EdUHK: After Getting the PGDE, How Can Non‑Local Students Enter Hong Kong Primary and Secondary Schools via the IANG Visa? A Full Timeline and Policy Checkpoints

EdUHK: After Completing the PGDE – How Can Non-local Graduates Use the IANG Visa to Teach in Hong Kong Primary and Secondary Schools? A Complete Timeline and Policy Checkpoints

For a non-local graduate who has obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) in Hong Kong and intends to pursue a teaching career in local primary or secondary schools, the journey from graduation to formal employment is not a simple matter of sending out CVs. It is a tight exercise in time management that spans immigration policies, teacher registration rules, language proficiency assessments, and school recruitment cycles. According to figures released by the Immigration Department (ImmD) in 2023, a total of 11,289 applications were approved under the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG) for that year, a significant proportion of which were made by individuals who subsequently entered the education sector. Statistics from the University Grants Committee (UGC) for the 2022/23 academic year also show that the number of non-local students enrolled in UGC-funded taught postgraduate programmes in education had increased by approximately 24% compared with five years earlier. For graduates of The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK), a key training base for teachers, a clear grasp of the timeline and each policy checkpoint is essential to securing a seat in the staff room by late August.

Starting point of the timeline: background requirements before PGDE admission

The prerequisite for admission to a PGDE programme is a recognised bachelor’s degree, with a major subject that matches the teaching subject planned for the future. The competitive intensity of EdUHK’s full-time PGDE admissions can be seen from the following figures: in the 2023/24 academic year, EdUHK offered approximately 320 places across more than ten subjects, including Chinese, English, Mathematics, Liberal Studies / Citizenship and Social Development, Physical Education, and Music. In the same year, the tuition fee for non-local students was HK$140,000, while local students paid HK$42,100, a difference that reflects the UGC’s cost-recovery policy for non-local students. Applicants normally need to submit their applications through the University’s online system during the first semester of their final undergraduate year (October to December), together with undergraduate transcripts, a personal statement, and reference letters. At this stage, immigration procedures have not yet been triggered, but applicants should already begin looking into two key credentials for later stages: registered teacher status in Hong Kong, and the examination schedule for the Basic Law and National Security Law Test (BLNST) – which has been a statutory requirement for all newly appointed teachers in public sector schools since the 2022/23 school year.

Time point T0: applying for a student visa after receiving an offer

Conditional offers are typically converted into firm offers between May and June. At that point, non-local students must submit a student visa / entry permit application to the Hong Kong Immigration Department within a specified period. The required documents include a letter of confirmation of acceptance issued by the institution, proof of financial means (enough to cover one year’s tuition and living expenses; generally, at least HK$180,000 is recommended), and accommodation arrangements. According to ImmD’s processing cycle, the average handling time for a student visa application is six weeks. Non-local students admitted on a student visa have an endorsement in their landing slip that carries a “no employment, whether paid or unpaid” restriction. The only exception is course-related internships approved by the institution, and the internship period may not exceed one semester or one-third of the entire academic year. This restriction directly affects the school placement arrangements during the PGDE programme – EdUHK’s practicum units are a compulsory part of the course, so the University will proactively arrange internship approval for all students, and students do not need to make a separate application to ImmD.

T1: From the September intake to January the following year – four concurrent policy tracks

The PGDE academic year usually begins in early September and ends between late May and early June. Beneath what looks like a linear rhythm of attending classes, practice teaching, and writing teaching reflections, there are four institutional pathways that must be pursued from the very first day of the school year:

Track 1: Advance preparation for teacher registration qualifications
Teacher registration in Hong Kong is divided into two tiers: “permitted teacher” and “registered teacher”. Under section 42 of the Education Ordinance (Cap. 279), no person may teach in a school unless they are a registered teacher or have been granted permission to act as a permitted teacher. A person who holds a degree conferred by a university in Hong Kong and a recognised teacher training qualification (such as a PGDE) may apply directly for registration as a registered teacher. EdUHK’s PGDE is automatically recognised by the Teacher Registration Section of the Education Bureau, so in theory a full-time PGDE graduate is eligible for registered teacher status as soon as they graduate, without needing to wait for two years of teaching experience. However, the registration process requires the submission of original academic documents and a completed form, and the vetting period is generally 4 to 6 weeks. As a result, students should, during the autumn semester, confirm with the University when a “letter certifying the degree and teacher training qualification” can be issued, so that the application can be launched the following spring.

Track 2: Language proficiency assessment timeline
Those who intend to teach English or Putonghua must meet the Language Proficiency Requirement (LPR). In the Language Proficiency Assessment for Teachers (LPAT) administered by the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA), the English language assessment consists of five papers: Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking, and Classroom Language. Registration takes place between October and November each year, and the examinations are scheduled from January to February the following year. An alternative route is to apply for exemption: an English subject applicant who holds a relevant English-related bachelor’s degree and has obtained an overall IELTS (Academic) score of 7.0 or above (a requirement unchanged since 2015) may be granted a full exemption. HKEAA data show that in 2023 there were about 5,200 entries for the various papers of the LPAT English language assessment, and the first-attempt pass rate for the Classroom Language paper was around 72%. For non-local students, the exemption route clearly saves time, but they should note that IELTS results are normally valid for two years, and when submitting the exemption application, the test result must still be within the validity period.

Track 3: The Basic Law and National Security Law Test
The Education Bureau stipulates that all regular teachers appointed in public sector schools (including government schools, aided schools, and caput schools) from the 2022/23 school year onwards must have passed the BLNST before taking up their posts. The test is conducted by the Education Bureau several times a year. In 2024, the test dates are set in April, June, October, and December, with enrolment normally opening two months before the test. If non-local students do not have time to sit the test during their studies, they must obtain a pass at the latest before the employment contract takes effect after being offered a job. The test is a bilingual (Chinese and English) multiple-choice paper with 20 questions, and the pass mark is 10 correct answers or more. Data from the Education Bureau indicate that by the end of 2023, a cumulative total of more than 28,000 attempts had been made at the test, with an overall pass rate of over 90%. EdUHK has included the test as a core reminder item in its career development services.

Track 4: School recruitment cycle
Teacher recruitment for the new school year in Hong Kong’s primary and secondary schools is mostly concentrated between March and June. Vacancies in aided schools are posted on the Education Bureau’s “Teacher Vacancy” webpage and in newspapers; international schools and Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS) schools tend to recruit through LinkedIn, TES, or their own websites. According to the guidelines in the Education Bureau’s School Administration Handbook, schools are required to give priority to registered teachers when hiring, but if a suitable candidate is not yet registered, the school may still employ the person as a permitted teacher, applying to the Education Bureau for permission on the candidate’s behalf. The prerequisite is that the person already possesses the relevant academic qualifications and teacher training recognition. Therefore, a PGDE student who secures a hiring intention from a school before graduation can start working as a “permitted teacher” first, and then switch to registered teacher status once the registered teacher approval is completed.

T2: The critical four months before graduation (February to May) – tactical anticipation of the IANG application

The period from March to May is a time of intense pressure for non-local students, who must simultaneously deal with final examinations, job interviews, and preparation of visa applications. In the past, non-local graduates had to secure an employer’s sponsorship before they could stay in Hong Kong, but following the 2022 Policy Address, the IANG visa has been extended to 24 months and the requirement of a confirmed job offer for first-time applications has been removed. This policy change has substantially reduced the pressure of the job search timeline. According to ImmD statistics, of the more than 10,000 IANG applications approved in 2023, over sixty per cent fell under the “non-fresh graduates” category, i.e., the applicants were already employed in Hong Kong at the time of application; the remaining roughly forty per cent were fresh graduates who applied within six months of graduation without an employer.

The crucial timing point is this: the graduation date is determined by the University’s official records, normally in June. A student who has secured a job offer in May cannot submit an IANG application in May in the capacity of a “fresh graduate”, because IANG eligibility requires that the application be “submitted within six months of the graduation date”, and the application must be accompanied by proof of graduation or a transcript showing the graduation date. Thus the golden window in the timeline is: graduate in June → apply for IANG immediately (average approval time four weeks) → start work in July on an “approved stay” visa. But what if a contract is signed with a school before June – can the student use the contract and assistance from the school to apply for an early switch to a dependant or employment visa? In practice, this is not feasible. If a school urgently needs a staff member, the more common approach is to apply to the Education Bureau for a “permitted teacher” permission on behalf of the prospective teacher who has not yet obtained IANG, and allow the teacher to take part in short-term school-based work on a “summer work” or “internship” basis before the student visa expires (normally at the end of August). Once the IANG becomes effective, the teacher is switched to a formal contract. However, such an arrangement must strictly comply with ImmD’s rules on student work, and the school must seek legal advice. Most schools prefer to wait until the applicant has obtained IANG before formal employment begins.

T3: IANG application and teacher registration running in parallel after graduation (June to August)

After the graduation ceremonies in June, EdUHK can normally issue transcripts and degree certificates within one week of the date the degree is formally conferred. If there are no supplementary examinations over the summer, late June is a reasonable time to have all the documents needed for the IANG application ready. The IANG application can be submitted to ImmD either in person or through the online system, and the required documents include:

• Form ID 990A with a recent photograph
• Proof of graduation and transcripts issued by the institution
• A copy of the travel document
• Proof of residential address during the stay in Hong Kong
• If dependants are accompanying, additional proof of the relationship and financial proof are required

Data from ImmD in 2023 show that the average processing time for online IANG applications was 2 to 3 weeks, slightly faster than in-person submissions. The IANG visa issued is generally valid for 24 months, with no restrictions on the nature of employment, and allows multiple entries. IANG visa holders may seek employment freely in Hong Kong and switch between employers without prior approval from ImmD. During this period, temporary unemployment does not affect the legality of their stay.

For teacher registration, the application must be submitted to the Teacher Registration Section of the Education Bureau with Form 10 and the original academic documents. In most cases, EdUHK PGDE graduates can be directly approved as registered teachers. If the academic documents are not yet at hand, the application form together with a letter certifying graduation issued by EdUHK can be submitted first; the originals can be supplied later. Given that the vetting period for registered teacher status is about 4 to 6 weeks, an application lodged in early July can normally be completed by mid-August, exactly in time for new staff reporting in late August.

T4: Follow-up visa and professional development after formally starting teaching in September

The first contract normally takes effect on 1 September. At this point, non-local teachers holding an IANG visa must start keeping track of two parallel timelines:

Visa renewal track: Before the initial 2-year IANG period expires, an extension must be applied for. The extension model is “2-2-3 years”, meaning the first renewal grants 2 years, the second renewal another 2 years, and the third renewal 3 years, until they have resided in Hong Kong for a continuous period of 7 years and can apply for verification of eligibility for permanent resident status. The prerequisite for renewal is that the applicant must be employed in a job commensurate with their professional qualifications, with remuneration at market level. According to data from the Census and Statistics Department, the median monthly salary for degree holders in the education and public administration sector in 2023 was about HK$35,000, and the starting salary for graduate teachers in government and aided schools is HK$33,000 (Master Pay Scale point 17), which fully meets the income threshold for IANG renewal.

Professional development track: A teacher who started as a permitted teacher and has not yet obtained registered teacher status must meet the required competency standards within two years. Those who enter as registered teachers have already cleared the registration hurdle, but must still complete the core training programme for newly appointed teachers (30 hours) within the first three years of service and participate in the school-based induction scheme. Education Bureau Circular No. 27/2024 further stipulates that from the 2024/25 school year, the training components for newly appointed teachers must include “national education”, “national security education”, and “teacher professional conduct”.

Profile of non-local teachers and market data

On the supply side, Hong Kong’s primary and secondary schools have been facing a persistent wave of teacher departures in recent years. The Education Bureau’s 2023 Report on Teacher Turnover and Vacancies indicates that in the 2022/23 school year, the total teacher attrition in public sector primary and secondary schools was around 6,100, an increase of some 25% over the previous school year. Over the same period, teacher vacancies stood at close to 3,500, with the highest proportions of vacancies in English, Mathematics, and Physical Education. This background has objectively raised the probability of non-local graduates securing employment. At the same time, non-local students who hold a PGDE still account for a low share of the overall education workforce in Hong Kong. UGC data show that in the 2022/23 academic year, there were about 390 non-local students enrolled in education disciplines in UGC-funded institutions, of whom around 230 were on postgraduate programmes, mostly at EdUHK. Even if one assumes that all of them stay in Hong Kong to teach after graduation, the annual increment would be no more than 250 persons. Compared with several thousand vacancies, it is clear that there remains ample room for talent absorption.

It is worth noting that the Chief Executive’s 2022 Policy Address announced in October 2022 extended the IANG to graduates of Hong Kong university campuses in the Greater Bay Area, and allowed IANG holders to take part in short-term projects not covered under the General Employment Policy of the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals. Although the GBA campus policy is not mainstream in the PGDE context, it sends a directional signal: the Hong Kong authorities are using more proactive visa flexibility to retain teaching manpower.

Reference checklist for the admission and employment timeline

Common policy misjudgements and avoidance strategies

There are three typical types of misjudgement that non-local students most commonly encounter when pursuing a teaching position. The first is treating the gap period at the very end of the student visa as a “grey zone of idleness” – some graduates may think that after graduation in July, there is still over a month of validity left on their student visa and they can directly take up employment during that period. Such an act in fact violates section 41 of the Immigration Ordinance; it constitutes taking up unauthorised employment and, upon conviction, can result in a maximum fine of HK$50,000. The second type of misjudgement is believing that the BLNST can be taken after signing the contract; in public sector schools, the requirement is that the test must be passed before appointment, and failure to comply may render the employment contract void. The third is assuming that the written confirmation of a degree from the university is equivalent to the original certificate for teacher registration purposes; the Teacher Registration Section accepts a letter certifying graduation as a temporary document, but the registration review will not be fully completed until the original degree certificate is presented. The safest approach is, where possible, to obtain the original certificate in early July and submit it simultaneously with the registration application, avoiding a split submission that prolongs the process.