Hong Kong residents are eagerly anticipating the upcoming consumption voucher scheme, which will provide digital vouchers worth HK$5,000 as part of the 2023-2024 budget. Financial Secretary Paul Chan recently announced that the first instalment of HK$3,000 will be disbursed on April 16, 2023, with the second instalment of HK$2,000 following on July 16, 2023.

If you are a Hong Kong resident with permanent residency status or a new Mainland arrival in the city, you are eligible to receive the digital vouchers. Non-Hong Kong residents studying in the city or arriving through different admission programs will receive vouchers worth HK$2,500, with the first payment of HK$1,500 on April 16 and the second payment of HK$1,000 on July 16. Foreign domestic workers and Hongkongers who have emigrated are not eligible for the vouchers.

To receive your vouchers, eligible Hong Kong residents will be able to use the same payment platform providers that were used for the second phase of the 2022 consumption voucher scheme. These include e-wallets from AliPayHK, BoC Pay, PayMe, Tap&Go, WeChat Pay HK, and Octopus cards. The vouchers disbursed to e-wallets on April 16 will be valid until October 31, 2023, while those paid on July 16 will be valid until January 31, 2024.

If you opt to receive your vouchers on an Octopus card, you will receive the first instalment of HK$3,000 on April 16. However, the earliest you can receive the second instalment is on July 16, but only if you finish spending the first instalment. You can get the remaining HK$2,000 no later than November 16, 2023. Please note that you cannot change your payment scheme for the first phase of the scheme, but you will be able to do so for the second round in July.