Hong Kong and Italy sign agreement to allow young people spend time in each other’s countries as part of working holiday scheme
- Those aged between 18 and 30 years from either side will be able to stay in each other’s countries for up to 12 months
- Scheme will help young people broaden their horizons and boost bilateral ties, says Labour and Welfare Secretary Law Chi-kwong
Young people from Hong Kong and Italy will have a new option for their working holiday after both governments signed an agreement on Friday.
The bilateral working holiday scheme agreement with Italy would allow young people aged between 18 and 30 to apply for a visa which would allow them to stay for up to 12 months.
During their stay, they could work or study short-term courses. The annual quota from each side for the scheme would be 500.
The agreement was signed by Secretary for Labour and Welfare Law Chi-kwong and Italy’s undersecretary of state in the foreign ministry Manlio Di Stefano at Hong Kong’s government headquarters in Admiralty.
Law said the scheme, which was similar to arrangements Hong Kong had with 13 other countries, was well received.