Beijing scraps points-based system, sets unified family-reunion rules for mainland residents moving to Hong Kong

In a major policy shift just hours before it took effect, China’s National Immigration Administration (NIA) confirmed on June 30 that it is abolishing the opaque points-based quota used for decades to approve One-Way Permits and replacing it with four clear, family-reunion categories. From 1 July 2026, mainland Chinese who wish to take up permanent residence in Hong Kong (or Macao) will qualify if they fall into one of four groups: (1) spouses who have lived apart from their Hong Kong or Macao partners for at least three years; (2) children under 18 whose parents are both already settled in the SARs; (3) adults aged 18-59 whose elderly parents (both over 60) are permanent residents of the SARs and have no other children on the mainland; and (4) parents aged 60 or above with no children on the mainland whose adult child has permanent residence in Hong Kong or Macao. Officials say the new rules will deliver “greater certainty and transparency” by replacing a numerical scoring formula that applicants rarely understood. While provincial Public Security bureaus will still manage quotas, they must now assess applications strictly against the four statutory criteria and publish acceptance numbers twice a year. The NIA hopes this will shorten average processing times, which currently hover around 18 months, and reduce the incidence of “exception petitions” that have clogged the system. For Hong Kong employers the change matters because almost 70 percent of One-Way Permit arrivals join the local labour force within two years. Human-resources teams accustomed to ad-hoc start dates should prepare for a steadier inflow of talent—especially in lower-skilled sectors that rely on new migrants. Expat-assignment planners should also note that mainland spouses of foreign assignees in Hong Kong may find family-reunion pathways easier if they already hold a mainland hukou linked to a Hong Kong partner. Companies offering relocation support will need updated briefing materials and check-lists in Putonghua and English.



For organisations looking to outsource some of this administrative heavy lifting, VisaHQ provides tailored visa and immigration assistance; its Hong Kong platform features real-time policy updates, document checklists and application tracking that can help both individuals and HR teams navigate the new One-Way Permit regime with confidence.

Immigration lawyers caution that the SAR government has not yet issued matching guideline revisions for Identity Card issuance or public-housing eligibility, two areas that often delay new settlers’ integration. They urge employers to watch for supplementary circulars from the Hong Kong Immigration Department in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, community groups that help new arrivals have welcomed the clarity but worry that scrapping the age-points bonuses could disadvantage older applicants outside the four core categories. Analysts expect an initial surge in applications as long-separated families test the new framework. Practically, HR teams should build a six-month horizon into head-count forecasts: once a one-way permit is approved, the holder must relocate within 12 months or forfeit the permit. Global mobility managers should flag the new rules in pre-assignment briefings and ensure that spouses of mainland origin understand how the change interacts with existing Dependant-Visa and Admission of Mainland Talents programmes.