience and are familiar with the local culture to work in Hong Kong, which could fill the shortage in the grassroots labor market and reduce the welfare burden.

Deputy director Sze Lai-shan said employment visas could be granted on a restricted basis for limited sectors and subject to an annual quota, covering only doubly non-permanent resident families who have already been living in Hong Kong.

Stacy Shi

The SAR administration should introduce new employment visas for singly and doubly non-permanent residents' mainland parents and allow early application from those who will soon be eligible for one-way permits, the Society for Community Organization proposed.

Singly and doubly non-permanent residents refer to children born locally who have one or both parents who are non-permanent residents of Hong Kong.

The organization said the measure should be implemented to meet demand in the local labor market and relieve financial pressure on these families but in such a way as to also not affect Hong Kong's employment market.

This could reduce the welfare burden in the long run, instead of encouraging more mainlanders to give birth here.

A survey conducted by SOCO in December and last month showed that over half of the 149 singly and doubly non-permanent residents' parents are at least 60 years old, making them eligible for one-way permits to Hong Kong.

Community organizer Wendy Huang Wenjie said these families are poor, with their incomes averaging HK$7,591 a month while outgoings were HK$8,552, as the parents are unable to work in Hong Kong.

Huang said new eligible one-way permit applicants will present challenges to the local medical and welfare systems.

She proposed that authorities permit mainlanders who possess work experience and are familiar with the local culture to work in Hong Kong, which could fill the shortage in the grassroots labor market and reduce the welfare burden.

Deputy director Sze Lai-shan said employment visas could be granted on a restricted basis for limited sectors and subject to an annual quota, covering only doubly non-permanent resident families who have already been living in Hong Kong.

Stacy Shi

The SAR administration should introduce new employment visas for singly and doubly non-permanent residents' mainland parents and allow early application from those who will soon be eligible for one-way permits, the Society for Community Organization proposed.

Singly and doubly non-permanent residents refer to children born locally who have one or both parents who are non-permanent residents of Hong Kong.

The organization said the measure should be implemented to meet demand in the local labor market and relieve financial pressure on these families but in such a way as to also not affect Hong Kong's employment market.

This could reduce the welfare burden in the long run, instead of encouraging more mainlanders to give birth here.

A survey conducted by SOCO in December and last month showed that over half of the 149 singly and doubly non-permanent residents' parents are at least 60 years old, making them eligible for one-way permits to Hong Kong.

Community organizer Wendy Huang Wenjie said these families are poor, with their incomes averaging HK$7,591 a month while outgoings were HK$8,552, as the parents are unable to work in Hong Kong.

Huang said new eligible one-way permit applicants will present challenges to the local medical and welfare systems.

She proposed that authorities permit mainlanders who possess work experience and are familiar with the local culture to work in Hong Kong, which could fill the shortage in the grassroots labor market and reduce the welfare burden.

Deputy director Sze Lai-shan said employment visas could be granted on a restricted basis for limited sectors and subject to an annual quota, covering only doubly non-permanent resident families who have already been living in Hong Kong.