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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:

1. he/she holds a valid national passport issued by the participating country and is ordinarily residing in that participating country (for applicant from the Netherlands, he/she should be habitually residing in the European part of the Netherlands);
2. his/her primary intention is to holiday in Hong Kong;
3. he/she is aged between 18 and 30;
4. he/she is able to produce financial proof of having an amount (Note 4, Annex) sufficient for his/her maintenance during his/her proposed stay in the HKSAR, e.g. bank statement, saving accounts passbooks, etc.;
5. he/she holds a return air ticket or financial proof of having sufficient funds to purchase a return air ticket; and
6. he/she agrees to hold medical, healthcare (including hospitalisation), repatriation and liability insurance to remain in force throughout his/her stay in the HKSAR (Note 5, Annex).

• Note 1
  Countries that have bilateral Working Holiday Scheme agreement with the HKSAR (as at 5 July 2019)
  • Australia (annual quota = 5000)
  • Austria (annual quota = 100)
  • Canada (annual quota = 200)
  • France (annual quota = 750)
  • Germany (annual quota = 300)
  • Hungary (annual quota = 200)
  • Ireland (annual quota = 200)
  • Italy (annual quota = 500) (effective date of the scheme to be confirmed)
  • Japan (annual quota = 1500)
  • Korea (Republic of) (annual quota = 1000)
  • Netherlands (annual quota = 100)
  • New Zealand (annual quota = 400)
  • Sweden (annual quota = 500)
  • United Kingdom (annual quota = 1000)
• Note 2
  Temporary employment
  • Australian citizens - not allowed to work for the same employer for more than three months
  • Austrian citizens - not allowed to work for more than six months
  • British citizens - not allowed to work for more than 12 months
  • Canadian citizens - not allowed to work for the same employer for more than three months
  • Dutch citizens - not allowed to work for the same employer for more than six months
  • French citizens - not allowed to work for the same employer for more than six months
  • German citizens - not allowed to work for the same employer for more than three months
  • Hungarian citizens - not allowed to work for the same employer for more than six months
  • Irish citizens - not allowed to work for the same employer for more than three months
  • Italian citizens - not allowed to work for the same employer for more than three months and up to a total of six months (effective date of the scheme to be confirmed)
  • Japanese citizens - not allowed to work for the same employer for more than six months
  • Korean citizens - not allowed to work for the same employer for more than six months
  • New Zealand citizens - not allowed to work for the same employer for more than three months
  • Swedish citizens - not allowed to work for the same employer for more than six months
• Note 3
  Number of study or training courses allowed
  • Australian citizens - any number (course duration of not more than three months)
  • Austrian citizens - any number (cumulative duration of courses not more than six months)
  • British citizens - any number (cumulative duration of courses not more than 12 months)
  • Canadian citizens - any number (cumulative duration of courses not more than six months)
  • Dutch citizens - any number (cumulative duration of courses not more than six months)
  • French citizens - one only (course duration of not more than six months)
  • German citizens - one only (course duration of not more than six months)
  • Hungarian citizens - one only (course duration of not more than six months)
  • Irish citizens - not allowed
  • Italian citizens - any number (cumulative duration of courses not more than six months) (effective date of the scheme to be confirmed)
  • Japanese citizens - any number (cumulative duration of courses not more than six months)
  • Korean citizens - one only (course duration of not more than six months)
  • New Zealand citizens - one only (course duration of not more than three months)
  • Swedish citizens - any number (cumulative duration of courses not more than six months)
• Note 4
  Financial proof for maintenance in Hong Kong
  • Australian citizens - financial proof of having not less than HK$20,000
  • Austrian citizens - financial proof of having not less than HK$20,000
  • British citizens - financial proof of having not less than HK$22,000
  • Canadian citizens - financial proof of having not less than HK$15,000
  • Dutch citizens - financial proof of having not less than HK$20,000
  • French citizens - financial proof of having not less than HK$25,000
  • German citizens - financial proof of having not less than HK$20,000
  • Hungarian citizens - financial proof of having not less than HK$25,000
  • Irish citizens - financial proof of having not less than HK$20,000
  • Italian citizens - to be confirmed (effective date of the scheme to be confirmed)
  • Japanese citizens - financial proof of having not less than HK$20,000
  • Korean citizens - financial proof of having not less than HK$20,000
  • New Zealand citizens - financial proof of having not less than HK$14,000
  • Swedish citizens - financial proof of having not less than HK$20,000
• Note 5
  Medical, healthcare (including hospitalisation), repatriation and liability insurance
  • This item applies to participants from Canada, Hungary, Ireland, Italy (effective date of the scheme to be confirmed), the Republic of Korea, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
    For participants from France, they should produce proof of comprehensive liability and medical insurance covering hospitalisation, pregnancy, disability and repatriation.
    For participants from Austria and Germany, they should have comprehensive liability and medical insurance covering hospitalisation and repatriation.
    For participants from Japan, they should have sufficient medical insurance.
• Note 6
  Special fee arrangement for Irish, Japanese and Korean citizens
  The working holiday visas issued to Irish, Japanese and Korean citizens are free of charge.

An Applicant shall click here for online submission of application and uploading of supporting documents.

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 (Note 6, Annex) could be made through the said webpage link or the GovHK website or the ImmD Mobile Application by credit card (VISA, Mastercard, UnionPay and JCB only), Payment by Phone Service (PPS), Faster Payment System (FPS) or Mainland China’s Licensed Digital Wallets (Alipay, WeChat Pay and UnionPay App only). After payment, applicants could instantly download or print the “e-Visa” by themselves.

Fee Table

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.

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 (Note 6, Annex) could be made through the said webpage link or the GovHK website or the ImmD Mobile Application by credit card (VISA, Mastercard, UnionPay and JCB only), Payment by Phone Service (PPS), Faster Payment System (FPS) or Mainland China’s Licensed Digital Wallets (Alipay, WeChat Pay and UnionPay App only). After payment, applicants could instantly download or print the “e-Visa” by themselves.

Fee Table

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.