This article interprets the policies related to the introduction of talents in Hong Kong, including the introduction of outstanding talents, high-level talents, and further education in the Hong Kong Policy Address.
The long-awaited Hong Kong "Policy Address" has finally been released, which mentioned the adjustment of Hong Kong's talent introduction policy!
This article will share the relevant policies in the Hong Kong Policy Address regarding the introduction of outstanding talents, high-level talents, and further education, so those who want to settle in Hong Kong should take note.
Hong Kong Policy Address - Attracting and Retaining Talents
The government is focusing on attracting and retaining talents, with measures including:
Establishment of the "Talent Service Office" - Following the launch of the "Talent Service Window" online platform last year, the physical "Talent Service Office" will be officially established at the end of this month to provide support for talents coming to Hong Kong, follow up on their development and needs after entering Hong Kong. Next year, the "Global Talent Summit and Greater Bay Area Talent High-Quality Development Conference" will also be held to promote regional talent recruitment and cooperation.
Expansion of the "Quality Migrant Admission Scheme" university list - To expand the network of talents from around the world, starting from November, the list of eligible universities will be expanded to include eight top universities from mainland China and overseas, bringing the total to 184.
Relaxation of visas - Immediate opening of the visa policy for Vietnamese talents to work in Hong Kong, and relaxation of the application threshold for Vietnamese talents for business and tourism purposes. Hong Kong will also open up employment, training, and university education sponsorship for talents from Laos and Nepal.
Implementation of the "Capital Investment Entrant Scheme" - Qualified investors who invest HK$30 million or more in assets such as stocks, funds, and bonds (excluding real estate) in Hong Kong can apply to enter Hong Kong through the scheme to enhance the development advantages of Hong Kong's asset and wealth management, finance, and related professional services sectors. Details will be announced within this year.
Plan for retaining vocational graduates in Hong Kong - To alleviate the shortage of technical talents in the industry, starting from the 2024/25 academic year, foreign students enrolled in designated full-time advanced diploma courses by the Vocational Training Council (VTC) can stay in Hong Kong for one year after graduation to seek work related to their profession. This arrangement will be piloted for two years before review.
Establishment of the "Hong Kong International Legal Talent Training Institute" - A dedicated office and expert committee will be established next year to promote the establishment of the "Hong Kong International Legal Talent Training Institute," making use of Hong Kong's bilingual common law system and international outlook to regularly hold legal practice courses, seminars, and international exchange activities to promote talent exchange along the Belt and Road regions and provide training for foreign-related legal talents for the country, cultivating talents familiar with international law, common law, mainland law, and national legal systems.
Establishment of the "Hong Kong International Anti-Corruption Academy" - The Independent Commission Against Corruption will establish the "Hong Kong International Anti-Corruption Academy" in the first quarter of next year to provide professional training for anti-corruption personnel from around the world and local public and private sectors, promote the exchange of anti-corruption experiences among experts and scholars at home and abroad, and consolidate Hong Kong's international position in anti-corruption construction.
From the above, it can be seen that currently in the talent introduction aspect, the main programs will still continue as before. Regarding the outstanding talent policy in Hong Kong, there are no changes for now, and in the high-level talent policy in Hong Kong, the main change is the expansion of the university list by adding 8 institutions, but the specific eight universities have not been confirmed yet.
The investment immigration program will be restarted, and specific details will be announced at the end of the year, and the visa for non-local graduates will also be relaxed.
Next, let's summarize the latest policy changes and application requirements for the Hong Kong outstanding talent, high-level talent, specialist, and further education programs in the Hong Kong talent introduction plan. If you meet the criteria, you should apply as soon as possible!
I. Hong Kong Quality Migrant Admission Scheme
The Hong Kong Quality Migrant Admission Scheme, referred to as the "Hong Kong Talent Admission Scheme," is a talent introduction program launched by the Hong Kong government at the end of 2022. It aims to attract high-level talents from around the world to explore opportunities in Hong Kong, including high-income individuals and graduates from the world's top universities.
1. Application Conditions
■ Category A: Annual salary of HK$2.5 million or above (or equivalent in foreign currency) in the year before the application is submitted.
■ Category B: Bachelor's degree from a global top 100 university, with at least 3 years of work experience in the 5 years before the application is submitted.
■ Category C: Bachelor's degree from a global top 100 university obtained within the 5 years before the application is submitted, with less than 3 years of work experience, with an annual quota of 10,000.
2. Quota
There is no limit on the quotas for Categories A and B of the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme, while Category C has an annual quota of 10,000.
3. Application Period
The approval process for the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme generally takes around 4 weeks, but due to the current high number of applications, many cases take 1-2 months to complete, especially for Category A, as the application materials for Category A are more complex.
4. Policy Changes
① Visa validity for payment and entry has been shortened from the original 6 months to 3 months.
② Must provide a clean criminal record.
③ No longer accepting applications for Categories B and C from adult higher education undergraduates, including but not limited to qualifications such as upgrading to a bachelor's degree, online education, correspondence courses, distance learning, and night schools.
④ The application process may be adjusted from time to time. Two mandatory fields have been added to the application form, namely "Sector (i.e., the industry sector currently engaged in)" for Category A applications, and "Major Subject" for Category B/C applications.
⑤ The "Consent Letter to Enter Hong Kong" must be stamped by the current employing company, and those without employment can obtain the stamp from the Talent Admission Scheme Center.
The Quality Migrant Admission Scheme is subject to continuous review and adjustment, so it is advisable to plan early for the Hong Kong Quality Migrant Admission Scheme.
II. Hong Kong Talent Admission Scheme
The Talent Admission Scheme was implemented in June 2006, with annual quota restrictions in the past. Starting from 2023, the quota restrictions have been lifted for a period of 2 years. This means that for these two years, as long as you are a talent needed in Hong Kong, Hong Kong wants you!
1. Basic Eligibility
Age: 18 years and above;
Economic: Must have certain economic capabilities, providing proof of personal assets of HK$200,000 and family assets of HK$300,000 at the time of application;
Character: No criminal record, no adverse immigration record;
Language: Proficiency in Mandarin, Cantonese, or English in both speaking and writing;
Education: Bachelor's degree or above.
2. Points-based System - Choose One
After meeting the basic requirements, you can start scoring. The Hong Kong Talent Admission Scheme is divided into an Achievement-based Points System and a Comprehensive Points System.
Achievement-based Points System: Meeting one of the following two requirements will earn a full score of 245 points, while those who do not meet the requirements cannot submit an application:
- The applicant has received outstanding achievement awards (such as Olympic medals, Nobel Prize, national/international awards);
- The applicant can prove industry recognition for their work or significant contributions to the development of their industry (such as a lifetime achievement award presented by the industry).
Comprehensive Points System: Points are awarded based on age (up to 30 points), education (up to 70 points), work experience (up to 75 points), whether the applicant meets the talent list (up to 30 points), language proficiency (up to 20 points), and family situation (up to 20 points), with a total of 245 points, and applications can be submitted with a minimum of 80 points.
3. Quota
Starting from January 1, 2023, the quota restrictions have been lifted for a period of 2 years, and whether the quota restrictions will continue after that is pending. Qualified individuals should seize this golden opportunity.
4. Application Period
5-9 months. This year, the application process and approval procedures for the Hong Kong Talent Admission Scheme have been streamlined, and the approval process has been accelerated.
5. Policy Changes
Removal of quota restrictions: Previously, there was an annual quota of 4000, but now the restrictions have been directly lifted, ushering in an era of unlimited supply.
Maximum score increased by 20 points: Previously, the total score was 225, but now it is 245, and you still only need 80 points to apply.
20 points added for work experience in well-known enterprises: Having more than 3 years of work experience in a well-known enterprise (such as a Fortune 500 company or a listed company) can earn additional points.
Changes in renewal mode: Changed from 2+3+3 to 3+3+2, with the first time being directly granted for 3 years!
Changes in document submission: Overseas transcripts no longer need to be sealed, and no need to provide a certificate of no criminal record.
Approval time for the Hong Kong Quality Migrant Admission Scheme has been shortened to 5-9 months.
Changes in the approval process: The Hong Kong interview process has been canceled.
Changes in the talent list: Expanded from 13 items to 51 professional categories.
Revision of the online application system for the Hong Kong Quality Migrant Admission Scheme: Step-by-step process, applications cannot be submitted if the basic qualifications and scores do not meet the requirements.
III. Mainland Talent Admission Scheme (Specialist Scheme)
Mainland residents intending to work in Hong Kong can apply under this scheme, which is not limited to any specific industry. The Mainland Talent Admission Scheme is only open to Mainland residents.
Compared to the Hong Kong Quality Migrant Admission Scheme, the Hong Kong Specialist Scheme does not require scoring, but applicants need to first obtain employment from a Hong Kong company.
1. Eligibility:
Applicants have no criminal record;
Applicants have a good educational background, usually referring to holding a bachelor's degree in a relevant field, but in special cases, having good technical qualifications, proven professional abilities, and/or documented relevant experience and achievements can also be accepted;
There is a genuine vacancy for the position;
Applicants must have already obtained employment, and the work must be related to their education or work experience, and cannot easily be filled by local residents; and
The salary and benefits (including income, housing, medical, and other fringe benefits) must be roughly equivalent to the market salary and benefits for local specialists at that time.
2. Relaxation of eligibility
If the position to be filled belongs to one of the 51 professional categories listed in the "Talent List" of local talent shortages, or if the annual salary for the position (including housing allowances and other fringe benefits) reaches HK$2 million or more, the employer does not need to prove difficulty in local recruitment and can directly submit an application.
3. Application Period
2-4 months, with the approval process being accelerated this year, with the fastest approval taking 4 weeks.
4. Quota
No restrictions.
5. Policy Changes
There have been relatively minor changes to the Hong Kong Specialist Scheme, mainly in two aspects:
① No need to prove difficulty in local recruitment if the following conditions are met:
Annual salary reaches HK$2 million or more;
Meets one of the 51 professional categories in the local talent shortage list;
② Changes in renewal mode: Changed from 2+3+3 to 3+3+2, with the first time being directly granted for 3 years!
IV. Hong Kong Study and Further Education Scheme
Non-local graduates can apply for a 2-year stay in Hong Kong to seek employment under the Non-local Graduates Scheme.
1. Eligibility:
Age: 18 years and above;
Education: Bachelor's degree;
Language: English proficiency or English test scores;
Character: No criminal record, no adverse immigration record;
2. Suitable Candidates
Young people, children of Hong Kong non-permanent residents, entrepreneurs, and homemakers.
3. Application Period
1-3 months, depending on the school's enrollment schedule.
4. Quota
No restrictions.
5. Policy Changes
① Extension of the stay period for the IANG visa to 2 years;
② Expansion of the IANG visa to graduates from Hong Kong universities in the Greater Bay Area.
Currently, the Hong Kong high-level talent/quality migrant/specialist/study programs all have unlimited quotas (except for the high-level talent Category C, which has a quota of 10,000 per year). Therefore, for friends who want to apply for Hong Kong residency, it is important to act quickly, as Hong Kong's talent KPI for this year is to attract 35,000 talents to develop in Hong Kong, and there are already 60,000 people who have gone to Hong Kong, exceeding the KPI.
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