Applications for Taking Common Recruitment Examination in Hong Kong in September 2025
The next round of Common Recruitment Examination (CRE) is tentatively scheduled to be held in Hong Kong on 27 September 2025, or another date within October 2025 if necessary. The application period will be from 19 July to 1 August 2025. Applicants may choose to take any of the CRE papers in this examination. 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.
For the convenience of those studying or residing outside Hong Kong, the year-end CRE together with the paper-based Basic Law and National Security Law Test (BLNST) (Degree / Professional Grades) is tentatively scheduled to be held on 29 November 2025 in seven other cities, namely Beijing, Shanghai, London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver and Sydney. The call for applications for taking the examination outside Hong Kong will be made later this year.
The 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 (not including Associate Degree) in the academic year of 2025-26 or 2026-27 may also apply to take the coming CRE.
On the other hand, the Civil Service Bureau (CSB) launched the Digitalised Basic Law and National Security Law Test (Degree / Professional Grades) (Digitalised BLNST) in May 2025 providing year-round digitalised examination service at Recruitment Centre, General Grades Office so that candidates can take the examination at the examination centre throughout the year rather than on designated examination dates. In view of the launch of Digitalised BLNST, with effect from June 2025, the CSB no longer organises the paper-based BLNST (Degree/Professional Grades) on the same day of the CRE in Hong Kong. Prospective candidates for civil service posts of degree / professional grades should attend the Digitalised BLNST organised by the CSB as soon as possible to ensure the meeting of the entry requirement. More details and the application method of the Digitalised BLNST are available on our webpage at www.csb.gov.hk/eng/dblnst.html.
General enquiries regarding the CRE and BLNST may be directed to us by phone at 2537-6429 or by e-mail to csbcseu@csb.gov.hk.
