HK$2.5 billion spent on social security for new Hong Kong immigrants in past three years
Lawmakers say sum is too much, and resources should go to locals first
The unanimous Court of Final Appeal ruling four years ago meant new arrivals did not need to live in the city for at least seven years – a previous requirement deemed unconstitutional – before they can apply for Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) benefits.
Following the court decision then, the administration restored the “one-year residence requirement”, which was originally in effect before being replaced by the seven-year rule in 2004.
In a written reply to pan-democratic lawmaker Raymond Chan Chi-chuen’s inquiries about the government’s annual budget, the Social Welfare Department revealed that 6,754 CSSA applications – by those who have been living in the city for less than seven years – were approved as of last December.
A majority of them – 4,677 cases – were approved in the first financial year since the one-year rule was restored, with a successful application rate of 80 per cent.
In the financial year of 2015/2016, only 1,339 out of 4,380 applications were approved, while 738 out of 2,979 applications received the green light in the last financial year as of December 2016.
