Ruling may open up other rights to new immigrants
Non-permanent residents in Hong Kong - immigrants who have not yet lived in the city for seven years - are only entitled to some publicly funded benefits, such as health care and subsidised transport.
Some barristers and lawmakers warned yesterday's judgment could mean new immigrants were also eligible for other rights usually reserved for permanent residents.
"[Yesterday's ruling] has far-reaching effects," warned Nelson Chow Wing-sun, professor of social work at the University of Hong Kong. "Even the government may not be able to tell exactly how many policies and how many people are affected."
Barrister and Civic Party lawmaker Alan Leong Kah-kit urged the government to conduct a comprehensive review of who is now eligible for public subsidy schemes.
"The government should find out how the judgment affects public policy and come up with solutions," Leong said.
He voiced concern that the city's public housing would now have to be opened up to new immigrants.
In contrast, Professor Albert Chen Hung-yee, dean of HKU's Faculty of Law, believed the judgment related only to Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA), and said it did not merit seeking a reinterpretation of the Basic Law by the National People's Congress Standing Committee.