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Wynna Wong

Hong Kong’s leader has said he does not plan to change the government’s annual target for attracting talent despite the city admitting more than 300,000 people since expanding its drive four years ago.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Friday that about 20 per cent of overall arrivals came from places outside mainland China.
“We have met our targets better than we set,” Lee told a phone-in radio programme, days after delivering his policy address and unveiling the city’s first five-year plan.
Lee noted he had originally set a target of attracting about 30,000 people annually when the government launched its talent drive four years ago.
Official government documents put the goal at a minimum of 35,000 arrivals annually between 2023 and 2025 under various admission schemes.
“If [talent] doesn’t join my side, they join the competitor’s side,” Lee said.
“So when you have this competition game, I have to ensure that Hong Kong has the best people.”
Lee also said the individuals brought in via the Top Talent Pass Scheme could add about 1.2 per cent to the city’s gross domestic product (GDP) each year.
“These [professionals] will create an extra GDP of probably 1.2 per cent every year because they are very well qualified,” he said.
“They can do jobs that will receive higher pay and that will reflect the contribution they can make to the economy.”
Lee added that more than 50 per cent of the talent admitted to Hong Kong through the scheme were willing to extend their stay in the city.
A supplement to the latest policy address showed that more than 61,000 extension applications under various admission schemes were received between January and August this year, with about 58,000 approved.
The government had earlier set a target of approving at least 50,000 extension applications annually between 2025 and 2027.
Lee linked the talent drive to Hong Kong’s manpower needs, noting that the city recorded a natural population decline of about 20,000 people annually.
The city’s population stood at around 7.5 million after rising by about 19,000, despite deaths outnumbering births by around 20,000 annually, he said.

Hong Kong’s population is expected to remain flat over the coming years, with only minor increases supported by talent schemes, imported workers and one-way permit holders from the mainland.
Lee said that even when the population increased, it would be just a “very moderate” upward trend.
He added that the labour and welfare authorities would release an updated manpower projection soon to determine how many more people the city needed to attract.
A projection conducted in 2023 indicated Hong Kong would face a shortage of about 130,000 workers by 2028, Lee said.
He warned that the shortfall could reach around 300,000 without new talent arrivals.
The government will consider adding more artificial intelligence-related professions to the Talent List, which currently covers 60 occupations facing local manpower shortages, according to the policy address supplement.
Authorities will also relax extension requirements under the Top Talent Pass Scheme for some technology start-up operators in the first half of next year.


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John Lee keeps Hong Kong talent target unchanged despite 300,000 arrivals

Pedestrians cross a road in Central. More than 300,000 people have arrived in Hong Kong through the city’s talent schemes, Chief Executive John Lee says. Photo: Jelly Tse

People gather at Victoria Harbour. The city’s population is expected to remain flat over the coming years. Photo: Dickson Lee

City leader Lee says more than half of talent scheme arrivals are willing to stay past the three-year mark. Photo: Jonathan Wong

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Hong Kong is ramping up its talent trawl. Photo: Jelly Tse

Students and software builders collaborate on AI projects during a global hackathon at Cyberport in Pok Fu Lam. Photo: Silvia Siu

Another proposed measure is the expansion of the Immigration Facilitation Scheme for Invited Persons to cover Central Asia and the Middle East. Photo: Karma Lo

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Labour chief Chris Sun (centre) meets European tech entrepreneurs at a sharing session organised by Hong Kong Talent Engage at Cyberport in Pok Fu Lam. Photo: Silvia Siu

A member of the European delegation tries a virtual reality feature at Cyberport on Friday. Photo: Silvia Siu

German doctor and tech entrepreneur Cem Deniz Araz (left), co-founder and CEO of heal.health, and Aleksandr Gorbunov, co-founder of muunai, at Cyberport on Friday. Photo: Silvia Siu

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Hong Kong

Hong Kong Economy

City leader also says professionals arriving under Top Talent Pass Scheme could add about 1.2 per cent to local GDP each year


City leader also says professionals arriving under Top Talent Pass Scheme could add about 1.2 per cent to local GDP each year.


Hong Kong’s first 5-year plan

Hong Kong economy

John Lee

John Lee keeps Hong Kong talent target unchanged despite 300,000 arrivals

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}City leader also says professionals arriving under Top Talent Pass Scheme could add about 1.2 per cent to local GDP each year

City leader also says professionals arriving under Top Talent Pass Scheme could add about 1.2 per cent to local GDP each year