2020 was an extraordinary year for the whole world, for Hong Kong, as well as for the Immigration Department (ImmD).

Since its outbreak in early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has swept across the globe. Hong Kong, as a global trade, financial, transportation and commercial hub, was not spared. Luckily, with the support from the Central People's Government (CPG) and under the leadership of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), all sectors of society managed to fight this prolonged battle against the raging epidemic with united and all-out efforts. The ImmD rendered all-round support to the HKSAR Government in introducing various anti-epidemic measures by taking prompt action to facilitate the implementation of anti-epidemic strategies at different stages in a proactive manner. At the onset of the epidemic, we inspected over 1,800 hotels and guesthouses within 10 days to identify high-risk visitors to Hong Kong, and arranged for their admission to quarantine centres or departure from Hong Kong. To assist the departments concerned in enforcing quarantine orders, we set up an ad hoc computerised enquiry system for healthcare workers to identify persons travelling from high-risk countries or regions. Special operation teams were also formed to carry out surprise inspections on persons subject to compulsory quarantine. Our officers at control points not only imposed entry restrictions on foreign visitors in accordance with the risk levels set by the departments concerned, but also provided manpower and hardware support for implementing the quarantine arrangements, so as to fortify Hong Kong's frontline against the epidemic by following the HKSAR Government's anti-epidemic strategy of 'preventing the importation of cases'.

Owing to the immigration restrictions imposed and quarantine arrangements made by governments around the world, many international flights were suspended or reduced, resulting in a drastic decline in the annual number of passenger arrivals and departures by 90 per cent to just over 31 million. Passenger clearance services at some of the control points were also suspended in the midst of the epidemic. For the Liantang Port/Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point, the seventh land-based control point at the Hong Kong-Shenzhen boundary commissioned in August 2020, only the cargo clearance facilities are open for cross-boundary goods vehicles for the time being. Both the governments of Guangdong and Hong Kong agreed that the provision of passenger clearance service at the control point would be subject to the developments of the epidemic. Despite the many constraints, the ImmD managed to maintain a high standard of service. After winning three times the award for the World's Best Airport Immigration Service awarded by Skytrax, an international specialist research agent of the air transport industry, our department stood out from its counterparts in the world amid intense competition and won the award again in 2020. In addition, the department's Next Generation Smart Identity Card System was given the Smart Business Grand Award and the Smart Business (Solution for Business and Public Sector Enterprise) Gold Award at the Hong Kong ICT Awards 2020, which is a manifestation of the wide recognition of the quality of our services. Nevertheless, we are not complacent about what we have achieved. We will continue to strive for excellence and go all out to deliver world-class immigration services for our citizens and visitors.

Apart from a reduced flow of people between different places, the epidemic has also inevitably affected our daily lives. In order to minimise the inconvenience caused to members of the public by the epidemic and to relieve the difficulties they face, the department, always thinking from the perspectives of the public and responding promptly to their pressing needs, has taken one more step forward to put in place a number of measures to help members of the public and all sectors of society cope with the epidemic. In view of a large number of foreign domestic helpers (FDHs) being unable to return to their places of origin due to the epidemic, the department has introduced a series of flexible arrangements for FDH visa applicants and their employers. Apart from allowing FDHs to apply for a further deferral of home leave, the department has also deployed manpower to expedite the processing of applications for employment visas for FDHs who are in Hong Kong. The department has subsequently expanded such arrangements by introducing in phases temporary facilitation measures for applicants of other types of visas/entry permits, and providing more online service channels so that the applicants can make applications without leaving home. All these initiatives for reducing social contact can effectively minimise the risk of virus spreading arising from gathering of crowds while suiting the 'new normal' where many citizens work from home during the epidemic. The department is planning for further application of facial recognition technology to e-Channels so that members of the public can reduce physical contact with shared equipment while performing self-service immigration clearance. We hope that the use of new technologies can help protect public health and curb the spread of the virus while raising the standards and efficiency of our services. Striving to provide our citizens and visitors with services of the best quality, the department will continue to introduce new measures with the help of up-to-date technologies, and make more caring and down-to-earth arrangements for various services to cater for the actual needs of society.

Our Assistance to Hong Kong Residents Unit (AHU), since its establishment, has been devoted to providing practicable assistance for Hong Kong residents in distress outside Hong Kong. In early 2020, many Hong Kong residents were stranded abroad due to the epidemic situations and lockdown measures in different places, resulting in a large number of enquiries and requests for assistance from Hong Kong residents received by the AHU and the staff of the Immigration Divisions of the Mainland Offices of the Government of the HKSAR. With unyielding commitment to serving the community, the department mobilised nearly 680 staff members to reinforce the 1868 Call Centre, providing updated information and practicable assistance for assistance seekers and their families round the clock. Meanwhile, having regard to the rapidly changing epidemic situations around the world and the anxiety experienced by the assistance seekers and their families, the department worked closely with government authorities, such as the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the HKSAR, Chinese diplomatic and consular missions in overseas countries, the Security Bureau and the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau, to arrange 51 charter flights and coordinate commercial flights to bring home 7,547 Hong Kong residents stranded abroad. In February 2020, when the epidemic situation was extremely severe, led by Mr Erick TSANG Kwok-wai, the then Director of Immigration, 55 staff members of different ranks from various sections of the department travelled to Yokohama, Japan in great haste without hesitation, running the risk of infection, to provide support for Hong Kong residents stranded on the Diamond Princess cruise ship, and to discuss various return arrangements with the local government so as to bring home the stranded Hong Kong residents within the shortest time. Later in March, 58 staff members went further to travel to Wuhan, Hubei Province, remaining locked down at that time, and successfully brought home by eight charter flights over 1,000 Hong Kong residents scattered across the province. In these operations, our staff members, be they in the front line or back office, remained undaunted and advanced indomitably to complete their missions with a display of a high standard of professionalism, winning praise and recognition from all sectors of society. As the Director of Immigration, I take great pride in their work.

Without a country, there is no family. Our motherland provides strong backing for Hong Kong's prosperity and stability, giving us staunch support in areas ranging from the HKSAR Government's anti-epidemic efforts to safeguarding the legal rights of Hong Kong residents outside Hong Kong. In June 2020, the CPG promulgated and implemented the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the HKSAR (Hong Kong National Security Law) so as to ensure that Hong Kong can safeguard national security, thereby getting "one country, two systems" back onto the right track and keeping our community free from riots and social turmoil. Given that Hong Kong is the country's southern gateway, the ImmD plays a pivotal role in safeguarding national security. In full support of the work of the Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the HKSAR, the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the CPG in the HKSAR and other relevant departments, we will act as a gatekeeper for our country and Hong Kong fearlessly by preventing and suppressing any act or activity endangering national and Hong Kong's security.

Having gone through an extraordinary year, our staff stay true to their original aspiration for contributing to the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong by standing fast at their posts and sparing no efforts in rising to all sorts of challenges. I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all our colleagues for their strenuous efforts in completing various arduous tasks with continued professionalism amid adversities. In the year ahead, I earnestly hope that Hong Kong can get through the epidemic with people's lives returning to normal and visitors from around the world being able to visit Hong Kong again.

AU Ka-wang, I.D.S.M.
Director of Immigration