Build Hong Kong into an International Hub for High-calibre Talents - HKSAR The Chief Executive's 2024 Policy Address

(A) Co-ordinate and Promote Integrated Development of Education, Technology and Talents

Education nurtures our future, technology denotes our strength, and talents lead our development. The Government will set up the Committee on Education, Technology and Talents. Led by the Chief Secretary for Administration, the committee will co-ordinate and drive the integrated development of education, technology and talents, expand connections, formulate policies to attract and cultivate talents, foster the development of technologies, and also promote Hong Kong as an international hub for high-calibre talents.

(B) Attract Talents

Hong Kong boasts five of the world's top 100 universities and is an international hub for exchange and collaboration among high-calibre talents.

Trawl for Talents

The Government implemented a new talent admission regime in late 2022. More than 380 000 applications have been received to date, and around 160 000 talents have arrived in Hong Kong with their families.

106. In the next five years, there will be a projected shortage of around 180 000 workers across different sectors. To build a quality talent pool for development, we will reform various aspects of the talent admission regime, including:

1. updating the Talent List to include talents required for development of the "eight centres";

2. expanding the list of universities under the Top Talent Pass Scheme to 198 universities by adding 13 top Mainland and overseas universities, and extending the validity period of the first visa of high-income talents under the scheme from two years to three years;

3. enhancing the General Employment Policy and the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals, providing new channels to attract experienced specialists in specific skilled trades facing acute manpower shortage to come to Hong Kong. There will be a quota under the new arrangement;

4. introducing a new mechanism under the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme, proactively inviting top-notch talents to come to our city for development, promoting Hong Kong as the focal point of international high-calibre talents; and

5. extending for two years the pilot arrangement of including graduates from the GBA campuses of Hong Kong universities under the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates.

Assist Talents in Pursuing Development in Hong Kong

The HKTE will step up promotion of its online platforms to offer comprehensive information on salaries, taxation, education, visas and so on, in addition to providing personalised assistance. The HKTE will expand its network of collaborative partners and organise online and in-person job fairs with industries and employer organisations, so that employers can directly match jobs with talents. It will also organise another international talent forum and conduct overseas promotion.