Working Holiday Scheme

To provide an opportunity for Hong Kong youths to broaden their horizons by experiencing foreign culture through living and working overseas while holidaying, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has established Working Holiday Scheme (the Scheme) with New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, Germany, Japan, Canada, Korea, France, the United Kingdom, Austria, Hungary, Sweden and the Netherlands. Apart from facilitating cultural exchanges between Hong Kong and our partner economies, the Scheme also enhances bilateral cooperation and promotes tourism and development between the two places.

Under the Scheme, participants may stay in the partner economy for an extended period.  They are also allowed to take up short-term employment as an incidental aspect of their stay, or enrol in short-term course(s) (except for Ireland) so as to acquire a better understanding of the cultural and social developments of the partner economy.  The Scheme aims to enable Hong Kong youths to gain invaluable experience while holidaying and working abroad, which would help strengthen their self-confidence, resilience and interpersonal skills.

While Hong Kong youths can go overseas for working holiday, youths of our partner economies can also come to Hong Kong for holidaying under the Scheme.