Hong Kong has often been dubbed by its fans as ‘the world’s best place to live in’. There may be other countries vying for that title, but Hong Kong certainly is a strong contender for it. The colonial past lends it a unique charm, while the modern infrastructure is the buzz word in efficiency.Hong Kong is a hop skip and jump way from home. This means traveling home for holidays is much easier. The climate in Hong Kong is warm and sunshiny and does not take much getting used to. There are plenty of weekend getaways in and around Hong Kong to cater to every taste, whether you are a nature lover, amusement park enthusiast or an adventure sports junkie, thus ensuring the perfect work-life balance. What’s more, with the huge Indian population residing and thriving in Hong Kong, one need not feel far away from home.

There are various options for people wishing to work and settle in Hong Kong. The Quality Migrants and professionals scheme is one of them. People who are highly qualified and can contribute significantly under the Hong Kong economy are invited to apply under the Quality Migrants and Professionals Scheme (QMAS). The scheme was launched by the Hong Kong Government to attract quality talent and enhance the economic competitiveness of the country. Persons who intend to apply, must make sure they satisfy a set of prerequisites as laid below. After making sure they are eligible, they have to undergo a point’s based test. There are two types of points based test for entry into Hong Kong under the QMAS. The applicant would take one of the two, depending on individual circumstances. On getting sufficient points the individual would then compete for allocation in the quota along with a pool of other applicants. Applicants who successfully enter Hong Kong under this scheme can bring their spouses and dependent and unmarried children, who are less than 18 years old. The applicant however needs to have sufficient financial resources to support the accommodation and living expenses of these dependents.

Before applying for entry under the Quality Migrants and Professionals Scheme (QMAS), the applicant has to make sure he satisfies the following eligibility criteria.

• The applicant must be over 18 years old at the time of applying.
• The applicant must not possess any criminal records or have been debarred from entering Hong Kong or any other country.
• The applicant must be able to provide sufficient proof of being financially able to support his dependents.
• The applicant should demonstrate proficiency in English and/or Chinese.
• The applicant must have either a degree or diploma from a recognized university or institute of repute.

After making sure that they satisfy the prerequisites given above, the applicant can opt for the points based test. They can choose to be assessed either under the general points based test, which has five deciding factors, or the achievement based points based test, which has only one deciding factor. Applications which satisfy the minimum points criteria, are ranked according to their points and placed in a pool. The immigration authority undertakes selection exercises on a periodical basis to shortlist candidates from the pool of applications for further assessment. The immigration authority then makes the final decision based on consultation with other governmental agencies.

Applicants who are successful in the selection exercise are given an ‘approval in principle’ letter. This letter enables them to come to Hong Kong on a visitor visa, where they will need to attend an interview and present originals for all documents that have been submitted during the selection process. On successful verification of documents, and finalization of all relevant procedures, the applicant will be issued a visa/entry permit for staying in Hong Kong under the scheme.