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Continuing Professional Development Scheme (Voluntary)

Aim of the implementation of the Voluntary CPD Scheme


1 What is the aim of the EAA Voluntary Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Scheme?
 
The EAA launched its CPD Scheme in May 2005. The Scheme, which has been running on a voluntary basis, aims to enhance the competence of estate agency practitioners and keep their professional knowledge up to date in order to enhance the trade’s continuing contribution to Hong Kong’s economic development. To strengthen public confidence and consumer protection through building a culture of professionalism and encouraging adherence to ‘best practice’ among practitioners. For details of the Scheme, please see Voluntary CPD Scheme Guidelines.


CPD Attainment Target

2 Under the voluntary CPD Scheme, what is the CPD attainment target?
 

 

Each CPD period shall be a 12-month period commencing on 1 October each year and ending on 30 September the following year, irrespective of the length and expiry dates of the licenses. The CPD attainment target for each CPD period is 12 CPD points.

If a licensee does not hold a valid licence throughout the whole 12-month CPD period (e.g. new licensee or licensee who renews his licence sometime after its expiry), his CPD attainment target for that CPD period will be adjusted on a pro-rata basis (Please see Annex D of the Voluntary CPD Scheme Guidelines for details).



Incentives

3 What kind of incentives are available to encourage licensees to participate in the voluntary CPD Scheme? 
 

 

Individual

(1) Certificate of Attainment and CPD Attainment Symbol

Practitioners who have acquired the CPD attainment target for a CPD period will be awarded a Certificate of Attainment and a CPD Attainment Symbol. No prior application is necessary. The CPD Attainment Symbol will be printed on the estate agent card issued by EAA upon licence renewal (applicable only to the coming licence renewal). Awardees will also be entitled to print the CPD Attainment Symbol on their business cards. They could also assist the estate agency shop for which he is working in applying for the CPD Mark for Estate Agencies (see below).

(2) Premium CPD Attainment Symbols

To recognise licensees’ continuous effort in enhancing their knowledge through participation in CPD activities, with effect from the CPD period commencing 1 October 2013 and ending 30 September 2014, Silver Symbols and Gold Symbols will be presented to licensees who have respectively achieved the CPD attainment target for three consecutive CPD periods and five consecutive CPD periods. 


These premium Symbols would be different from the standard Symbol for one CPD period.  For details, please see Section 9 of the Voluntary CPD Scheme Guidelines.


Estate Agency Shop

(3) CPD Mark

As at the 1st day of October of each year, holders of Statement of Particulars of Business (SPOB) with 80% or more of their employed licensees (amongst which there must be the branch manager), having been awarded the CPD Attainment Certificate for the CPD periods immediately preceding their current individual CPD periods may apply for the award of a CPD Mark for Estate Agencies (“CPD Mark”) through the submission of a Voluntary Declaration Form for CPD Mark for Estate Agencies.

(4) Premium CPD Mark

A Silver CPD Mark or Gold CPD Mark (collectively “Premium CPD Mark”) be awarded to agency shops which have attained the CPD Marks for three consecutive CPD periods or five consecutive CPD periods respectively.

SPOB holders awarded with the CPD Mark or Premium CPD Mark may display the corresponding decal at their respective business address and print it on their pamphlets, brochures, other documents and the business cards of their employees provided that the year in which the related CPD period ends must be clearly indicated below the CPD Mark or the Premium CPD Mark.

For details of the CPD Mark and Premium CPD Mark for Estate Agencies Award Scheme, please refer to the “Rules and Conditions for CPD Mark and Premium CPD Mark for Estate Agencies Award Scheme.” For Agency Shops issued with the CPD Mark for Estate Agencies, please visit EAA webpage: Click here.



CPD Activities

4 What kind of CPD activities are available?
 

 

CPD activities may be organized by the EAA, the Government or statutory bodies (for example, the Skills Upgrading Scheme Plus courses for the estate agency trade by the Employees Retraining Board), endorsed training institutions and widely recognized professional associations whose areas of expertise are complementary to or beneficial to licensees. Activities organized by other providers usually need to be endorsed by the Professional Development Committee of the EAA. Licensees are advised to call the activity providers direct for information about course fee and registration procedures.

For details of upcoming CPD activities organized by the EAA, please visit the EAA website: Click here.



Continuing Professional Development Scheme (Mandatory)

Background and Objectives of the Mandatory CPD Scheme

1 What is the background and purpose of the Mandatory CPD Scheme?

The EAA is going to launch the Phase I of Mandatory CPD Scheme in the first quarter of 2025. The purpose of the scheme is to enhance the trade’s professional standard, image and reputation by progressively imposing a continuous learning requirement, beginning with new licensees.


Implementation Date and Target Licensees

2 When will the Mandatory CPD Scheme be implemented and who will be targeted? Will the current licensees be affected?

 

The Phase I of Mandatory CPD Scheme (“Phase I Mandatory Scheme”) is scheduled for implementation on 1 January 2025 (“Implementation Date”). The targets are individuals who use the passing result of a qualifying examination held after the Implementation Date to obtain a salesperson’s licence or an estate agent’s (individual) licence. Individuals who use the passing result of a qualifying examination held before the Implementation Date to obtain a licence (whether obtained before or after the Implementation Date) and current licensees will not be included in the Phase I Mandatory Scheme.



Mode of implementation

3 How will the Mandatory CPD Scheme be implemented?

 

Individuals who use the passing result of a qualifying examination held after the Implementation Date to obtain a salesperson’s licence or an estate agent’s (individual) licence will have a relevant Mandatory CPD condition attached to their licences. To be eligible for license renewal prior to their licenses’ expiration, those individuals must obtain the specified number of CPD points designated by the EAA within the validity period of their licences.

For details of the scheme, please visit the EAA website: Click here.



CPD requirement

4 How many CPD Points do licensees need to obtain to meet the Mandatory CPD Scheme requirements?


Generally, a licensee will be awarded one point for every hour of CPD activities participated in. At the onset of the Phase I Mandatory Scheme, licensees with a one-year licence are required to obtain four CPD points during that one year, while licensees with a two-year licence are required to obtain eight CPD points during that two years. If the licence is valid for less than 1 year, the CPD point requirement will be adjusted on a pro-rata basis. Failure to obtain the requisite number of CPD points could affect a licensee’s eligibility to apply for licence renewal.



Enquiry

For information about the CPD Scheme, please contact the Professional Development Section of the EAA:
Address: 7/F, E-Trade Plaza, 24 Lee Chung Street, Chai Wan, Hong Kong
Hotline: 2111 2777 (Continuing Professional Development Scheme)
Fax: 2152 3600
Email: eaatraining@eaa.org.hk
 

For details of upcoming CPD activities, please visit the EAA website: Click here.

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