Key Changes

Although individuals who test positive for HIV, viral hepatitis (for certain categories of workers only), pulmonary tuberculosis and leprosy will, in general, be denied residency, certain restrictions applicable to these communicable diseases have been relaxed:

• Categories that are tested for viral hepatitis have been extended to workers at health care facilities, in addition to the existing ones (nannies, housemaids, nursery and kindergarten supervisors, beauticians, barbers and health club workers). Some of these categories will also be subject to tests for Hepatitis C, and not just Hepatitis B.

• Applicants from the categories which must be tested for viral hepatitis can be granted residency, as long as the purpose of the residency has been changed to a category which does not require testing within two weeks of the release of medical results.