Latest news with #HomeAffairsDepartment
Hans India
a day ago
- Climate
- Hans India
Hong Kong issues 1st black rainstorm warning of year
Hong Kong: The Hong Kong Observatory issued on Tuesday morning its first black rainstorm warning signal of the year, which remains in effect as of the time of this report. The black rainstorm warning signal indicates that widespread areas of Hong Kong have recorded or are expected to experience rainfall exceeding 70 mm per hour, with the heavy downpour likely to continue. The Observatory noted that the strong thunderstorm activity associated with an extensive low-pressure trough has resulted in particularly intense rainfall on Lamma Island, where hourly precipitation has surpassed 100 mm. Following the issuance of the signal, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government activated its Emergency Coordination Centre under the Home Affairs Department. The department will open temporary shelter centres for individuals in need of emergency accommodation. The Education Bureau has advised schools to implement contingency measures to ensure the safety of students. The Hospital Authority in Hong Kong announced that its general outpatient clinics, specialist outpatient clinics, including allied health services, geriatric day hospitals and psychiatric day hospitals will close. However, service would be provided to patients who are now at the clinics. Accident and emergency services at public hospitals remain normal, Xinhua news agency reported. Earlier on July 20, the Hong Kong Observatory had issued hurricane signal No. 10, the top level warning, under the effect of typhoon Wipha. This means that winds with speeds of 118 km per hour or more were expected. Due to the storm, many public services and activities in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) have been suspended. A significant number of flights were also cancelled or rescheduled. The Home Affairs Department of the HKSAR government had opened temporary shelters for needy people. People had been urged to stay away from the shoreline during inclement weather. The previous typhoon signal No. 10 was issued under the effect of super typhoon Saola in September 2023.
South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- General
- South China Morning Post
2,000 people left without power in Hong Kong after water leak in building
About 2,000 people, including residents in three care homes for the elderly, were left without electricity on Saturday evening after a water leak in a Hong Kong complex prompted the power provider to suspend the supply. Advertisement Utility firm CLP Power said the electrical systems in I-Feng Mansions in To Kwa Wan were suspected to have been affected by water leakage, causing problems with the electricity supply to parts of the residential complex. 'Under the instruction of firefighters, CLP Power suspended the electricity supply to the premises at around 6.15pm so that the building's electricians could conduct further investigation and repairs,' a company spokesman said. The firm said about 900 clients, including three homes for the elderly, had been affected by the move, with the government estimating 2,000 residents in 800 households were hit. It added that the building's electricians had arrived to carry out emergency repairs with backup support from CLP Power engineering staff. Water leakage is suspected to have affected the complex's electrical systems. Photo: Google Maps The company said that its community support team was working with the Home Affairs Department, district councillors and community care teams to provide affected residents with lights and portable batteries.
HKFP
5 days ago
- Health
- HKFP
Hong Kong to add more district-level ‘care teams' as gov't set to renew service terms
Hong Kong is set to add three more district-level 'care teams' later this year, bringing the total number of government-sponsored community service groups to 455, the government has announced. The secretary for home and youth affairs, Alice Mak, said on Friday that the government would invite the organisations currently behind the existing 452 care teams to continue their services after their terms expire in late September and mid-October. Chief Executive John Lee announced the establishment of district-level care teams in his 2022 Policy Address, in a move to bolster the authorities' capacity in 'district governance.' A total of 452 teams began a two-year service period in 2023. The teams are required to make regular visits to elderly people and other residents in need, respond to emergencies such as extreme weather events, and promote national security in communities, according to the Home Affairs Department. On Friday, Mak praised the care teams for completing their services under the government's requirements. 'Care Teams in all sub-districts have nearly completed their services in accordance with the key performance indicators (KPIs). Some teams have even exceeded the requirements,' Mak said in a statement. She also announced that the government would make adjustments to the care teams' service boundaries due to factors like demographic changes in the sub-districts. Sha Ta in the North District will be split into two sub-districts due to its extensive area, while Sheung Shui Rural, also in the North District, and Hang Hau West, in the Sai Kung District, will each add a new team because of population growth, she said. Boundaries of six other sub-districts will also be 'fine-tuned,' she added. 'With these adjustments, the total number of Care Teams will increase from 452 to 455.' Last year, Lee announced that the government would regularise the funding and increase it by 50 per cent for care teams in the next term of service. As of June this year, the care teams had visited about 530,000 elderly households and other residents in need, provided about 76,000 times of support services, and organised about 38,000 district-level activities, according to official figures released on Friday. The work of the care teams came under the spotlight in January this year, after a student-made documentary found that some care teams sought to bolster numbers by inviting event participants to pose as volunteers for photos. District officers also rejected the student journalists' request for the care teams' financial and performance reports. Mak defended the non-disclosure at that time, saying it was 'appropriate' to provide the information only after the care teams had completed their service period. Each care team consists of eight to 12 members. Currently, each team receives government subsidies of around HK$800,000 to HK$1.2 million for a two-year term.
The Advertiser
19-07-2025
- Business
- The Advertiser
'Golden ticket' visa for the rich fails to pay its way
A special Australian visa for foreign investors who stumped up millions of dollars was scrapped because they paid less tax and added little economic benefit. Right of entry, including for one investor who intended sinking at least $2.5 million and another who had twice that amount to spend, was discarded because the applicants were "more fiscally costly and contribute less to the economy than other skilled visas", according to previously classified documents. Debate about the visa class was renewed before the federal election in May after video surfaced of then-opposition leader Peter Dutton being asked about the initiative at a fundraiser and saying, "I think we'll bring it back". Labor attacked him over plans to reinstate the visa, with Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke branding it a "cash for visa" scheme. The Business Innovation and Investment Program provides a pathway for entrepreneurs and investors to get permanent residence in Australia through several subclass visas. There are four main streams of the subclass 188 visa as part of the program. These include a significant investor stream for people planning to invest at least $5 million, an investor stream for people who can invest at least $2.5 million and an innovation stream for business owners with an annual turnover of at least $750,000 and $1.25 million in assets. Home Affairs Department documents obtained under freedom of information laws previously protected under legislative secrecy reveal those on innovation and investment program visas paid less tax than other skilled migrants. Despite the investment threshold, the average Business Innovation and Investment Program visa holder had a taxable income of just $25,000 compared to skilled migrants' $64,000, Grattan Institute analysis cited by the department determined. A government review of the program found in 2019/20, "even after considering investment income, BIIP investors and significant investors still earned less income and paid less tax than other skilled visa holders". "This level of income is less than expected given the level of investment required." The Home Affairs Department noted Australia didn't have a problem attracting foreign capital and determined the visas were unlikely to generate significant levels of additional investment. There was $5.385 billion in investment associated with more than 1000 significant investor grants from primary applications of the visa class between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2022. But this was a drop in the ocean of Australia's total foreign investment pool of more than $20 trillion. Mr Burke scrapped the program on July 31, 2024 - just days after being sworn in as home affairs and immigration minister. But 15,000 primary and secondary applications remained in the backlog as of February 9, 2025, despite more than 3000 people having withdrawn their applications after refund provisions were introduced in September 2024. Only 23 withdrawals were from the significant investor stream and 40 from their dependents, meaning the significant investor and investor subclasses accounted for more than 3700 of the total applications. Mr Burke issued a directive in February 2025 to intentionally throttle processing of the two investor visas by downgrading their priority in the line, behind the entrepreneur and business innovation streams. The department said it was considering other options to manage the significant investor, including using laws to delay processing and removing the pathway to permanent residency. But Mr Burke was warned sidelining the investor streams risked irking state and territory governments that weren't happy the visa had been scrapped because it would risk investment in key projects. The opposition hasn't ruled out bringing back an investment visa in some form as it reviews its immigration policies after its election defeat. A special Australian visa for foreign investors who stumped up millions of dollars was scrapped because they paid less tax and added little economic benefit. Right of entry, including for one investor who intended sinking at least $2.5 million and another who had twice that amount to spend, was discarded because the applicants were "more fiscally costly and contribute less to the economy than other skilled visas", according to previously classified documents. Debate about the visa class was renewed before the federal election in May after video surfaced of then-opposition leader Peter Dutton being asked about the initiative at a fundraiser and saying, "I think we'll bring it back". Labor attacked him over plans to reinstate the visa, with Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke branding it a "cash for visa" scheme. The Business Innovation and Investment Program provides a pathway for entrepreneurs and investors to get permanent residence in Australia through several subclass visas. There are four main streams of the subclass 188 visa as part of the program. These include a significant investor stream for people planning to invest at least $5 million, an investor stream for people who can invest at least $2.5 million and an innovation stream for business owners with an annual turnover of at least $750,000 and $1.25 million in assets. Home Affairs Department documents obtained under freedom of information laws previously protected under legislative secrecy reveal those on innovation and investment program visas paid less tax than other skilled migrants. Despite the investment threshold, the average Business Innovation and Investment Program visa holder had a taxable income of just $25,000 compared to skilled migrants' $64,000, Grattan Institute analysis cited by the department determined. A government review of the program found in 2019/20, "even after considering investment income, BIIP investors and significant investors still earned less income and paid less tax than other skilled visa holders". "This level of income is less than expected given the level of investment required." The Home Affairs Department noted Australia didn't have a problem attracting foreign capital and determined the visas were unlikely to generate significant levels of additional investment. There was $5.385 billion in investment associated with more than 1000 significant investor grants from primary applications of the visa class between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2022. But this was a drop in the ocean of Australia's total foreign investment pool of more than $20 trillion. Mr Burke scrapped the program on July 31, 2024 - just days after being sworn in as home affairs and immigration minister. But 15,000 primary and secondary applications remained in the backlog as of February 9, 2025, despite more than 3000 people having withdrawn their applications after refund provisions were introduced in September 2024. Only 23 withdrawals were from the significant investor stream and 40 from their dependents, meaning the significant investor and investor subclasses accounted for more than 3700 of the total applications. Mr Burke issued a directive in February 2025 to intentionally throttle processing of the two investor visas by downgrading their priority in the line, behind the entrepreneur and business innovation streams. The department said it was considering other options to manage the significant investor, including using laws to delay processing and removing the pathway to permanent residency. But Mr Burke was warned sidelining the investor streams risked irking state and territory governments that weren't happy the visa had been scrapped because it would risk investment in key projects. The opposition hasn't ruled out bringing back an investment visa in some form as it reviews its immigration policies after its election defeat. A special Australian visa for foreign investors who stumped up millions of dollars was scrapped because they paid less tax and added little economic benefit. Right of entry, including for one investor who intended sinking at least $2.5 million and another who had twice that amount to spend, was discarded because the applicants were "more fiscally costly and contribute less to the economy than other skilled visas", according to previously classified documents. Debate about the visa class was renewed before the federal election in May after video surfaced of then-opposition leader Peter Dutton being asked about the initiative at a fundraiser and saying, "I think we'll bring it back". Labor attacked him over plans to reinstate the visa, with Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke branding it a "cash for visa" scheme. The Business Innovation and Investment Program provides a pathway for entrepreneurs and investors to get permanent residence in Australia through several subclass visas. There are four main streams of the subclass 188 visa as part of the program. These include a significant investor stream for people planning to invest at least $5 million, an investor stream for people who can invest at least $2.5 million and an innovation stream for business owners with an annual turnover of at least $750,000 and $1.25 million in assets. Home Affairs Department documents obtained under freedom of information laws previously protected under legislative secrecy reveal those on innovation and investment program visas paid less tax than other skilled migrants. Despite the investment threshold, the average Business Innovation and Investment Program visa holder had a taxable income of just $25,000 compared to skilled migrants' $64,000, Grattan Institute analysis cited by the department determined. A government review of the program found in 2019/20, "even after considering investment income, BIIP investors and significant investors still earned less income and paid less tax than other skilled visa holders". "This level of income is less than expected given the level of investment required." The Home Affairs Department noted Australia didn't have a problem attracting foreign capital and determined the visas were unlikely to generate significant levels of additional investment. There was $5.385 billion in investment associated with more than 1000 significant investor grants from primary applications of the visa class between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2022. But this was a drop in the ocean of Australia's total foreign investment pool of more than $20 trillion. Mr Burke scrapped the program on July 31, 2024 - just days after being sworn in as home affairs and immigration minister. But 15,000 primary and secondary applications remained in the backlog as of February 9, 2025, despite more than 3000 people having withdrawn their applications after refund provisions were introduced in September 2024. Only 23 withdrawals were from the significant investor stream and 40 from their dependents, meaning the significant investor and investor subclasses accounted for more than 3700 of the total applications. Mr Burke issued a directive in February 2025 to intentionally throttle processing of the two investor visas by downgrading their priority in the line, behind the entrepreneur and business innovation streams. The department said it was considering other options to manage the significant investor, including using laws to delay processing and removing the pathway to permanent residency. But Mr Burke was warned sidelining the investor streams risked irking state and territory governments that weren't happy the visa had been scrapped because it would risk investment in key projects. The opposition hasn't ruled out bringing back an investment visa in some form as it reviews its immigration policies after its election defeat. A special Australian visa for foreign investors who stumped up millions of dollars was scrapped because they paid less tax and added little economic benefit. Right of entry, including for one investor who intended sinking at least $2.5 million and another who had twice that amount to spend, was discarded because the applicants were "more fiscally costly and contribute less to the economy than other skilled visas", according to previously classified documents. Debate about the visa class was renewed before the federal election in May after video surfaced of then-opposition leader Peter Dutton being asked about the initiative at a fundraiser and saying, "I think we'll bring it back". Labor attacked him over plans to reinstate the visa, with Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke branding it a "cash for visa" scheme. The Business Innovation and Investment Program provides a pathway for entrepreneurs and investors to get permanent residence in Australia through several subclass visas. There are four main streams of the subclass 188 visa as part of the program. These include a significant investor stream for people planning to invest at least $5 million, an investor stream for people who can invest at least $2.5 million and an innovation stream for business owners with an annual turnover of at least $750,000 and $1.25 million in assets. Home Affairs Department documents obtained under freedom of information laws previously protected under legislative secrecy reveal those on innovation and investment program visas paid less tax than other skilled migrants. Despite the investment threshold, the average Business Innovation and Investment Program visa holder had a taxable income of just $25,000 compared to skilled migrants' $64,000, Grattan Institute analysis cited by the department determined. A government review of the program found in 2019/20, "even after considering investment income, BIIP investors and significant investors still earned less income and paid less tax than other skilled visa holders". "This level of income is less than expected given the level of investment required." The Home Affairs Department noted Australia didn't have a problem attracting foreign capital and determined the visas were unlikely to generate significant levels of additional investment. There was $5.385 billion in investment associated with more than 1000 significant investor grants from primary applications of the visa class between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2022. But this was a drop in the ocean of Australia's total foreign investment pool of more than $20 trillion. Mr Burke scrapped the program on July 31, 2024 - just days after being sworn in as home affairs and immigration minister. But 15,000 primary and secondary applications remained in the backlog as of February 9, 2025, despite more than 3000 people having withdrawn their applications after refund provisions were introduced in September 2024. Only 23 withdrawals were from the significant investor stream and 40 from their dependents, meaning the significant investor and investor subclasses accounted for more than 3700 of the total applications. Mr Burke issued a directive in February 2025 to intentionally throttle processing of the two investor visas by downgrading their priority in the line, behind the entrepreneur and business innovation streams. The department said it was considering other options to manage the significant investor, including using laws to delay processing and removing the pathway to permanent residency. But Mr Burke was warned sidelining the investor streams risked irking state and territory governments that weren't happy the visa had been scrapped because it would risk investment in key projects. The opposition hasn't ruled out bringing back an investment visa in some form as it reviews its immigration policies after its election defeat.
Perth Now
18-07-2025
- Business
- Perth Now
'Golden ticket' visa for the rich fails to pay its way
A special Australian visa for foreign investors who stumped up millions of dollars was scrapped because they paid less tax and added little economic benefit. Right of entry, including for one investor who intended sinking at least $2.5 million and another who had twice that amount to spend, was discarded because the applicants were "more fiscally costly and contribute less to the economy than other skilled visas", according to previously classified documents. Debate about the visa class was renewed before the federal election in May after video surfaced of then-opposition leader Peter Dutton being asked about the initiative at a fundraiser and saying, "I think we'll bring it back". Labor attacked him over plans to reinstate the visa, with Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke branding it a "cash for visa" scheme. The Business Innovation and Investment Program provides a pathway for entrepreneurs and investors to get permanent residence in Australia through several subclass visas. There are four main streams of the subclass 188 visa as part of the program. These include a significant investor stream for people planning to invest at least $5 million, an investor stream for people who can invest at least $2.5 million and an innovation stream for business owners with an annual turnover of at least $750,000 and $1.25 million in assets. Home Affairs Department documents obtained under freedom of information laws previously protected under legislative secrecy reveal those on innovation and investment program visas paid less tax than other skilled migrants. Despite the investment threshold, the average Business Innovation and Investment Program visa holder had a taxable income of just $25,000 compared to skilled migrants' $64,000, Grattan Institute analysis cited by the department determined. A government review of the program found in 2019/20, "even after considering investment income, BIIP investors and significant investors still earned less income and paid less tax than other skilled visa holders". "This level of income is less than expected given the level of investment required." The Home Affairs Department noted Australia didn't have a problem attracting foreign capital and determined the visas were unlikely to generate significant levels of additional investment. There was $5.385 billion in investment associated with more than 1000 significant investor grants from primary applications of the visa class between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2022. But this was a drop in the ocean of Australia's total foreign investment pool of more than $20 trillion. Mr Burke scrapped the program on July 31, 2024 - just days after being sworn in as home affairs and immigration minister. But 15,000 primary and secondary applications remained in the backlog as of February 9, 2025, despite more than 3000 people having withdrawn their applications after refund provisions were introduced in September 2024. Only 23 withdrawals were from the significant investor stream and 40 from their dependents, meaning the significant investor and investor subclasses accounted for more than 3700 of the total applications. Mr Burke issued a directive in February 2025 to intentionally throttle processing of the two investor visas by downgrading their priority in the line, behind the entrepreneur and business innovation streams. The department said it was considering other options to manage the significant investor, including using laws to delay processing and removing the pathway to permanent residency. But Mr Burke was warned sidelining the investor streams risked irking state and territory governments that weren't happy the visa had been scrapped because it would risk investment in key projects. The opposition hasn't ruled out bringing back an investment visa in some form as it reviews its immigration policies after its election defeat.
