A new electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) model, which considers both the Tafel recombination and the Heyrovsky reaction under permeable boundary conditions, was developed to characterize the kinetic parameters of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) under hydrostatic pressure. The effect of the hydrostatic pressure on the kinetic parameters of the HER and the permeation of A514 steel in alkaline solution were measured using potentiodynamic polarization, the Devanathan cell hydrogen permeation, and EIS. The hydrostatic pressure accelerates the Volmer reaction and inhibits the Tafel recombination, which increases the number of adsorbed hydrogen atoms. On the other hand, the pressure accelerates the Heyrovsky reaction, which decreases the amount of adsorbed hydrogen atoms. At 10 to 40 MPa hydrostatic pressure within the -1.0 to -1.1 VSSE cathodic potential region, the HER is controlled by hydrogen partial pressure, and hydrogen adsorption is the Langmuir type. Within the -1.2 to -1.3 VSSE cathodic potential region, the HER is controlled by the potential, and hydrogen adsorption gradually transfers from the Langmuir type to the Temkin type with increasing hydrostatic pressure. (C) 2017 Published by Elsevier Ltd.