The Government announced today that the Common Recruitment Examination (CRE) and the Basic Law & National Security Law Test (BLNST) are tentatively scheduled to be held on October 8 and 15.

Meanwhile, the next round of recruitment exercises for Administrative Officer, Executive Officer II, Assistant Trade Officer II and Transport Officer II will start next month.

Enrolment for the CRE and the BLNST will open tomorrow and close at 5pm on August 18.

Applicants for civil service posts at the degree or professional level must have valid CRE results. Those applying for Administrative Officer, Executive Officer II, Assistant Trade Officer II or Transport Officer II must also obtain level 2 or equivalent in the Use of Chinese and Use of English papers in the CRE. The detailed entry requirements for the four posts will be separately announced in September.

In addition, all applicants are required to obtain a pass result in the BLNST for all civil service recruitment exercises advertised on or after July 1.

As applicants for the four posts will not automatically be given places at the coming CRE and BLNST, candidates who do not possess the requisite results should apply to take the relevant papers in this round of the tests.

To facilitate applicants staying outside Hong Kong, the CRE and the BLNST are tentatively scheduled to be held on December 10 in Beijing, London, San Francisco, New York, Toronto, Vancouver and Sydney. However, applicants who have applied to take the examination in Hong Kong will not be allowed to sit for another one in those cities.

In view of the evolving COVID-19 epidemic situation, the Civil Service Bureau added that it may adjust the exam arrangements. Applicants should refer to the latest announcements on the bureau’s webpage.