The purpose of the Scheme is to facilitate cultural and educational exchange between Hong Kong and the participating country (Note1, Annex) with a view to strengthening the bilateral relationship between the two places. National passport holders aged between 18 and 30 of the participating country, who are ordinarily residing in their home country and whose main intention to Hong Kong is to holiday, are welcome to join the Scheme. Under the arrangements of the Scheme, they may take up short-term employment (Note 2, Annex) and/or enrol in a short study or training course (Note 3, Annex) while they are on holiday in Hong Kong.
There will be an annual quota (Note 1, Annex) for countries that have bilateral Working Holiday Scheme agreement with the HKSAR and qualified applications will be approved on a first-come first-served basis.
A national of the participating country meeting the following eligibility criteria may be granted a Working Holiday visa for participating in the Scheme:
Online Submission
Click here for online submission of application and uploading of supporting documents.
Other Means of Submission
An applicant may also complete a visa application form ID(E)940 which is obtainable from the Information Office of the HKSAR Immigration Department as well as Chinese diplomatic and consular missions (CDCMs) (Note 6, Annex) in the participating country. Xerox copy of the visa application form will also be accepted. Applicants are strongly advised to read the relevant guidance notes ID(E)940A before completing the application form.
Completed visa applications together with the necessary supporting documents may be submitted to the Immigration Department of the HKSAR direct by post or through a local connection. They may also be submitted to the CDCMs in the participating country[Note].
Underpaid mail items will not be accepted by the Immigration Department of the HKSAR. For proper delivery of your mail items, please ensure your mail items bear sufficient postage with return address before posting. (Details)
[Note]:
Some CDCMs have implemented the arrangement that applications for visas for Hong Kong from persons holding foreign ordinary passports will be handled by the "Chinese Visa Application Service Center". Applicants may contact the nearest CDCM for details.
If the application is submitted to the Immigration Department directly, upon approval of the applications, the notification of the application result issued by the Immigration Department will include a webpage link for payment. Payment of relevant fees could be made through the said webpage link or the GovHK website or the ImmD Mobile Application by credit cards, Payment by Phone Service (PPS) or Faster Payment System (FPS). After payment, applicants could instantly download or print the “e-Visa” by themselves.
If the applicant or his/her authorised representative attend the relevant Immigration office in person to pay, the relevant fee could be settled by cash, EPS, Octopus, FPS or cheque. The cheque should be crossed, made payable to “The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region”, properly dated and signed. After payment, the applicant or his/her authorised representative will be issued with an “e-Visa” printed on a sheet of A4 white paper on the spot. The applicant can then download or print the “e-Visa” through the GovHK website or the ImmD Mobile Application.
If the applicant could not pay the fee by using the above methods, the applicant should send in with the application a cashier order or a bank draft in Hong Kong Currency for payment of visa fee (Note 7, Annex). The cashier order or bank draft should be one from a bank which has a connected bank in the HKSAR and made payable to "The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region". Upon acknowledgement of the receipt of the relevant fee, the applicant will receive a notification, and he/she must download or print the “e-Visa” afterwards through the GovHK website or the ImmD Mobile Application. The fee will be returned to the applicant if the application is unsuccessful. No cash should be sent along with the application.
If the application is submitted to an overseas Chinese diplomatic and consular mission, the visa fee (Note 7, Annex) should be paid direct to the Chinese diplomatic and consular mission.
Once the receipt of application has been acknowledged, applicants can enquire their application status here or through the 24-hour telephone enquiry system at (852) 3160 8663.
If the application is submitted to the Immigration Department directly, upon approval of the applications, the notification of the application result issued by the Immigration Department will include a webpage link for payment. Payment of relevant fees could be made through the said webpage link or the GovHK website or the ImmD Mobile Application by credit cards, Payment by Phone Service (PPS) or Faster Payment System (FPS). After payment, applicants could instantly download or print the “e-Visa” by themselves.
If the applicant or his/her authorised representative attend the relevant Immigration office in person to pay, the relevant fee could be settled by cash, EPS, Octopus, FPS or cheque. The cheque should be crossed, made payable to “The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region”, properly dated and signed. After payment, the applicant or his/her authorised representative will be issued with an “e-Visa” printed on a sheet of A4 white paper on the spot. The applicant can then download or print the “e-Visa” through the GovHK website or the ImmD Mobile Application.
If the applicant could not pay the fee by using the above methods, the applicant should send in with the application a cashier order or a bank draft in Hong Kong Currency for payment of visa fee (Note 7, Annex). The cashier order or bank draft should be one from a bank which has a connected bank in the HKSAR and made payable to "The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region". Upon acknowledgement of the receipt of the relevant fee, the applicant will receive a notification, and he/she must download or print the “e-Visa” afterwards through the GovHK website or the ImmD Mobile Application. The fee will be returned to the applicant if the application is unsuccessful. No cash should be sent along with the application.
If the application is submitted to an overseas Chinese diplomatic and consular mission, the visa fee (Note 7, Annex) should be paid direct to the Chinese diplomatic and consular mission.
The holder of a Working Holiday Visa may be allowed to enter Hong Kong and stay for not more than 12 months subject to normal immigration requirements being met. Application for extension of stay will not normally be considered.
Participants of the Scheme are not permitted to engage in permanent employment, but may take up temporary employment as an incidental aspect of their holiday (Note 2, Annex). Participants of the Scheme may also enrol in study or training course(s) during their visit (Note 3, Annex).
Participants will not be eligible to come to Hong Kong for any further working holiday under the same Scheme. Entry applications from dependent spouse/children to join the participants will not be considered.