The Social Welfare Department confirmed on January 27 that two additional residential care homes for the elderly (RCHEs)—one in Guangzhou, one in Dongguan—have been accredited under the Residential Care Services Scheme in Guangdong. Effective February 1, the roster of recognised homes will rise to 26, giving full geographic coverage across all nine mainland cities in the Greater Bay Area. (news.gov.hk)
Under the scheme, eligible Hong Kong seniors can use their government subventions to pay for places in designated Guangdong facilities while retaining access to Old Age Allowance, healthcare vouchers and cross-boundary medical referrals. The expansion answers long-running wait-list pressures in Hong Kong, where the median queue for a subsidised care-home bed still exceeds 18 months.
For global-mobility and HR professionals, the announcement offers new planning flexibility for ageing dependants of expatriate staff. Multinational firms that relocate senior executives to Hong Kong often struggle with family-reunification issues when elderly parents need long-term care. The broader Guangdong network can reduce costs by up to 40 per cent compared with private-sector options inside the SAR, while remaining within a two-hour travel radius of central Hong Kong.
![Guangzhou and Dongguan care homes added to Hong Kong’s cross-border elderly-care subsidy scheme]()
VisaHQ’s Hong Kong team can help organisations and families navigate the paperwork that comes with these cross-border care arrangements, from securing multiple-entry visas for visiting relatives to arranging travel permits for caregivers. Its online platform (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/) provides real-time tracking and dedicated support, ensuring smooth movement between Hong Kong and Guangdong for both seniors and their loved ones.
Operators of recognised RCHEs receive on-site audits, staff-training support and regular inspections from Hong Kong officials. A new application window for additional homes opened simultaneously and will close on April 30, signalling further growth ahead. Mobility advisers should monitor the list of approved facilities and update relocation policies to include cross-border care options.
Practical implication: families must secure a medical-assessment certificate and apply through the Social Welfare Department’s Central Waiting List; however, Hong Kong Identity Card holders already living in Guangdong can submit applications locally, shortening paperwork turnaround to as little as six weeks.
Under the scheme, eligible Hong Kong seniors can use their government subventions to pay for places in designated Guangdong facilities while retaining access to Old Age Allowance, healthcare vouchers and cross-boundary medical referrals. The expansion answers long-running wait-list pressures in Hong Kong, where the median queue for a subsidised care-home bed still exceeds 18 months.
For global-mobility and HR professionals, the announcement offers new planning flexibility for ageing dependants of expatriate staff. Multinational firms that relocate senior executives to Hong Kong often struggle with family-reunification issues when elderly parents need long-term care. The broader Guangdong network can reduce costs by up to 40 per cent compared with private-sector options inside the SAR, while remaining within a two-hour travel radius of central Hong Kong.
VisaHQ’s Hong Kong team can help organisations and families navigate the paperwork that comes with these cross-border care arrangements, from securing multiple-entry visas for visiting relatives to arranging travel permits for caregivers. Its online platform (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/) provides real-time tracking and dedicated support, ensuring smooth movement between Hong Kong and Guangdong for both seniors and their loved ones.
Operators of recognised RCHEs receive on-site audits, staff-training support and regular inspections from Hong Kong officials. A new application window for additional homes opened simultaneously and will close on April 30, signalling further growth ahead. Mobility advisers should monitor the list of approved facilities and update relocation policies to include cross-border care options.
Practical implication: families must secure a medical-assessment certificate and apply through the Social Welfare Department’s Central Waiting List; however, Hong Kong Identity Card holders already living in Guangdong can submit applications locally, shortening paperwork turnaround to as little as six weeks.
