Management and Support Branch
Under the charge of an Assistant Director, the Management and Support Branch comprises the Service Management Division and the Immigration Service Institute of Training and Development, each headed by a Principal Immigration Officer.
The Service Management Division deals with matters relating to public relations, staff welfare, discipline of about 6,130 service staff, as well as conducts management audit and reviews complaints from the public. The Immigration Service Institute of Training and Development is responsible for the recruitment, training, deployment and career development of service staff.
Departmental Management Division
The Departmental Management Division is put under the charge of a Principal Executive Officer who is directly responsible to the Deputy Director for matters on personnel management, establishment control, finance, supplies and general administration of the Department.
Recruitment Exercise
To meet the demand on manpower resources for new control points and other business development, a new round of open recruitment of Immigration Officers and year-round recruitment of Immigration Assistants were launched in February 2017. Induction training for the successful candidates commenced in July 2017. In the recruitment exercises of 2017, the Department recruited about 300 Immigration Officers and 700 Immigration Assistants.
The Department participated in the Education & Careers Expo held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in February 2017, introducing our recruitment activities to the public and promoting the professional image of the Department. We also organised career talks at tertiary institutions, professional education institutes and schools of continuing studies with a view to attracting persons with high calibre to join our Department.
Career Development
We have strong belief that a professional and effective workforce relies on the excellent performance and service contributed by each staff member. The Career Development Sub-division of the Management and Support Branch strives to formulate strategic plans on career development of Immigration Service Grade staff through organising recruitment activities, making strategic staff posting, managing staff performance, and identifying training needs for all service staff. The Career Development Sub-division also reviews the overall staff deployment plan to meet the operational needs.
Training
Immigration Service Institute of Training and Development
The ISITD is a 13-storey purpose-built complex that houses a variety of training facilities as well as residential facilities. Generic facilities include drill ground, classrooms, lecture theatre, indoor swimming pool, Learning Resource Centre, Information Resources Centre, obstacle training ground, physical fitness centre and gymnasium with elevated running tracks. Specific training facilities such as Immigration Control System (ICONS) Training Centre, Automated Immigration Clearance Training Centre, video recording interview rooms, mock court and the newly built Simulation Tactical Training Centre are set up to cater for job-related training in a mock environment. The ISITD also provides residential facilities to trainees to help cultivate a sense of discipline and to boost esprit de corps. In addition, the Training Gallery at the ISITD aims at providing better knowledge on the work and historical development of the Department.
The ISITD serves to equip service staff with professional knowledge and skills to serve the community. The ISITD keeps enhancing the induction and in-service training so as to keep pace with the Department’s latest development. The ISITD also actively collaborates with the Mainland and overseas counterparts in organising exchange programmes. To promote continuous learning and enhance personal development, the Department sponsors staff to undertake study programmes in different areas provided by other government departments or outside organisations.
Induction Training
The ISITD conducts two major categories of training: induction training and in-service training. Induction training aims to equip new recruits with the necessary skills and knowledge that they require in performing their duties. The duration of the induction course for Immigration Assistant is 14 weeks, whereas that for Immigration Officer is 25 weeks. The training curriculum is a combination of theories and practices, covering areas of laws, immigration policies and procedures, as well as the functions and organisation of the Department. Particular emphasis is placed on nourishing a strong sense of discipline and developing commitment to serve the community effectively and efficiently. Other training includes foot drill, tactical training, physical fitness, swimming, first aid, etc. During the training, the management and leadership skills of Immigration Officers are further strengthened through management workshops, supervision exercises and leadership training camps.
In 2017, 180 Immigration Officers and 320 Immigration Assistants completed induction training at the ISITD.
In-service Training
In 2017, the ISITD organised various in-service training courses, such as Senior Immigration Officer Management Competency Course, Immigration Officer Enhancement Course, Building a Supportive Team Programme, Team Building Programme for Frontline Staff, Fundamental Course for Chief Immigration Assistant Duties, Senior Immigration Assistant Development Course, Senior Immigration Assistant Efficiency Course and Immigration Assistant Passenger Clearance Course for 3,716 officers of different ranks to sharpen their minds and skills.
Specific courses on ICONS and Automated Immigration Clearance are also held for service staff of control points. In 2017, a total of 273 officers and supervisors working in control points attended these courses.
Other Training
To tie in with the ‘Care and Cohesion’ value of the Department and enhance mutual communication between the management and frontline staff, the ISITD collaborated with the Service Management Division to run a series of Workplace Visits. The activity established an effective platform for our colleagues to share workplace experience on various topics, including effective communication skills and appraisal writing techniques. In 2017, the ISITD and the Service Management Division paid a total of 23 visits to different immigration offices and control points with the participation of 644 colleagues.
The ISITD also arranges officers of various ranks to attend training courses in other areas organised by other departments, organisations and institutes. These include management, language, communication and national studies courses organised by the Civil Service Training and Development Institute of the Civil Service Bureau; Command Courses and Criminal Investigation Courses organised by the Hong Kong Police Force; and Tactical Training jointly organised by the ISITD and the Correctional Services Department.
To enhance the safety of staff in the office and that of the public, the ISITD arranged a total of 41 in-service staff to attend the Basic First Aid Course, 27 and 72 in-service staff attended the Refresher First Aid Course and Automated External Defibrillation Provider Course respectively. A total of 429 induction trainees attended Certificate in First Aid Course and Automated External Defibrillation Provider Course.
Overseas Training and Exchange Programme
Human resources development is essential for a healthy and sustainable organisation. To prepare staff to cope with challenges, the ISITD continued to arrange staff to attend various overseas training and exchange programmes with the relevant overseas law enforcement agencies with a view to broadening their global horizons, enhancing their knowledge and expertise, and developing their management skills, leadership and potential. In 2017, the Department arranged 16 officers to attend overseas exchange programmes or courses on management, development and investigation techniques.
Mainland Training and Exchange Programme
On the other hand, in order to strengthen exchanges and cooperation between immigration authorities in Hong Kong and Macao, the exchange and cooperation mechanism was first established between the Department and the Public Security Police Force of the Government of Macao Special Administrative Region in 2017 for the enhancement of expertise of both parties and the exchange of practical experience. The ISITD arranged 12 officers of different ranks to attend the exchange programme in Macao this year.
In 2017, 14 delegations with a total of 232 Mainland officials attended different exchange programmes while 1 delegation with a total of 14 Macao officials attended the exchange programme organised by the ISITD. Through these exchange programmes, the communication and working relationship with the counterparts from the Mainland and Macao were further enhanced.
Customer Service and Mediation Workshop/Mediation and Communication Workshop
To enhance communication skills and techniques in handling disputes, basic mediation techniques were introduced in the Customer Service Workshop in July 2017. A total of 998 officers of the ranks from Immigration Assistant to Senior Immigration Officer participated in the relevant workshops in 2017.
With a view to better preparing our frontline staff for dealing with complaints and conflicts in workplace, a two-day advanced mediation and communication workshop for staff members of the ranks from Chief Immigration Assistant to Senior Immigration Officer was conducted in September 2017 for the first time. A total of 31 frontline staff members attended the workshop.
Tactical Training
To enhance the awareness of staff members of the ranks from Immigration Assistant to Senior Immigration Officer about resistance control and escort safety, the ISITD continued to conduct half-day to two-day Tactical Training Refresher Course. The training programme covered topics including resistance control techniques and the use of different types of self-defence equipment.
Building a Supportive Team Programme/Team Building Programme for Frontline Staff
Building a Supportive Team Programme
Delighting Your Work Programme
To enhance the awareness of emotion and positive thinking among frontline working teams as well as to explore creativity and develop a positive and optimistic outlook on life, the ISITD has introduced a one-day Delighting Your Work Programme for frontline staff since January 2015. A total of 27 officers of the ranks of Immigration Assistant and Senior Immigration Assistant attended the programme in 2017.
Training Programme on ‘Screening of Non-refoulement Claims under Unified Screening Mechanism (USM)’
All case officers responsible for screening non-refoulement claims are required to attend a 15-day professional training programme before assuming their duties so as to ensure that they fully understand USM and have sufficient knowledge to assess the cases. The training is provided by senior case officers from other overseas common law jurisdictions, staff of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and local legal scholars, etc. The curriculum includes the latest local and overseas case study and information on the origin of the claimants, the ‘Istanbul Protocol’, the UNHCR procedural standards and the procedures for handling claimants with special needs, etc.
Psychological First Aid Course
To enhance and equip frontline staff with the ability to provide feasible and available assistance to Hong Kong residents in distress overseas as well as their family members, the ISITD jointly organised the three-day Psychological First Aid Course with the Immigration Wellness Service Centre and the Hong Kong Red Cross twice in 2017. The course covered topics including basic techniques on information collection and training on quick assessment of the needs of the persons concerned and how to provide them with appropriate assistance flexibly.
e-Learning and ISITD Homepage
To promote life-long learning and to better prepare our staff for new challenges at work, the ISITD provides various e-learning programmes for our staff on the ISITD Homepage of the Department’s Intranet. At the same time, the ISITD has worked together with the Civil Service Bureau since May 2010 to launch e-learning programmes via the e-Learning Platform on the Cyber Learning Centre Plus. Through these two platforms, staff can learn according to their own pace and schedule.
Besides, staff can borrow books of the Learning Resource Centre, browse videos and photographs of training activities and gain access to useful reference materials through the ISITD Homepage on the Department’s Intranet.
Youth Training
The Department actively participates in youth training programmes. In 2017, the ISITD and the Education Bureau collaboratively organised Smart Teen Challenge Camp for a total of 80 junior secondary school students. This five-day residential training camp aims to boost the self-confidence, self-discipline, esprit de corps as well as sense of discipline of the students.
Since 2013, the Department has launched a new youth training programme, namely ‘Immigration Department Youth Leaders’. It aims at providing disciplinary and leadership training to students of Secondary 3 to Secondary 6 so as to help them foster positive values and the spirit of serving the society, as well as to widen their horizons. Since the commencement of the programme, over 150 students have joined the training programme of ‘Immigration Department Youth Leaders’.
Teachers’ Training Camp
Since 2006, the Department has been collaborating with the Education Bureau to organise annually a training camp for teachers of secondary schools. The two-day residential training aims to widen the horizons of teachers in discipline training with a view to aiding the development of their education work. In 2017, 18 teachers from different secondary schools participated in the camp.
Guide on Conduct and Discipline
Apart from enriching job-related knowledge and providing skill-based training, upholding high standard of integrity among staff of the Department is of equal importance. To allow immigration staff to keep abreast of the up-to-date ethical guidelines on civil servants, the ‘Guide on Conduct and Discipline’ (the Guide) has been uploaded onto the Department’s Intranet. The Guide lists out real-life examples regarding conflict of interest and personal conduct. It also emphasises the role of supervisors in terms of accountability and managing conflict of interest. All immigration staff should adhere to the core values stated in the Guide in order to uphold the highest standard of integrity and to enhance the quality and efficiency of services provided to the community.
Welfare and Recreation
The Department attaches great importance to maintaining a close dialogue with staff in order to improve staff welfare and relations and strengthen staff’s esprit de corps as well as commitment. There are various channels of consultation and communication between staff and the management. These include formal committees, informal meetings and group discussions, welfare visits, newsletters, etc. At the same time, various sports and recreational activities are organised to deepen mutual understanding and trust between staff and the management. Staff are encouraged to offer suggestions on improving their working environment and quality of service, which are dealt with seriously and expeditiously.
Immigration Department Consultative Committee
The Immigration Department Consultative Committee is a formal consultative forum between the staff and the management. It aims at achieving better understanding and co-operation of both sides on matters affecting the well-being of the staff such as conditions of service, quarters, training, promotion and career development. The committee meets quarterly and is chaired by the Assistant Director (Management and Support). The official side comprises 6 members, while the staff side comprises 20 members being representatives from the Officer, Rank and File and different civilian grades. A representative from the Civil Service Bureau also attends the meetings of the committee.
Welfare Visits and Counselling Service
Apart from formal and informal meetings between the staff and the management, welfare officers of the Department pay regular visits to staff at places of work with a view to understanding their concerns and feelings. To enhance communication with frontline staff and strengthen esprit de corps among staff, the Frontline Supporting Team (the Team) was formed in July 2007 under the Welfare Section to conduct frequent welfare visits to frontline service staff with a view to sharing views on work-related issues and relaying their requests. From its establishment to 31 December 2017, the Team paid 265 visits to various frontline sections and offices.
Hospital and home visits are paid to staff who are ill or injured and those who need after-care assistance. In 2017, 202 consolation enquiries and 19 hospital and home visits were made.
Welfare officers also conduct personal interviews with officers who feel stressed due to work pressure or personal problems and provide them with counselling service or assistance. In 2017, 30 interviews were conducted.
Immigration Wellness Service Centre
In order to render extensive support for the mental health of our staff and provide immediate counselling service to the staff in need, the Immigration Wellness Service Centre (the Centre) was set up in March 2008 and a Clinical Psychologist was employed. The Clinical Psychologist provides professional counselling services to help staff manage pressure arising from their work and life positively. Moreover, the Clinical Psychologist assists the management in formulating and implementing departmental promotion programmes, such as Delighting Your Work, Stress Management, Introduction to Mental Illness and Introduction to Mental Health and Basic Counselling Skills, for the psychological well-being and mental health of staff. As at 31 December 2017, the Centre had provided counselling service to 1,941 staff members and organised 345 workshops.
In addition, the Centre organises psychological wellness and related health promotion programmes for all staff members for fostering a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Prominent speakers are invited from time to time to deliver health talks on various topics for all staff members to raise their health consciousness. As at 31 December 2017, the Centre had organised 53 health talks for our staff.
A Peer Support Network (the Network) was built in 2008 to enhance peer support among staff in the workplace. At present, more than 300 disciplined and civilian staff have enrolled as peer counsellors under the Network and they are all equipped with training in basic counselling skills and introduction to mental health. The Clinical Psychologist and Welfare Officers also visit the peer counsellors from time to time to understand the general situation of their counselling service and to give them suggestions on how to handle difficult cases. The Centre will continue to provide suitable courses for the peer counsellors to enhance their counselling skills and invite more staff to join the Network.
Immigration Department Staff Club
Sports and recreational activities for the staff and their families are organised by the Immigration Department Staff Club round the year to promote a healthy lifestyle, enhance understanding among staff and boost esprit de corps. With the support of the Sports and Recreation Team of the Welfare Section, a wide range of sports activities including Dragon Boat Races, ball games, Sports Day, Swimming Gala, 7-km Long Distance Run and regular Yoga classes were arranged for the staff in 2017. Other recreational programmes such as hiking, summer cruises, family outings, Christmas Children’s Party, Annual Dinner, Departmental Karaoke Competition and Chinese New Year gathering organised during the year were well-received by the staff and their families.
To promote the substainability of the Departmental Sports Teams and esprit de corps of the Department, the Immigration Department Staff Club has appointed 16 officers as the team managers of the Departmental Sports Teams since 2014. Under the leadership of the team managers, representatives from the Departmental Sports Teams attained excellent results in several disciplined services tournaments and open competitions in 2017. The Departmental Sports Teams won championships in various competitions of Indoor Rowing and Snooker. Moreover, the Touch Rugby Team was the champion and overall year round champion in the Women’s Cup for four consecutive years. Also, the Volleyball Team had won the women’s and group’s championship in the Disciplined Services Beach Volleyball Competition for two consecutive years.
The Immigration Service Welfare Fund
The Immigration Service Welfare Fund is established under the Immigration Service Ordinance for the purposes of procuring benefits and granting loans to members or former members of the Immigration Service. The fund also provides grants to dependants who need financial assistance for funeral expenses in respect of any deceased member or deceased former member of the Immigration Service.
In 2017, $1,015,797 was spent on welfare equipment, consolation gifts, sports, recreational activities, etc.
Management Audit
In 2017, the Management Audit Section under the line management of the Service Management Division paid a number of visits to various control points and offices to ensure that immigration policies, application procedures and administration rules had been properly followed, and to make recommendations on areas where the quality of work and customer services could be further improved.
The Customer Services Unit of the Management Audit Section receives complaints from the public and monitors the replies. All investigated complaints are further analysed and reviewed by the Complaints Review Working Party (Working Party), headed by Assistant Director (Management and Support) with members from the Service Management Division and the Management Audit Section. The Working Party gives advice on whether the complaints are justified and recommends improvements where necessary. In 2017, 12 cases were reviewed and 3 cases were found justified. In the same year, the Department received 3,398 letters of appreciation and notes of thanks.
Awards and Commendations
In 2017, Mr C N Law, Deputy Director of Immigration, was awarded the Hong Kong Immigration Service Medal for Distinguished Service (I.D.S.M.). Other four officers were awarded the Hong Kong Immigration Service Medal for Meritorious Service (I.M.S.M.).
Officers who have completed certain years of satisfactory service with exemplary character and good conduct will be awarded medals and clasps. In 2017, a total of 214 officers were awarded the Long Service Medal after 18 years of service; 44 officers were awarded the First Clasp to the Medal after 25 years of service; 122 officers were awarded the Second Clasp to the Medal after 30 years of service and 44 officers were awarded the Third Clasp to the Medal after 33 years of service. On commendation at the departmental level, 11 officers were awarded the Assistant Director’s Commendation.
Communications and Public Affairs
The Communications and Public Affairs Section is the Department’s news agency which provides the link between the Department and the media. The section is responsible for maintaining effective communication with the mass media, answering media enquiries and drawing up publicity plans to promulgate the Department’s policies. The section, which maintains close relations with outside organisations, is also the Department’s representative in handling public affairs and participating in social functions and activities.
In 2017, the section issued press releases, answered press enquiries, arranged location filming and media briefings on immigration matters, such as measures to handle increasing cross-boundary passenger traffic, launch of self-service departure for visitors to Hong Kong (Smart Departure), extension of voice-navigated e-Channel service, assisting Hong Kong residents in distress outside Hong Kong, implementation of new visa policies or initiatives, increasing the number of countries where holders of HKSAR passports can be granted visa-free access, and enforcement actions against illegal employment and immigration offenders, etc.
Information and Liaison
The Information and Liaison Section plays a major role in handling public enquiries regarding the services provided by the Department. The Immigration Enquiry Services System currently employed by the section can centrally process all the enquiries made in person, by phone, e-mail, fax and letter.
To provide better services to the public, the section is dedicated to enhancing the enquiry services system. Currently, the system provides one-stop service by transferring enquiry calls to the Department’s 24-hour Telephone Appointment Booking System and the Telephone Application Status Enquiry System. It also provides information on the current-day walk-in quota of our Immigration Branch Offices, Registration of Persons Offices and certain offices at the Immigration Headquarters. To further facilitate public access to the pre-recorded information provided by the Department’s General Enquiry Hotline, the section has specially designed and printed self-service enquiry information cards for distribution to members of the public, and has also uploaded the self-service call-flow diagram of the General Enquiry Hotline onto the Department’s Homepage for public reference.