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In 2021, the COVID-19 epidemic continued to impact on Hong Kong. In face of the volatile epidemic situation, the Immigration Department (ImmD) gave the HKSAR Government all-out support in fighting the epidemic by mobilising manpower and resources to assist in various aspects of anti-epidemic work. Despite the many challenges, staff of the ImmD had all along been standing fast at the post and maintaining professional services.
The department participated in the publicity campaign of the National Security Education Day.
Hong Kong is our country's southern gateway. The ImmD, standing at the forefront of Hong Kong, has a sacred constitutional responsibility of safeguarding national security and ensuring the continued prosperity and stability of Hong Kong. In full support of the work of the Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the relevant departments, the ImmD discharges its duties conscientiously and shoulders the grave responsibility of safeguarding national security by building an iron bastion of national security. Safeguarding national security spans different areas of our work. For immigration and visa control, in light of the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law, we have introduced national security risk assessment into the process of vetting of various types of visa applications in order to prevent undesirables and people who have doubtful purpose of visit from entering Hong Kong by taking advantage of immigration facilitation. For law enforcement, we have established the Cybercrime and Forensics Investigation Group to strengthen its capabilities of case investigation and evidence gathering in a bid to combat immigration-related illicit activities more effectively, thereby securing the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong society. Regarding the problem of abuse of the screening mechanism for non-refoulement claims by illegal immigrants and overstayers, we have also expedited the screening process and continued to remove unsubstantiated claimants from Hong Kong orderly by special flight. Moreover, with the Immigration (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 coming into effect on 1 August 2021, the handling of non-refoulement claims has been further enhanced, thereby curbing the challenges posed by the abuse of the screening mechanism for non-refoulement claims in multiple ways, including interception at source, enforcement, removal and detention of claimants. Coinciding with the first anniversary of the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law and our 60th anniversary of establishment, we have updated our mission and values to highlight our sacred mission to safeguard national security and our unswerving love for the country and Hong Kong. We have also enhanced the national studies programmes for our staff to increase their understanding of national affairs and awareness of safeguarding national security, with a view to building, from concept to live, a united, committed and professional immigration service that loves our motherland and contributes to the development of our country and Hong Kong.
The department organised an open day at the Immigration Service Institute of Training and Development on the National Security Education Day.
To meet the needs for epidemic prevention and control, governments around the world had introduced various immigration restrictions. Although passenger clearance services at most immigration control points were suspended, all cargo clearance services at control points continued to operate throughout the epidemic in order to ensure a stable supply of goods and the smooth operation of society. The Shenzhen Bay Control Point in particular has implemented round-the-clock cargo clearance since December 2020 to tie in with the 'East in East out, West in West out' planning strategy for cross-boundary goods traffic. Furthermore, we flexibly deployed resources and manpower to handle the substantial increase in applications for visas and extension of stay and requests for assistance from Hong Kong residents outside Hong Kong arising from the epidemic, and other anti-epidemic related work. We also proactively supported various anti-epidemic operations of the HKSAR Government by, among others, deploying manpower to participate in multiple 'restriction-testing declaration' and compulsory testing notice operations, conducting door-to-door spot checks on compliance with quarantine orders, deploying staff to Contact Tracing Offices (CTOs), and providing support for the community-wide vaccination programme. Immigration staff deployed to CTOs, with professional and seasoned interrogation skills, had even traced the movements of the patients of the first mutant strain case in the community and a related social cluster, contributing to the cut-off of transmission chains of the virus. Our staff, be they in their original posts to provide essential public services, or in the front line or back office to participate in anti-epidemic work, had stayed true to their original aspiration for serving the public and spared no efforts to complete their tasks with professionalism of which we were proud. I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all our colleagues for remaining dauntless under the threat of the virus, fully demonstrating a sense of mission to fight the virus together.
As a government department in frequent contact with the public, the ImmD has been keeping up with the times and harnessing innovative technology to enhance the quality and efficiency of its services, with notable results. Our Next Generation Electronic Passport System has achieved remarkable success by winning the Award of the Year, the Smart Business Grand Award and the Smart Business (Solution for Business and Public Sector Enterprise) Gold Award at the Hong Kong ICT Awards 2021. Given that innovative technology plays an important role in epidemic prevention and control, we have been proactively rolling out electronic and smart service delivery to help members of the public and visa applicants cope with the epidemic. In December 2021, the Contactless e-Channel service was introduced to enhance our automated immigration clearance services at control points, allowing enrolled Hong Kong residents to perform self-service immigration clearance by scanning the encrypted QR code generated from the mobile application and having their identity verified with the use of facial recognition technology. There is no need to furnish an identity card, take any fingerprint or touch any shared equipment throughout the process, which is hygienic, convenient and fast. In the same month, we launched the first stage of the 'e-Visa' arrangement, enabling applicants to complete the whole application process online without having to go through the formalities at an Immigration Office, thus minimising the risk posed by the gathering of crowds during the epidemic.
Apart from adopting technology in service delivery, we always hold on to the department's value of 'Courtesy and Compassion' by making thoughtful and convenient arrangements in every aspect of our services. The caring arrangements under the Territory-wide Identity Card Replacement Exercise (Replacement Exercise) and the Age-friendly Counters at the Registration of Persons Offices, well received by the public, won the My Favourite City Partnership Scheme Award under the Jockey Club Age-friendly City Partnership Scheme 2020; while the Replacement Exercise, the Evacuation Operations in Japan and the ImmD Volunteer Work Team were given the Age-friendly Collaborator Award in recognition of our sustained efforts in promoting age-friendly initiatives and services for the benefit of the elderly. Moreover, to provide greater convenience to members of the public, a network data call function was added to the ImmD Mobile Application since March 2021 as an additional means for Hong Kong residents in distress outside Hong Kong to seek assistance from the ImmD. In August 2021, with our pioneering application of artificial intelligence technology, the 'i Ambassador' was introduced at the Immigration Headquarters to give visitors on-site navigation information and instant answers to simple enquiries. In addition, the ImmD's Tuen Mun Regional Office, our first regional office designed with the concept of one-stop service, commenced operation in the same year, providing the local residents with convenient access to various kinds of immigration services. In days to come, the new Immigration Headquarters, expected to be complete in 2023, will provide the public with services which are more convenient and efficient through the incorporation of more smart elements in its design and the installation of self-service kiosks with diversified services.
The department won two major awards under the Jockey Club Age-friendly City Partnership Scheme 2020 for its sustained efforts in promoting age-friendly initiatives and services for the benefit of the elderly.
Young people are the future of our society, so when young people thrive, Hong Kong thrives. The ImmD has always attached great importance to nurturing the youth. It has established its uniformed group, the Immigration Department Youth Leaders, in as early as 2013, providing a variety of disciplinary and leadership training programmes for secondary school students. In 2021, the ImmD changed the name of the group to the Immigration Department Youth Leaders Corps (IDYL), with membership expanded to include secondary school students of all levels. A training base in San Po Kong was set up and the training programme of the group was enriched to demonstrate the ImmD's determination to inculcate young people with a sense of national identity, the love for our country and Hong Kong, and the enthusiasm for serving the community. The ImmD looks forward to organising more activities for IDYL members when the epidemic subsides, including visits to the Hong Kong offices of Mainland institutions and Mainland exchange programmes, so as to broaden youngsters' horizons, deepen their understanding of the country and heighten their sense of national pride.
In the Immigration Department Passing-out Parade cum 60th Anniversary Grand Parade in December, the parade lined up to form '1961', 'IMMD' and Chinese numerals '60' in the Chinese-style foot drill performance to symbolize the 60th anniversary of the department.
As the department celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2021, a slogan 'Innovation and Dedication 60 Years and beyond' was adopted to represent its dedication to duties and spirit of forging ahead in serving the community.
Since its establishment in 1961, the ImmD has safeguarded the safety, stability and prosperity of Hong Kong, and has grown with the city. Looking back, notwithstanding the international financial crises, the epidemic situation of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), or the serious social unrest, Hong Kong has always forged valiantly ahead against the winds and billows. With the staunch support of the country and the strengthened confidence and unity of Hong Kong residents, Hong Kong will certainly surmount the epidemic and various challenges. The ImmD will, as always, give full support to the policies of the Central Government and the HKSAR Government, so as to help Hong Kong better integrate into the country's overall development and turn over a new chapter of progressing from stability to prosperity.