Hong Kong's legislature on Thursday passed a law that allows overseas-trained doctors to practice in the city without taking a local licensing exam to ease a medical staff shortage.

Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee has said Hong Kong faces a serious shortage of doctors and the crunch was expected to "severely deteriorate" in the medium term.

Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee has said Hong Kong faces a serious shortage of doctors and the crunch was expected to "severely deteriorate" in the medium term

"There’s a need to introduce a new way for more eligible non-local trained doctors to come to Hong Kong, to work in the public healthcare system, to expand our doctor bank," Chan told the Legislative Council.

The council voted 39-1 to pass the bill, which allows non-permanent residents with specialist qualifications to fully register and practice in the city after working in a public health institution for at least five years.

It had initially been limited to overseas-trained Hong Kong residents but lawmakers pushed to expand expand the program. 

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A special registration committee will be set up to determine a list of up to 100 medical universities around the world for professional recognition in Hong Kong.