ENG-2009 — Page 494

414 | Population and Immigration

employment provided the job they have secured is at a level commonly taken up by degree-holders and is remunerated at market rates.

Entry of Dependants

Hong Kong permanent residents or residents who are not subject to a limit of stay may sponsor their spouse, unmarried dependent children under the age of 18 and dependent parents aged 60 or above to enter Hong Kong as dependants. People who are admitted under the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme or the Capital Investment Entrant Scheme, or admitted to take up professional employment or to study in full-time undergraduate or post-graduate programmes in local institutions with degree-awarding powers, may also sponsor their spouse and unmarried dependent children under the age of 18 to apply to enter Hong Kong as dependants.

Illegal Immigration

The HKSAR keeps a close watch on illegal immigration activities. 1890 Mainland illegal immigrants were arrested during the year, 20 per cent less than in 2008. The number of Vietnamese illegal immigrants arrested was 447, or 32 per cent less than in 2008.

The Immigration Department maintains close liaison with the Mainland and overseas governments on matters relating to population movements and irregular migration. During the year, representatives from the Immigration Department participated in international and regional conferences and workshops held in Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines and Thailand.

Emigration

The estimated number of emigrants from Hong Kong was 7 200 in 2009, most of whom went to the United States (2 800), Australia (1 900) and Canada (700).

Personal Documentation

Travel Documents

The Immigration Department started issuing HKSAR electronic passports (HKSAR e-Passport) on February 5, 2007. It is embedded with a contactless integrated chip containing the holder's personal data and facial image as the biometric identifiers in accordance with the standards specified by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. Issuance of the HKSAR passport is controlled strictly by the Immigration Department. The passports are issued only to Hong Kong permanent residents who are Chinese citizens with the right of abode in the HKSAR and who hold Hong Kong permanent identity cards.

Applications can be made by post or in person. Those from overseas can be sent to the Immigration Department through Chinese diplomatic or consular missions. Eligible applicants aged 18 or above may submit their applications through the internet or through the self-service kiosks at the Immigration Department's headquarters or its branch offices. Since November 30, 2009, eligible applicants aged 11-17 have also been able to submit their applications through the internet.