IPIM testing new immigration vetting following probe

The Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) is testing its new assessment measures for the review of immigration applications related to “major investment immigration” and “technical immigration.”
In July last year, the Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) published a report condemning IPIM’s immigration application assessment measures for having loopholes.
The CCAC pointed out that IPIM lacked stringent vetting and approval mechanisms for major investment immigration applications, that the investment amounts of some major investment immigration investment projects were too low, and too large a proportion of the investment amounts in some of the major investment immigration project applications concerned immovable property investments.
When processing technical immigration applications, there were problems such as a lack of stringent vetting and approval criteria, leading to technical immigration applicants rarely staying in Macau and obtaining temporary residency through fictitious employment.
The CCAC ordered an inquiry into the vetting and approval procedures for major investment immigration and technical immigration applications carried out by IPIM.
Questioned by lawmaker Lei Cheng I, IPIM said that the bureau conducted “many opinion collection meetings in regard to the evaluation mechanism for immigration applications related to major investment immigration and technical immigration.”
The Institute added that it had “listened to the opinions of approximately 20 departments, including economic development committees, human resources development committees, higher institutions, professional organizations, and social clubs.”
According to IPIM, in 2018 the department proposed a law amendment and “conducted many internal meetings” concerning the Macau permanent residence bill, the immigration law and administrative regulations related to immigration policies.
“Simultaneously, IPIM has referred to and studied neighboring regions’ relevant policies and measures. It is now analyzing and studying a series of important legal questions in order to seek a better solution,” IPIM president Irene Lau wrote in the reply to Lei. JZ