The number of Hong Kongers obtaining permanent residency in Taiwan rose 10.5 percent from 2022 to last year, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said.
Last year, 1,432 Hong Kongers obtained permanent residency in Taiwan, up from 1,296 in 2022, the council said in a recent report to the Legislative Yuan, after opposition lawmakers questioned whether the government had made the process more difficult by raising the threshold for Hong Kongers to obtain residency.
Residency applications under general immigration or humanitarian reasons are separate mechanisms that are handled independently, the council said, adding that the government is continuing to implement the Hong Kong Humanitarian Aid Project.
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The government welcomes talented people from Hong Kong and Macau who can contribute to the country’s development to apply through general immigration, it said.
Authorities have reported many applicants that contravened immigration laws and regulations, such as those applying for immigration as an investor without investing, applying as a professional worker without using their reported expertise or applying for family-based residency without family sponsors, it said.
Some fraudulent immigration applications have also been discovered, against which the government would take corrective measures, it said.
Applicants who meet the residency requirements stipulated in the Regulations Governing Permits for Hong Kong and Macau Residents Entering the Taiwan Area and Setting Up Residence or Registered Permanent Residence in the Republic of China (香港澳門居民進入台灣地區及居留定居許可辦法) and are deemed to pose no national security risk would be granted residency, the MAC said.
If applications raise concerns or the documents submitted are incomplete, authorities would give the applicants six months to one year to submit additional information or documents, it said.
The cases would be provided with a notice that clearly states the information or documents that should be supplemented, it said, adding that authorities would respond to any further inquiries from applicants.
Providing a grace period for applicants is an approach based on humanity and goodwill, rather than an attempt to delay the review process, the MAC said.
The council is striving to coordinate agencies on establishing review criteria and protocols for handling residency applications from Hong Kongers and Macanese, it said.
In the past year, many Hong Kongers have spoken positively about the government’s assistance in their resettlement, it said.
Some YouTubers who recently moved from Hong Kong made videos to help people better understand the government’s stance and practices, the MAC said.
The political situation in Hong Kong has changed dramatically in the past few years, which also affects its population, at least one-fifth of which is originally from mainland China, it said.
The government would review residency applications cautiously to ensure national security and long-term social stability, it said.
The council would continue assisting agencies with residency application reviews as well as with bridging the gap between the cultures of Taiwan and Hong Kong to help Hong Kongers residing in Taiwan better adapt to their lives in the nation as soon as possible, it said.
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