Opinion | Hong Kong needs real talent, not troublemakers and misfits - 𝓔𝓾𝓻𝓸𝓹𝓮 𝓦𝓸𝓻𝓵𝓭

The Top Talent Pass Scheme is a well-intentioned and much-needed scheme to meet the challenge posed by the trend of outward migration that Hong Kong has seen in recent years. It is designed to enrich the city’s human capital – especially in the field of innovation and technology – and enhance its overall economic competitiveness.

Reflecting the government’s resolve to attract talent, the scheme is highly applicant-friendly. It represents a kind of “open door policy” for immigration.

The government has moved to fast-track immigration for talented professionals through other efforts as well. Since 2022, the city has received 500,000 applications under various talent admission schemes. It has approved 330,000 of them; 220,000 applicants have arrived.

Hong Kong clearly wants to entice qualified applicants to arrive as soon as possible and let them know that the city welcomes them with open arms. The scheme has opened the floodgates to immigration and has become a strong magnet, drawing a large number of talented professionals from mainland China.

Given the mainland’s relatively subdued economic growth, Hong Kong has become an attractive alternative for young professionals. This explains why the number of applicants has exceeded the originally announced target.

04:09

Hong Kong policy address: John Lee woos money, cuts liquor duty and regulates subdivided flats

However, the city’s talent drive has also unfortunately created a rare opportunity for unscrupulous immigration consultants providing illegal “one-stop services” for people seeking Hong Kong residency, essentially charging lucrative fees to forge academic qualifications and employment records. The immigration department recently uncovered one such cross-border syndicate.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply