200,000 New Immigrants to Get $6,000 as Community Care Fund Fills Budget Gap

The Community Care Fund will pay $6,000 to low-income new immigrants, with over 200,000 expected to benefit. Having been in Hong Kong under seven years, they aren’t permanent residents and missed the budget’s $6,000 handout — this payment fills that gap.

Who qualifies?

Income ceilings by household size. Single persons earning under $6,500 a month, two-person households under $12,000, three-person households under $20,000, households of six or more under $37,300, or those already on assistance, all qualify.

When can people apply, and when is the money paid?

Applications from October at the earliest, by postal registration. Fund executive committee chair Law Chi-kwong said the total cost including administration reaches $1.5 billion, going to LegCo for funding approval. May’s minimum wage may lift median household incomes, but the committee felt eligibility should stay relatively relaxed to reach those in need.

To compare charges and returns across MPF funds, visit MPF fund comparison.