No. The VPAS does not apply to persons who have been permitted to remain in the HKSAR under the IANG.
For non-local VTC graduates permitted to stay on employment condition under the VPAS whose employment contract is terminated before the expiry of their limit of stay, the non-local VTC graduates and the employer should notify the ImmD through the ImmD’s online service system within 7 days before the date of termination. If the employment contract is terminated without prior notice, the non-local VTC graduates and the employer should notify the ImmD of the termination within one working day after the termination. The non-local VTC graduates and the employer are also required to notify the VTC through the VTC’s online service system or in writing regarding the termination of the employment contract within the above-mentioned periods.
If the employment contract is terminated before the expiry of their limit of stay, non-local VTC graduates permitted to stay on employment condition are permitted to remain in the HKSAR only for 12 weeks from the date of termination of contract or for the balance of the permitted stay, whichever is earlier. The non-local VTC graduates concerned shall also notify his/her dependant(s) (if any) of the termination of his/her employment contract and the requirement of his/her dependant(s)’s departure within the limit of stay (Please refer to Q8).
Non-local VTC graduates admitted under the VPAS who are on employment condition shall only take such employment as approved by the Director of Immigration within the currency of their permitted limit of stay. During the first 48 months’ stay on employment condition, applicants shall take up a full-time job relevant to their disciplines and shall only apply to change their employer once (Change of employer due to closure of the employing company or dismissal by the employer are regarded as exemptions, yet the applicants are required to produce relevant documentary proof), while the change of employer upon application for extension of stay after expiry of each limit of stay is not subject to this restriction. For any change of employer, they should obtain a fresh “Proof of Extension Eligibility” issued by the VTC and submit relevant applications to the ImmD after receiving the proof. Such applications may be favourably considered if the applicants and their new employment continue to fulfil the eligibility criteria and requirements under the VPAS.
Under the existing policies, persons admitted in the HKSAR under the VPAS are not precluded from taking up part-time studies, subject to an overall factual assessment that the studies are part-time in nature and do not affect their immigration status in Hong Kong as a whole. If the persons concerned intend to take up full-time studies, they should apply for an appropriate visa/entry permit to enter the HKSAR for study.
Yes. Applicants admitted or seeking admission under the VPAS may apply to bring their dependants to the HKSAR under the prevailing dependant policy. Persons admitted or applying for admission to take up employment in the HKSAR under the VPAS will be the sponsors of their accompanying dependants.
You may submit the applications of your accompanying dependants together with your own application through the online service.
If the sponsor is permitted to remain on employment condition and the sponsor’s employment contract is terminated before the expiry of the sponsor’s limit of stay, such dependants have to leave the HKSAR within 12 weeks from the date of termination of their sponsor’s employment contract, or before the expiry of their own limit of stay, whichever is earlier.
Non-local VTC graduates who submit applications to the ImmD after obtaining the “Proof of First Application Eligibility (Category A applicants)” from the VTC and within six months after the date of graduation are classified as Category A applicants.
Non-local VTC graduates who submit applications to the ImmD to return to work in the HKSAR within 7th to 12th months after the date of graduation are classified as Category B applicants. Upon application, they are required to furnish the “Proof of First Application Eligibility (Category B applicants)” issued by the VTC.
Using 18 June 2026 as an example graduation date, the categorisation of applicants is determined by the date on which the application is submitted to the ImmD:
- Category A applicants: Applications submitted from 18 June 2026 to 17 December 2026 (both dates inclusive); or
- Category B applicants: Applications submitted from 18 December 2026 to 17 June 2027 (both dates inclusive).
Any applications submitted after 17 June 2027 will not be eligible for the VPAS.
