Hong Kong authorities announced that full-time non-local undergraduate students can take up part-time work and have no need to apply for an extra No Objection Letter (NOL), as an arrangement currently available only to postgraduate students starting November 1, 2024.
Policy Address 2024 announced that full-time non-local undergraduate students will be exempt from part-time work restrictions. Upon receiving an NOL from the Immigration Department, students can work part-time without limitation on hours or location.
The Immigration Department will issue NOL to all eligible students through their respective institutions without requiring separate applications. All eligible students granted a student visa or entry permit to study in Hong Kong will automatically receive NOL from November 1.
Extending this arrangement from postgraduate to undergraduate students will benefit nearly 20,000 full-time non-local undergraduates. Previously, non-local undergraduates had to obtain a written notification from an education institution to inform the Immigration Department if they needed to engage in subject-related internships. They also required prior approval from the Director of Immigration to get the NOL, which was valid for one year.
“Finding a part-time internship that requires an NOL is quite troublesome. I have experienced my onboarding was delayed due to issues with the NOL,” said Kylie Zhong, a 21-year-old undergraduate student from the University of Hong Kong.
“I am really happy about the new arrangement by the government. It will greatly reduce the hassle of finding internships, and companies will not have to worry about the risks of hiring non-local students because of the NOL complications,” Zhong added.
In addition to no longer having to apply for an NOL through educational institutions, non-local undergraduate students are now exempt from restrictions on part-time work, which will be highly beneficial for those aiming to stay in Hong Kong for future development.
The new arrangement removes previous limits on non-local undergraduates, such as the 20-hour-per-week cap on-campus jobs, subject-related internships during the semester, and summer internships. This means non-local undergraduates are no longer restricted to internships related solely to their field of study and can explore a broader range of job opportunities.
“I am studying sociology, and due to the restrictions on part-time work for non-local students, most of the roles found in Hong Kong were research internships with non-profit organizations,” said Bonnie Yu, a 20-year-old undergraduate student from the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
“As Hong Kong is a finance-driven international city, I am eager to gain internship experience in the business industry. However, due to the limitations on non-local students, I had to look for internships in mainland China during the summer,” Yu added.
The government said that allowing full-time non-local undergraduates and postgraduates to work part-time will help attract more international students to study in Hong Kong. This arrangement will better prepare them for long-term development after graduation, expanding Hong Kong’s potential talent pool.
“Easing these part-time work restrictions opens up more opportunities for me to take on different internships in Hong Kong, making me more competitive for future job prospects here,” said Yu.