China headhunter SenTzu-Recruit : since the introduction of the “Talent Visa for Traveling to and from Hong Kong and Macao” policy in February last year, 18,300 people have been granted visitor entry to Hong Kong by mid-April. Hong Kong’s Deputy Secretary for Security, Cheuk Hau-yip, disclosed that more than half of these visitors hold three-year visas, primarily involving talents in the fields of scientific research, education, culture, and health. Additionally, 18,000 “multiple-entry” mainland visas for foreign Hong Kong residents have been approved.
Cheuk Hau-yip announced these figures at the Security Affairs Committee meeting of the Legislative Council, highlighting the newly implemented policy relaxations. According to the National Immigration Administration’s announcement, from May 6 onwards, the stay duration for business visa holders traveling to Hong Kong and Macao has been extended from 7 days to 14 days. Furthermore, the coverage of the talent visa policy has expanded from the cities within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to include Beijing and Shanghai.
Shang Hailong, founding president of the Hong Kong High Talent Service Association and a Legislative Council member, expressed gratitude for the national support for Hong Kong’s economic development. He believes the new measures will help strengthen Hong Kong’s advantages in building the “eight major centers.” Shang emphasized that Hong Kong faces a talent shortage in its efforts to build these centers, making it crucial to attract talent from mainland China, particularly from Beijing and Shanghai.
Shang cited examples where previous cooperation agreements between local universities and mainland universities, research institutions, and national laboratories, as well as roadshows for mainland companies listing in Hong Kong, were affected by visa stay limitations. Under the new measures, these restrictions will be effectively resolved.
Shang further predicted that once the talent exchange between Hong Kong and mainland China’s most developed first-tier cities, including Guangzhou and Shenzhen, is fully realized, the number of talents coming to Hong Kong is expected to increase to 30,000 to 40,000.
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