Hong Kong is expanding its talent list to include more foreign workers in various professions not previously included. The Hong Kong Government has announced that the latest round of the Talent List update has been completed. The new Talent List has taken effect from March 1 and covers 60 professions with local talent shortages.

Foreign workers who meet the eligibility criteria for relevant professions can enjoy immigration facilitation when applying under the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS), the General Employment Policy (GEP) and the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals (ASMTP).

Under the GEP and the ASMTP, employers who seek to fill vacancies falling under the professions on the List are not required to provide proof to substantiate their difficulties in local recruitment when making applications, thus shortening the time to recruit outside talents.

Furthermore, since the revamp of the QMAS that took effect on November 1 last year, eligible applicants who meet the requirements of the List will be favourably considered under the General Points Test of the QMAS after assessment.

Quality Migrant Admission Scheme seeks to attract highly skilled or talented persons to settle in Hong Kong in order to enhance Hong Kong’s economic competitiveness.

Applicants are not required to have secured an offer of local employment before applying for entry or being admitted to Hong Kong for settlement under the Scheme. Successful applicants under the Scheme may bring their spouse to Hong Kong.

Applicants under the Scheme are required to fulfil a set of prerequisites before they can be further assessed via one of the two assessment routes under the Scheme.

Applicants who have met all the prerequisites may choose to be assessed either under the General Points Test or the Achievement-based Points Test. There are 12 assessment criteria under the General Points Test and two assessment criteria under the Achievement-based Points Test.

Selection exercises will be conducted on a regular basis. During each selection exercise, applicants who meet both the prerequisites and the passing threshold (under the General Points Test) or one of the assessment criteria (under the Achievement-based Points Test) will be considered.

General Employment Policy (GEP) is an entry arrangement for persons who wish to enter Hong Kong for employment as professionals under the General Employment Policy.

​Following the update, the Talent List will include nine newly added professions from the industry segments of financial services (accountants, financial professionals with Islamic market experience and experienced professionals in commodities trading), innovation and technology (experienced systems architects and patent professionals), legal and dispute resolution services (legal knowledge engineers) and aviation and shipping (ship surveyors, professionals in green shipping and aircraft maintenance engineers).

Those interested in submitting applications for the admission schemes can visit the electronic application platform of the Immigration Department and submit applications.

Further, with effect from 11 a.m. on 26 February 2025, the new fee structure has been implemented to introduce a new application fee and a two-tiered visa / entry permit issuance fee for various admission schemes to attract talents and capital investment.