Useful Information

Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS)

The TTPS seeks to attract top talents with rich work experience and good academic qualifications from all over the world to explore opportunities in Hong Kong. They are not required to have secured an offer of employment in the Hong Kong Special Administration Region (HKSAR) upon application. They may be granted 24 months’ stay on time limitation only without other conditions of stay provided that normal immigration requirements are met. Applicants may choose to apply for the TTPS under one of the categories as listed below:

1. Persons with annual income reaching HK$2.5 million or above, or its equivalent in foreign currency, in the year immediately preceding the date of application (Category A);
2. Degree graduates of the world’s top 100 universities with at least three years of work experience over the past five years immediately preceding the date of application (Category B);
3. Degree graduates of the world’s top 100 universities in the past five years immediately preceding the date of application with less than three years of work experience, subject to an annual quota which is to be allotted on a first-come, first-served basis (Category C); however, Category C does not apply to those non-local students who have obtained the undergraduate qualification in a full-time and locally-accredited programme in the HKSAR.

For more information on the new admission scheme, please visit the following websites:

TTPS

FAQs on TTPS

General Employment Policy (GEP)
(for non-Mainland residents)

GEP – Professionals

Professionals from overseas, Taiwan and Macao who are interested to work in Hong Kong may apply under the GEP which has no sector restriction. Key requirements include －

• Secured a job relevant to his/her academic qualifications or work experience that cannot be readily taken up by the local workforce
• Remuneration package is commensurate with the prevailing market rate
• Good education background, technical qualifications or proven professional experience

We have launched some enhancement measures－

• Relaxing the pattern of limit of stay from “2+3+3” years to “3+3+2” years
• Relaxing the eligibility criteria such that employers are not required to provide proof to substantiate their difficulties in local recruitment in making applications for talent admission if the posts offered fall under the 13 professions with shortage of local supply as listed in the Talent List or the vacancies on offer are with an annual salary (total remuneration package including other fringe benefits such as housing allowance) of HK$2 million or above

For more information on the admission scheme and the enhancement measures, please visit the following websites:

GEP – Professionals

FAQs on the enhancement measures

GEP – Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs from overseas, Taiwan and Macao who plan to establish or join in a business in Hong Kong may apply under the GEP. Key requirements include －

• Good education background, technical qualifications or proven professional experience
• In a position to make substantial contribution to the economy of the HKSAR

We have launched some enhancement measures－

• Relaxing the pattern of limit of stay from “2+3+3” years to “3+3+2” years

For more information on the admission scheme and the enhancement measures, please visit the following websites:

GEP – Entrepreneurs 

FAQs on the enhancement measures

Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals (ASMTP)
(for Mainland residents)

Professionals from the Mainland who are interested to work in Hong Kong may apply under the ASMTP which has no sector restriction. Key requirements include －

• Secured a job relevant to his/her academic qualifications or work experience that cannot be readily taken up by the local workforce
• Remuneration package is commensurate with the prevailing market rate
• Good education background, technical qualifications or proven professional experience

We have launched some enhancement measures－

• Relaxing the pattern of limit of stay from “2+3+3” years to “3+3+2” years
• Relaxing the eligibility criteria such that employers are not required to provide proof to substantiate their difficulties in local recruitment in making applications for talent admission if the posts offered fall under the 13 professions with shortage of local supply as listed in the Talent List or the vacancies on offer are with an annual salary (total remuneration package including other fringe benefits such as housing allowance) of HK$2 million or above

For more information on the admission scheme and the enhancement measures, please visit the following websites:

ASMTP

FAQs on the enhancement measures

Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS)

Highly skilled or talented individuals who have not yet secured a job offer in Hong Kong but are interested to settle and work in Hong Kong may apply under the QMAS which has no sector restriction. There are two points-based tests under the scheme –

• General Points Test (GPT) for highly skilled or talented persons
  
  Assessment factors: age, academic/professional qualifications, work experience, talent list, language proficiency, family background
• Achievement-based Points Test (APT) for talent with outstanding achievements (e.g. recipients of Olympic medal, Nobel prize, national/international awards)

We have launched some enhancement measures -

• Suspend the annual quota for a period of two years with effect from 1 January 2023
• Improve the approval process to attract more world-class talents to relocate to Hong Kong

• Relaxing the pattern of limit of stay for GPT entrants from “2+3+3” years to “3+3+2” years
• Bonus points for work experience in multi-national companies (MNCs) or reputable enterprises under GPT

For more information on the admission scheme and the enhancement measures, please visit the following websites:

QMAS

FAQs on QMAS

Technology Talent Admission Scheme (TechTAS)

Non-local technology talent may apply to work in Hong Kong under TechTAS, which provides a fast-track arrangement for eligible companies to admit non-local technology talent to undertake research and development (R&D) work for them in Hong Kong. Eligible companies would first have to apply for a quota. A company allotted with a quota by the Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC) can accordingly sponsor an eligible person to apply for an employment visa/entry permit within the 24-month quota validity period.

Key requirements for an application for a visa/entry permit to take up employment under TechTAS include －

• Employing company with a valid quota approved by ITC at the time of application
• Applicant being engaged principally in conducting R&D in the areas of advanced communication technologies, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, cybersecurity, data analytics, digital entertainment, financial technologies, green technology, integrated circuit design, Internet-of-Things, material science, microelectronics, quantum technology or robotics
• Applicant being a degree-holder in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) from a well-recognised university
• Remuneration not lower than the prevailing market level for comparable jobs in Hong Kong
• Applicant meeting the specific particulars pertaining to the job position set out in the quota allotment letter issued by ITC

We have launched some enhancement measures－

• Relaxing the pattern of limit of stay from “2+3+3” years to “3+3+2” years

For more information on the admission scheme and the enhancement measures, please visit the following websites:

TechTAS (Information and Technology Commission's website)

TechTAS – visa application matters (Immigration Department's website)

FAQs on TechTAS (Information and Technology Commission's website)

Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG)

Non-local graduates may apply under the IANG to stay in Hong Kong for one year to look for a job. Key requirements include－

• Obtained an undergraduate or higher qualification in a full-time locally-accredited programme in Hong Kong
• Job offer not required upon entry (for recent graduates)
• Job is at a level commonly taken up by degree holders and is remunerated at the market rate (for non-recent graduates)

We have launched some enhancement measures－

• Expanding the coverage of IANG to include graduates from the GBA campuses of Hong Kong universities
• Relaxing the pattern of limit of stay from “1+2+2+3” years to “2+3+3” years
• Extending the top-tier employment stream to persons who have been permitted to remain in Hong Kong under the scheme for not less than two years and have an assessable income for salaries tax of not less than HK$2 million in the previous year of tax assessment, such that an extension of stay on time limitation only without other conditions of stay for a period of six years may normally be granted upon approval.

For more information on the admission scheme and the enhancement measures, please visit the following websites:

IANG

FAQs on IANG

Admission Scheme for the Second Generation of Chinese Hong Kong Permanent Residents (ASSG)

Applicants, who are the second generation of Chinese Hong Kong permanent residents from overseas, may apply for entry into the HKSAR under ASSG. There is no sector restriction and no job offer is required upon entry. Key requirements include －

• Aged 18-40; born overseas
• At least one parent holding valid Hong Kong permanent identity card upon application and was a Chinese national settled overseas at the time of applicant’s birth
• Good education background, technical qualifications or proven professional experience
• Proficient in written and spoken Chinese (Putonghua or Cantonese) or English

We have launched some enhancement measures –

• Relaxing the pattern of limit of stay from “1+2+2+3” years to “2+3+3” years
• Extending the top-tier employment stream to persons who have been permitted to remain in Hong Kong under the scheme for not less than two years and have an assessable income for salaries tax of not less than HK$2 million in the previous year of tax assessment, such that an extension of stay on time limitation only without other conditions of stay for a period of six years may normally be granted upon approval.

For more information on the admission scheme and the enhancement measures, please visit the following websites:

ASSG

FAQs on ASSG

Pattern of limit of stay under various talent and admission schemes

The patterns of limit of stay under various talent admission schemes prior to and with effect from 28 December 2022 are listed as below:

Note*: From 28 December 2022, applications under all admission schemes can be assessed under the top-tier employment stream, provided that the applicant has been permitted to remain in the HKSAR for not less than two years and has an assessable income for salaries tax of not less than HK$2 million in the previous year of assessment upon application for extension of stay. Successful applicants will normally be granted an extension of stay on time limitation only without other conditions of stay for a period of five/six years (depending on the revised patterns of limit of stay under the respective schemes).

Dependant and Stay Arrangements

• Successful entrants may bring their spouse or the other party to a same-sex civil partnership, same-sex civil union, “same-sex marriage”, opposite-sex civil partnership or opposite-sex civil union entered into by him/her in accordance with the local law in force of the place of celebration and with such status being legally and officially recognised by the local authorities of the place of celebration ^[Note] and unmarried dependent children under the age of 18 to Hong Kong. The dependants’ length of stay will normally be linked to that of the sponsor and they are free to take up employment or study during their stay in Hong Kong.
• After seven years of continuous ordinary residence, entrants and their dependants may apply for Hong Kong permanent resident status in accordance with the law.

Enquiries

For enquiries, please contact the Hong Kong Immigration Department by enquiry hotline at (852) 2824 6111, by fax at (852) 2877 7711, or by email at enquiry@immd.gov.hk.

Other Information

Suspension of the Capital Investment Entrant Scheme

HKwelcomesU (Reference material about employment, business, education, etc. in Hong Kong

Note

For the avoidance of doubt, the terms “civil partnership” and “civil union” above mean a legal institution of a nature which is akin to spousal relationship in a marriage. The same-sex civil partnership, same-sex civil union, “same-sex marriage”, opposite-sex civil partnership and opposite-sex civil union entered into in accordance with laws outside Hong Kong are limited to only relationships which are legally and officially recognised in the places of celebration. Such relationships normally have the following features: (a) the entering into and dissolution of the relationship are governed by legislation of the place where it is entered into; (b) the relationship requires registration by the competent authority specified by the legislation of the place where it is entered into; (c) the registration is evidenced in a written instrument issued by the competent authority; and (d) parties to the relationship have a mutual commitment to a shared life akin to spouses to the exclusion of others on a permanent basis. Such relationships do not include de facto spouse, partners in cohabitation, fiancé/fiancée, etc.