Hong Kong Announces 13 Countries Eligible for Its Working Holiday Programme

• Hong Kong's Immigration Department published the full list of countries whose nationals qualify for its Working Holiday Scheme
• A total of 13 countries hold bilateral agreements with Hong Kong, with annual quotas ranging from 100 to 5,000 spots per country
• No African nation appears on the list, leaving nationals across the continent without a pathway to participate in the scheme

Hong Kong's Immigration Department has released the full details of its Working Holiday Scheme, confirming that nationals from 13 countries are eligible to apply, none of which are located in Africa.

The scheme is designed to promote cultural and educational exchange between Hong Kong and its bilateral partner countries.

Eligible applicants must hold a valid national passport, be between 18 and 30 years old, ordinarily reside in their home country, and intend to holiday as their primary purpose for visiting.

Participants may also take up short-term employment or enrol in brief study and training programmes during their stay.

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Countries eligible for Hong Kong's working holiday scheme

The 13 countries with active bilateral agreements with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, along with their respective annual quotas, are: Australia (5,000 spots), Japan (1,500), South Korea (1,000), the United Kingdom (1,000), France (750), Sweden (500), New Zealand (400), Germany (300), Canada (193), Hungary (200), Ireland (200), Austria (100), and the Netherlands (100).

Australia holds the largest allocation by a significant margin. Austria and the Netherlands sit at the bottom of the list, each with 100 spots per year.

How applications are processed

Spots under the scheme are not guaranteed. Hong Kong operates a first-come, first-served quota system for each participating country, meaning that once a nation's annual allocation is exhausted, no further applications from that country will be considered until the following cycle begins.

The scheme currently excludes nationals from Africa, the Middle East, and the vast majority of Asia and Latin America. Travellers from those regions have no available pathway to participate, regardless of whether they meet the age or residency requirements on other grounds.

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Hong Kong names African countries eligible for 90-day visa-free entry

The full list, published by the Immigration Department, reflects the existing network of bilateral agreements Hong Kong has established over time, and no new partner countries were announced alongside the release of these details.

Hong Kong lists African countries eligible for visa-free entry

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Hong Kong had said passport holders from seven African countries were eligible for visa-free entry into the territory for stays of up to 90 days.

The seven countries span East Africa, Southern Africa, and North Africa. They are Botswana, Egypt, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, Seychelles, and Tanzania.

Source: YEN.com.gh