How to become a government licensing official

Official title: Government licensing officials

Also called: Building permit (licensing) officer, Business permit (licensing) officer, Licensing officer, Passport officer (issuing)

Government licensing officials examine applications for licences to export or import goods, set up businesses, build houses or other structures or to obtain passports, determine eligibility of applications for issuing licences or passports, and identify specific conditions or restrictions to be attached to licences issued, referring exceptional or important cases to senior government officials or managers.

Main tasks

• Advising individuals on government laws and regulations concerning the type of licence required and the conditions attached to such licences, and on the public’s rights and obligations
• Examining applications and relevant documents and determining whether a licence can be granted and the conditions which should be attached
• Examining applications and approving the issue of passports
• Performing related administrative tasks to process applications, document activities, evaluations and determinations, and to prepare correspondence to inform applicants of licensing decisions
• Administering and scoring tests required to license applicants

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: HK$27,000 a month
• About 1,542,900 people in 2025, and about 1,639,100 projected by 2028. (+6.2%)
• Generative AI could change some tasks in this job, by the ILO's global estimate.

Related jobs

• Government social benefits officials
• Government tax and excise officials
• Regulatory government associate professionals not elsewhere classified

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Questions people ask

Do you need a degree to become a government licensing official?

Not always. 50% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a government licensing official?

Generative AI could change some tasks in this job, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

• Census and Statistics Department (2021 Population Census): 2021 Population Census, Interactive Data Dissemination Service: working population by occupation (38 groups) and sex, age, education, income; median income and field of education (9 groups) (2021 Population Census), retrieved 4 October 2026
• Census and Statistics Department (General Household Survey): Median monthly employment earnings by occupation (9 groups), excluding foreign domestic helpers (Table 210-06317A); employed persons by occupation, age and sex (210-06307A) and by industry (210-06308A) (2025 annual (series to 2026-07)), retrieved 4 October 2026
• Labour and Welfare Bureau; tables published by C&SD: Mid-term Update of Manpower Projection to 2028: supplementary statistical tables (5 occupation groups, 17 selected industries) (2025 to 2028 (published 2026-09)), retrieved 4 October 2026
• International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026

Updated 4 October 2026