Common Recruitment Examination (CRE) and Basic Law and National Security Law Test (Degree / Professional Grades) (BLNST) in 2025
The coming CRE is tentatively scheduled to be held on 7 June 2025, or another date within June 2025 if necessary. On the other hand, Civil Service Bureau (CSB) will launch a digitalised BLNST in 2025 providing digitalised examination service at a fixed venue so that candidates can take the test at the test centre throughout the year rather than on designated test dates. In view of the coming launch of digitalised BLNST, with effect from June 2025, CSB will no longer organise the paper-based BLNST on the same day of the CRE in Hong Kong.
Application details
The application period for the coming CRE is tentatively scheduled from 29 March to 11 April 2025. The application details and an on-line application system will be available on our webpage at www.csb.gov.hk/eng/cre.html during the application period. Applicants may choose to take any of the CRE papers in this examination. The relevant information, including the advertisement, will be sent to you before the start of the application period for dissemination to your students. As for the digitalised BLNST, details of the implementation will be announced tentatively in the second quarter of 2025.
The coming CRE is open to all holders of degree or a qualification meeting the entry requirement on professional qualifications for civil service degree or professional posts. Students who will have attained a degree in the academic year of 2024-25 or 2025-26 may also apply to take the coming CRE.
Year-end CRE
Please also note that another round of the CRE will be held in Hong Kong tentatively scheduled for 27 September 2025. For the convenience of those studying or residing outside Hong Kong, the year-end CRE together with the paper-based BLNST will also be held in some cities outside Hong Kong, tentatively scheduled for 29 November 2025. We shall inform you of the details relating to this round of examination later this year.
Joint Recruitment Examination (JRE)
The next JRE for the Administrative Officer, Executive Officer and the relevant grades is tentatively scheduled to be held in Hong Kong and some non-local cities on 29 November 2025. The recruiting grades will inform you of the relevant details separately in due course.
