The Hong Kong Policy Address has been delivered annually by the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region since 1997, outlining the policy priorities for the coming year. Its content covers hot topics related to people's livelihoods, making the annual release of the Policy Address a major focus of attention for Hong Kong residents. The implementation of the Policy Address reflects the human-centric nature of Hong Kong; public opinion surveys on population policy are conducted in October of each year, such as the "Gathering Ideas for Hong Kong" survey launched in 2013. Based on the comprehensive survey results, the official report is released in January of the following year. For the Hong Kong Immigration Department, the Capital Investment Entrant Scheme is absolutely a top priority in its annual work plan, which is why the first chapter of the annual report always features a dedicated explanation of the Capital Investment Entrant Scheme.
The 2010 Hong Kong Policy Address involved changes to immigration policy, with the investment threshold adjusted from HK$6.5 million to HK$10 million, effective within 48 hours. Many people lost the prime opportunity to invest and settle in Hong Kong almost overnight. As of this year, the number of immigrants to Hong Kong is increasing day by day. Whether Hong Kong will use price hikes to control the number of immigrants remains unknown, but given that various major immigration programs are successively changing policies and increasing prices, it is highly likely that the Policy Address to be released in January next year will adjust the HK$10 million threshold to HK$15 million or HK$20 million, and may also impose restrictions on investment product categories.
Whether the 2015 Policy Address will squeeze the approval rate for investment migration in order to increase Hong Kong's capacity to accept talent, or whether it will directly add quality requirements (such as educational qualifications) to the application criteria for Hong Kong investment migration, these changes are unpredictable, but the Hong Kong government will certainly take corresponding measures. WorldWay experts suggest that for Hong Kong investment migration, it is better to act sooner rather than later. Investors interested in settling in Hong Kong should board the "last train" to Hong Kong as soon as possible!
