The Hong Kong government has announced the second major expansion in two years of its Immigration Facilitation Scheme for Visitors Participating in Short-term Activities in Designated Sectors—better known as the Short-Term Visitors (STV) scheme. Effective 1 October, the list of eligible sectors grows from 13 to 17, adding social welfare, sustainable finance, healthcare innovation and esports. Accredited host organisations will rise from 2,400 to more than 3,100. Launched as a pilot in June 2022 and regularised in 2024, the STV scheme lets overseas professionals stay up to 14 days per trip to take part in specific events—ranging from board meetings and tech hackathons to major sports tournaments—without needing an employment visa. According to official data, 56,000 visitors have already used the concession, clocking up 9,500 activities such as the Asian Financial Forum and Hong Kong Sevens. Under the revised rules, guests can make multiple entries for the same event series within a calendar year, and may use self-service e-Channels if they hold biometric passports. Host entities will submit invitations and visitor manifests through a revamped one-stop portal that promises approval in as little as two working days. The move is aimed squarely at repositioning Hong Kong as a regional event hub amid stiff competition from Singapore and Seoul. Analysts say easing paperwork lowers organisers’ costs by up to 20 % and helps international firms rotate experts into the city on just-in-time schedules. Human-resources teams should update global mobility policies to reflect the new sectors and ensure compliance on the 14-day work-limit and reporting obligations. Government officials hinted that if utilisation rises above 80 % of the new quota—set at 40,000 visitors per year—they will consider extending the maximum stay to 30 days, a change trade bodies have long lobbied for.
Source: HKSAR Government Press Release
