Quality Migrant Admission Scheme - Help

[vmlinuz]

There is a misunderstanding about this scheme. The permits are issued quarterly, but I don't know if the quarterly rounds are for applications in the previous quarter or if there is a delay as JT06 suggests.

The confusing thing is that while everybody who applies does so on the basis of a point score, there are two ways to gain points. If you are a Nobel winner, Olympic athlete, world-renowned concent pianist, etc. you can apply based on your achievements and, if they are accepted, you get the maximum 165 points and automatically jump to the top of the queue. If you are not an 'exceptional' person, you can apply based on collecting points for things like being young, being qualified, being experienced, speaking English/Chinese/other languages and so on. In the second case, there is a theoretical maximum of 165 points, and applications will not be accepted which have less than 80, the current minimum score.

In all cases, you must be able to prove fluency in at least English or Chinese, financial independence, a clean criminal record and basic educational qualification, equal to a first degree or above.

For what it's worth, the reason I'm interested in this scheme, after a couple of work permits, is that it should give me a lot more flexibility. Since I would no longer need a work permit, it would allow me to take opportunities which might otherwise be out of bounds, like contract work, remote work for a foreign company, or simply looking at jobs in HK for which the company isn't interested in sponsoring a visa.

[AsiaJason]

I've seen an experienced Immigration Consultant/Attorney on this overall issue. He's been doing this for 15 years, and has a close working relationship with the folks at the ID. I saw him to find out any way to stay here.


Here is what I found:

In the order "easiest to hardest":

1 - Investment Visa:
There are a couple different ways to do investment. If you have tons of money, this is the way you go - either option a) or option b)

Option a) - you have tons of money, like a singer or businessman, and somehow get entangled in the local econ. I didn't even review this because I'm not that person.

option b) - for the rest of us:

All you have to do is start a business - not like in the USA, where you can run it out of your home doing something stupid, but an actual store front. You biz can be Sole Prop or LTD. LTD is better, but I was told SP is ok.

Store fronts are fairly cheap considering. It can be anywhere - find the cheapest place in town. In that store, all you have to do is:

- make it into an office or store,
-"hire" an employee from HK - at least one to start, and show how you are contributing to the HK econ with both employee (really taxes) and sales.

In fact, to start, you can show the immigration officials everything you plan to do on paper... on your "new" 2nd hand desk in your storefront office, of course.

You can sell services, goods, whatever. Don't let this sound like a lot. If you're from the US, you're undoubtedly scarred from the "system" into thinking it takes a lot to start a business. I've run businesses before, and I know you could come up with something. Say teaching english classes/tutoring students. You're your own boss, so you don't need a teaching cert, right? Or IT services. Or PC store, or or or... point is, it doesn't take 10's of thousands to create a decent looking store. Just time and actual work. The right office may just need a new paint job, a desk, a book shelf, and a couple of chairs, and a vinyl sign. Cell phone can take place of expensive business lines. PCCW's HSPDA usb device or whatever it's called provides internet for example. Etc etc.


So a variable rough rough cost of this is: (and read between the lines please)
- Store (say $10k a month)
- Startup ie 2nd hand furniture/sign/advertising: ($10k month)
- Payment of the employee and their gov't tax (which is really just their 5% plus the employer 5% - for a total of 10% of whatever you *SAY* you are paying them)- if you know that employee, well, you figure it out what you actually pay them. (say 10% of a $5k salary = $500 a month)
-pay that consultant to get you through the paperwork with no hassels. ($10-50k - very general figure there - I can't say what they will charge YOU).

So for $100k, and probably a lot less, you could stay, and for around $10k a month. You have to do work yourself, and be your own boss, and decide if you want to make a profit (or at least slow down the flow from your pocket) or just keep bleeding money out of your pocket to stay here. But think about it - once you have your own storefront - you can work for ANY company YOU want to - provided they want to HIRE you! Contract basis, jump around, many clients, etc. It's all possible with this method. Find others to work with/for you, and do the same consulting you do.


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2) Work Visa. - This one is obvious. But not easy to find a company to provide you, right?

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3) QMWS - 1500 potential a year. What I was told by the immigration consultant is that this IS for mainlanders (even if it's unstated).

I wonder where that "accountant" mentioned in an above post was from?

Now the consultant said that in his 15 years, he has not seen a westerner let in under this scheme. Doesn't mean there hasn't been any, and If there has been, that doesn't lessen the credibility at all - just means - he hasn't seen it.

- Also - under this scheme, during the part that requires you to prove your educational experience (ie, if you have a B.S. from a university)
you have to pay $4-5K to a local univ, like HKPoly, to verify all your courses actually fit into a B.S equivalent here. Because the Immig. people have no way of knowing if your univ. degree is even slightly comparable to a local degree, it takes someone who does know, like the UKPoly, to spend time and pour over your transcript and compare course syllabuses, etc, which takes phone calls, time, etc.

And that's just part of the process. If they have unstated policy of allowing only mainlanders, then of course they'll let you apply, pay your fees to complete their requirements, etc. But no guarantee you'll get anywhere. As others have stated, it can take a LONG time in process as well. now you have some idea of why it takes a while.

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That's the three choices, and their likelyhood - for westerners. I think people from Au and other places have other options as well, like working holiday, but this is for US and other similar.

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again, I was told all this over the course of a few HOURS of in-person consultation with an experienced consultant in TST, not some fly by night guy either. This info is his, and not from my own experience - but I have no reason to doubt someone who has been doing this for 15 years and would make money from me either way I wanted to proceed)


- Don't lambaste me on any of this info - I'm just bringing info I've learned - whether it be right or wrong - to the table. Do with it what you wish. but by all means, go see an immigration consultant and get your own information on this subject.

Hope this sheds some light!

AsiaJason

[JT06]

That's very detailed info indeed! Thanks man! About the QMAS being for Mainlanders, I know that people think so because indeed most of the applicants and those who get approved are from the Mainland. However, I also know that this - the lack of non-mainland applicants - is in fact a problem that the ImmD is trying to solve. They want to boost the number of non-mainland applicants and success rates. But that doesn't mean they will be any less strict about the document requirements...

[MrLister]

3) QMWS - 1500 potential a year. What I was told by the immigration consultant is that this IS for mainlanders (even if it's unstated).

I wonder where that "accountant" mentioned in an above post was from?

Now the consultant said that in his 15 years, he has not seen a westerner let in under this scheme. Doesn't mean there hasn't been any, and If there has been, that doesn't lessen the credibility at all - just means - he hasn't seen it.

The TVB report (I think it was back in February) featured about 4 people who had moved to Hong Kong under the quality migrant scheme. Two of them were westerners - one an accountant from London who basically had no exceptional qualities aside from around 15 years accounting experience.

The other, an Ice Hockey coach from Canada who had played in the NHL professionally and qualified based on his exceptional accomplishments or whatever.

(The others, one was a Chinese singer, the other a Chinese papercrafter.)

I don't think the scheme is designed specifically for mainlanders, just that most of the applicants are mainlanders as they're the most likely to want to move over here.


As for having your degree verified by a local uni - are you sure? How come no such thing applies to work permits, and the immigration department had no problem recognising my degree from a British university for my work permit? Maybe this only applies to certain degrees, like if you got a BOo from the University of the North Pole?

That said, all of the people featured on the TVB program seemed to take ages to process their visa. Most seemed to be 6-12 months, about 8-9 months average. Seems utterly laborious.

[Scorpio01]

Hi AsiaJason

That was a very informative and interesting writeup !
and i have followed the same path, now for me it is time for moving ahead with application.

Can you tell me details of this consultant in TST?
i am also looking for a good and experienced immigration consultant

can you mail me his details if possible at
syedagha [at] yahoo dot com

Regards

[QASIM]

hello, i am female doctor from Pakistan and completed MBBS from Pakistan, currently i am doing job in Government hospital in Pak as a Women Medical officer. I want to get QMS and want to apply for it....
Please guide me , can i get this?
Age:27
Married : no kids
Did IELTS English 7.5band
Experience : 3 years
Net worth: i can show in bank statement
Husband: HE is also professional and at Manager level job
His education: MBA Master of business administration

Please help me so that i can send the form. i have filled the forms and want to dispatch the case to HK.

Regards
Dr.Asma