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Fiona Chow

Snooker star Jimmy White, known as “The Whirlwind”, has become a Hong Kong resident through an official talent scheme, and has revealed plans to establish a snooker academy in the city to nurture local talent.
The Immigration Department announced on Wednesday that the English player recently obtained his identity card and took up residency through the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme, joining fellow stars Judd Trump and Ronnie O’Sullivan.
Appearing in a video posted on the department’s Instagram page, White also recalled his appearance alongside comedy star Stephen Chow Sing-chi in a 1991 Hong Kong film, and expressed hope of catching up with his “old friend”.
White’s compatriots – high-profile English snooker star, seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan and the current world number one Judd Trump – also became Hong Kong residents in 2024 through the same talent scheme.
Speaking about his future plans in the city, White said he would want to promote snooker at his best.
“My plan in Hong Kong is to maybe open a snooker academy and find the snooker talent of Hong Kong, promote snooker as much as I can,” he said in the video.
White also shared an anecdote about his connection to the city tracing back to the early 1990s.
He was featured in a comedy Legend of the Dragon in 1991, playing himself along with Chow.
“Now I have become a Hong Kong resident, I am going to try looking for my old friend – ‘legend of the dragon’,” he said.

During the 2025 World Grand Prix held at Kai Tak Arena, White openly spoke about his love for Hong Kong, telling the South China Morning Post that it was his “favourite city in the world”.
He recalled his old days in Hong Kong in the 1980s. He won the 1988 Hong Kong Masters at Queen Elizabeth Stadium and was a Hong Kong Open semi-finalist in the following year.
He told the SCMP: “This is a snooker hub – snooker in Asia started in Hong Kong and now it’s looking as big as ever.”
Hong Kong authorities have been taking proactive steps to attract talent to the city, with the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme allowing successful applicants to relocate to Hong Kong without a prior employment offer.
The scheme, which was introduced in 2006, has drawn in a total of 31,918 people from mainland China, Canada, Australia, the United States, and other countries, between 2023 and 2025, according to the department’s data.
Among the successful applicants, more than 95 per cent were from the mainland.


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Snooker star Jimmy White becomes Hong Kong resident through talent scheme

Jimmy White competes in Kai Tak Arena in 2025. Photo: Dickson Lee

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Jimmy White appears in an Immigration Department video. Photo: Handout

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Judd Trump plays against Ronnie O’Sullivan in Hong Kong last March. Photo: Elson Li

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Judd Trump beat Ding Junhui 5-1 in an exhibition match in Macau on Wednesday. Photo: Handout

Judd Trump at the World Snooker International Championship in Daqing, China in 2019. Photo: Xinhua

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White joins compatriots Ronnie O’Sullivan and Judd Trump in obtaining residency, says he wants to establish snooker academy in city


White joins compatriots Ronnie O’Sullivan and Judd Trump in obtaining residency, says he wants to establish snooker academy in city.


Snooker star Jimmy White becomes Hong Kong resident through talent scheme

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}White joins compatriots Ronnie O’Sullivan and Judd Trump in obtaining residency, says he wants to establish snooker academy in city

White joins compatriots Ronnie O’Sullivan and Judd Trump in obtaining residency, says he wants to establish snooker academy in city