The most closely watched news in the Hong Kong education circle recently is undoubtedly the new statement by the Hong Kong Education Bureau on the recognition of local students.
The Secretary for Education of Hong Kong, Jolin Tsai, explicitly stated that a "policy buffer period" should be set up for high school students who come to Hong Kong to avoid overly rigid policies affecting their further education.
This is undoubtedly a "reassurance pill" for families who plan or have already come to Hong Kong through talent programs.
01
Why is there a buffer period?
Leave room for talented children!
Cai Ruolian explained the underlying considerations in the interview: many parents who come to Hong Kong through talent programs (such as Gaocai Tong) have children in Form 5 (second year of high school) or high school stage.
If the "new definition of local students" is directly implemented now, these children may not have enough time to adjust their plans - for example, with only 1-2 years left until graduation, sudden policy changes will disrupt the pace of further education.
So the Hong Kong government plans to establish a transitional period to allow parents and students time to make arrangements, while also urgently reviewing the "definition of local students" and striving to announce it before the new round of joint entrance examination, without affecting students who will enroll in 2026.
02
Local student policy adjustment:
These points have been clarified!
Identity recognition: Dependent children are still considered local students
? The core has not changed, and children who come to Hong Kong through dependent visas still belong to "local students", and the identity recognition standards remain unchanged.
Tuition fees should be tiered: linked to residence and contribution
? Referring to the practices of the UK and Singapore, the Hong Kong government may "internally segment" local students and no longer impose a "one size fits all" tuition fee;
? Long term residence+contribution, such as living in Hong Kong for at least 3 years, parents working and paying taxes in Hong Kong, and maintaining the current low tuition fees;
? New immigrant dependents may have to pay higher tuition fees to avoid utilitarian immigration of "returning to the mainland after settling down".
(Similar to Singapore: After receiving tuition subsidies, international students need to work locally for 3 years, otherwise they will have to pay the full tuition fee)
Guaranteed enrollment: Local student quota remains unchanged, with additional expansion of enrollment
? The undergraduate quota for local students (15000 per year) remains unchanged and does not conflict with the quota for non local students;
? In the future, there may be additional enrollment opportunities for local students who have not received tuition assistance, such as children of new immigrants, without worrying about being unable to fit in.
03
3 Practical Suggestions for Parents
1. Pay close attention to the policy timeline: The new plan will be announced before the selection of subjects in the joint recruitment, with a focus on official news before the launch of the joint recruitment in 2025. Don't miss the key nodes;
2. Advance planning for residence and contribution: If you plan to send your child to Hong Kong for further education, try to come to Hong Kong as early as possible to live, and keep your parents working and paying taxes in Hong Kong - this may be directly linked to future tuition discounts;
3. Don't panic when coming to Hong Kong during high school: The buffer period will cover students who are "1-2 years away from graduation". For example, if they come to Hong Kong in Form 5, they are likely to be able to continue their studies according to the original rules without excessive anxiety.
The essence of this policy adjustment is that the Hong Kong government "wants to attract talent while also screening long-term contributors": it has not tightened its doors, but rather values "real life in Hong Kong" more.
For parents, planning their living and academic pace in advance can better adapt to changes - after all, the core of the policy is to provide more security for families who truly come to Hong Kong for development.
At present, the mainstream ways to immigrate to Hong Kong include the Gaocai Tong Program, the Youcai Program, the Investment Immigration Program, the Talent Program, and the Continuing Education Immigration Program.
If you want to apply for Hong Kong status, please feel free to inquire with Star Cloud Sea International!
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