The Quality Migrant Admission Scheme applications have opened with an initial annual quota of 1,000, the Immigration Department says.

The scheme, to be operated on a points-based system, aims to attract talented people from the Mainland and overseas to develop their careers in Hong Kong.

Selection exercises will be conducted on a regular basis to allocate the quota to the best applicants. Successful applicants need not secure a local job offer before entering Hong Kong.

They may also apply to bring in their spouse, and unmarried dependent children below the age of 18.

Application criteria

The applicants must:

* be aged between 18 and 50 when lodging an application;

* be able to demonstrate that they are capable of supporting and accommodating themselves and any dependents without relying on public assistance during their stay in Hong Kong;

* not have a criminal or adverse immigration record in Hong Kong or elsewhere;

* be proficient in written and spoken Chinese (Putonghua or Cantonese) or English; and

* have a good education, normally a first degree from a recognised university or tertiary institution.

In special circumstances, good technical qualifications, proven professional abilities and/or experience and achievements supported by documentary evidence may be considered.

Applicants can choose to be assessed under one of the two point-based tests - the General Points Test and the Achievement-based Points Test - and compete for quota allocation. The maximum points for both tests is 165.

Under the test, a minimum passing mark will be set. Interested parties should view this mark through the department's website and assess whether they have adequate credentials before they submit an application.

Point-scoring factors

Applicants may score points according to the following five factors:

* their age;

* academic or professional qualifications;

* work experience;

* language proficiency: Applicants may be awarded points if they are proficient in both written and spoken Chinese - Putonghua or Cantonese - and English;

* family background: Applicants may be awarded points if they have at least one immediate family member who is a Hong Kong permanent resident residing in Hong Kong; their accompanying spouse has completed a degree or equivalent level of study; or their accompanying unmarried dependent children are under the age of 18.

The Achievement-based Points Test is designed for individuals with exceptional talent or skill and who have outstanding achievements. A maximum mark of 165 will be awarded if applicants have received a significant award or if they can show that their peers have acknowledged their work or that it has contributed significantly to the development of their field.

Applicants who have met the minimum passing mark under the General Points Test, or have attained the maximum points under the Achievement-based Points Test, will be ranked according to their scores. High-scoring applicants will be short-listed for selection by a non-statutory advisory committee appointed by the Chief Executive.

The advisory committee will consider the community's socio-economic needs, the sectoral mix of the short-listed applicants and other relevant factors, and recommend to the Director of Immigration how best to allocate the quota. Advisory committee membership will be announced soon.

Duration of stay

Successful applicants will normally be granted an initial stay of 12 months in Hong Kong. At the end of this period, entrants admitted under the scheme should be able to show they have taken steps to settle in Hong Kong by taking up residence here.

The director may grant a 12-month extension if the entrant has not yet taken such steps, if he deems this appropriate.

After two years, if the entrant has not taken up residence here, he or she is not likely to be given an extension.

After 36 months, entrants who wants to extend their stay must show they have settled here and are making a contribution to the city, having secured a job or

set up a business.

Application forms, guidance notes and information pamphlets can be obtained from the department's headquarters and branch offices, overseas Chinese diplomatic and consular missions, overseas Hong Kong Economic &Trade Offices, Beijing Office's Immigration Section and the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office in Guangdong's Immigration Division.

Application forms and scheme information can also be downloaded from the department's website. Applications must be made to the department by post or in person.