Hong Kong goes all out to lure talent, targeting the mainland
Estimates show the Top Talent Pass Scheme will generate HK$34 billion in direct economic benefits, equivalent to 1.2% of local GDP
[HONG KONG] For nearly three decades, since its handover to Chinese jurisdiction in 1997, Hong Kong has made erratic efforts to attract the best and the brightest from the mainland. But only in the past two years has this drive begun to have a transformative impact on the city’s talent pool.
The campaign gained momentum under the city’s current chief executive John Lee, who in his October 2022 policy address launched a renewed talent recruitment drive. The following year, the government established its first dedicated talent agency, the Hong Kong Talent Engage, to serve as a one-stop service hub for prospective candidates.
Two years on, as the first batch of two-year visas approaches expiration, Jesse Shang Hailong – a member of Hong Kong’s Legislative Council and founder of the three-year-old Hong Kong Top Talent Services Association – says he sees tangible results, especially after the government’s crackdown on widely reported fraud among applicants.
“This is the best programme for attracting diverse talents to come to Hong Kong, stay here and contribute their skills and capital,” he says, adding that such recruits’ spending on real estate, investments and personal consumption benefits the local economy.
“Since it’s been so successful, we can expect it to continue in the coming years. I’m confident this programme will carry on.”
The influx of new talent has helped offset the emigration wave that followed the enactment of the National Security Law in 2020. A mid-year 2025 count shows that Hong Kong’s population is back to its 2019 high, at over 7.5 million, with the Census and Statistics Department attributing the rebound to ongoing talent attraction and labour importation measures.
Last year, Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun estimated that the flagship scheme – the Top Talent Pass Scheme launched in December 2022 – would generate HK$34 billion (S$5.7 billion) in direct economic benefits, equivalent to 1.2 per cent of local gross domestic product.
There are also other, less visible benefits. “These talents need to give back to society and help spread positive energy about Hong Kong to the outside world,” Shang said.
Shang is well-acquainted with the process, having personally benefited from a similar scheme introduced in 2001 to attract mainland professionals. To date, his association has hosted 80 recruitment events over two years, drawing more than 400,000 potential clients.
Citing data from the Labour and Welfare Department, Shang says that out of 250,000 applicants, 100,000 – along with their families – were granted two-year visas to live in Hong Kong while attempting to find a job. In total, he says the government has issued 700,000 local ID cards since 2022.
He describes Hong Kong’s drive as a response to the economic downturn of the Covid-19 era and rising competition from cities such as Singapore.
Hong Kong Talent Engage now lists seven recruitment schemes catering to a range of applicants, from aspiring professionals without job offers to entrepreneurs setting up offices, and even second-generation overseas Chinese with Hong Kong permanent residency who are proficient in Chinese or English.
The agency’s website also features a searchable salary index, showing that a senior cloud engineer with two to three years of experience earns between HK$35,000 and HK$70,000 monthly, compared with HK$30,000 to HK$50,000 for a senior accountant in finance with over 10 years of experience.
Among successful candidates, 95 per cent use a Chinese name; 60 per cent came directly from the mainland; 30 to 40 per cent previously studied or worked overseas; and 20 per cent have a foreign passport. “Not all of these talents found jobs in the past two years and 10 months,” says Shang. He estimates that only around one-quarter secured employment during their two-year visa period.
The scheme had a mixed start. Reports of fraudulent applications prompted criticism from Hong Kong’s former chief executive Leung Chun-ying, who is now vice-chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.
In social media posts earlier this year, Leung questioned the scheme’s effectiveness, citing incidents such as the departure of some recruits shortly after receiving their Hong Kong ID cards; the mismatch between qualifications and job market needs; the abuse of the system for children’s education, travel and cross-border tax avoidance; and the city’s lack of infrastructure to cope with a massive influx.
Shang says the scheme has relied on applicants’ integrity in submitting truthful documents, but some have exploited loopholes with help from overseas intermediaries.
He says the government is pursuing around 100 legal cases against applicants who allegedly submitted forged academic credentials, including fake diplomas from reputed educational institutions such as Australia’s Monash University.
The actual number may be higher. Convictions could result in up to 14 years in prison. Regarding fraudulent agents, he says: “We will find ways to fix the problem.”
To address these issues, the government introduced a third-party certification requirement in April 2024. And starting next year, applicants’ children must complete two years of local schooling before qualifying for full educational benefits of residency.
Shang says stricter requirements and targeted recruitment, such as in hotel management, may be introduced to enhance the scheme’s rigour.
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