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ensures orderly entry. Between July 1, 1997 and the end of 2010, some 186 200 certificate of entitlement holders entered Hong Kong from the Mainland.

Quality Migrant Admission Scheme

A Quality Migrant Admission Scheme launched in June 2006 seeks to enhance Hong Kong's pool of human capital. Under the scheme, talented people may apply to enter and settle in Hong Kong without first securing an offer of local employment. At the end of 2010, a quota of 1 808 had been allotted to applicants.

Capital Investment Entrant Scheme

A Capital Investment Entrant Scheme launched in October 2003 facilitates the entry of people who make capital investments in Hong Kong but do not engage in the running of business. Originally, successful applicants were required to invest at least $6.5 million in Hong Kong in real estate or permissible financial assets, such as equities or debt securities. Starting from October 14, 2010, the threshold of investment (and net assets/net equity requirement) was raised to $10 million, and real estate was temporarily suspended as a class of Permissible Investment Assets.

By the end of 2010, a total of 8 924 applicants had been granted formal approval under the scheme. They invested a total of $63.3 billion, or an average of about $7.09 million per applicant.

Entry for Employment as Professionals

Hong Kong maintains an open and liberal policy towards people entering into the city for employment as professionals. Those with special skills, knowledge or experience of value to and not readily available in Hong Kong, or who are in a position to make substantial contribution to the economy, are welcome. Since the reunification of Hong Kong with China in 1997, over 290 000 non-local professionals have been admitted to Hong Kong via various admission arrangements to work in the city.

Employment of Non-Local Students

Since May 19, 2008, non-local students graduating from a full-time locally accredited programme at degree level or above may apply to remain in Hong Kong for one year to take up employment. Those who graduated from such a programme before that date may also apply to return to Hong Kong for 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 spouses, 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 degree- awarding institutions, may also sponsor their spouses and unmarried dependent children under the age of 18 to apply to enter Hong Kong as dependants.