Sweeping lay-offs by the US Department of Government Efficiency have reportedly eliminated over 275,000 federal jobs and displaced skilled professionals in academia and the sciences, intensifying global talent competition. Faced with uncertainty, many are now seeking opportunities abroad. This has created a space for other countries and regions to step in, utilising flexible immigration policies,…
The number of deals involving non-local homebuyers in Hong Kong has more than tripled over the past two years, official data shows, a jump that experts have attributed in part to the government’s scrapping of property market cooling measures. But the number of transactions by local buyers increased by only 14 per cent between 2023-24…
The number of children of non-local professionals enrolled into public universities almost trebled over the last two years, prompting education authorities to consider finding extra undergraduate places for them to avoid competition with Hong Kong students. Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin said on Wednesday that the results of a review into the definition of…
The exodus following the prolonged coronavirus pandemic forced the Hong Kong government to jump on the global bandwagon in the hunt for talent under an array of admission schemes. Two years have passed and it is time to take stock. The authorities must strive to improve the arrangements and ensure that the city genuinely benefits…
A government scheme to lure top-notch talent has brought no losses to Hong Kong, the labour minister has reiterated amid concerns that the system is being abused, saying authorities will reveal more details of the visa renewal by mid-2025. Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han defended the scheme on Wednesday, weeks after former…
Financial professionals with Islamic market experience and accountants can enjoy fast track immigration to Hong Kong from next month, as part of a wider government effort to address the local talent shortage. The Labour and Welfare Bureau on Tuesday added nine professions to the talent list, which now covers 60 types of jobs that the…
Hong Kong police have arrested 11 people on suspicion of cheating at least 150 talent scheme arrivals and mainland Chinese students out of HK$13 million (US$1.7 million) in rent by pretending to be flat owners, with one victim losing more than HK$300,000. The force said on Friday that the scammers had targeted newcomers to the…
Hong Kong’s top talent scheme received nearly 20 per cent fewer applications last year, authorities revealed on Monday, as the city’s immigration chief warned that residency would be revoked if false information was used. Director of Immigration Benson Kwok Joon-fung’s warning was not the first issued by authorities over the Top Talent Pass Scheme, after…
Hong Kong’s public secondary schools can breathe a sigh of relief for survival with a net increase of 10 Form One classes recorded this academic year, thanks to a baby boom in the Year of the Dragon in 2012 and an influx of children whose parents arrived from mainland China under talent schemes. But the…
Hong Kong has expanded the list of eligible universities under the Top Talent Pass Scheme, adding 13 mainland universities and overseas institutions, including the University of the Arts London, Renmin University of China, Tongji University and Sichuan University. This brings the total count of eligible universities to 198 worldwide. Those who hold a bachelor’s degree…