Last February, Hong Kong relaxed the restrictions for the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme, enabling more talent, especially younger individuals, to pursue development in Hong Kong. This year, it is expected that this trend will continue; as the economic recovery calls for more skilled professionals, Hong Kong's demand for high-quality talent is becoming increasingly urgent.
To recruit high-quality talent, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government launched the "Quality Migrant Admission Scheme" in 2006. Applicants may move to Hong Kong for at least one year to seek development opportunities without having to secure a job offer from a local Hong Kong company beforehand, and their spouses may also work in Hong Kong. The annual quota is 1,000. As of the end of 2007, only 322 people had been approved through the scheme. To attract more young talent, Hong Kong has recently relaxed the age limits, language proficiency requirements, and work experience criteria for the "Quality Migrant Admission Scheme," as well as the arrangements for non-local graduates to remain in Hong Kong for work. Starting from the 2008-2009 academic year, non-local students who have obtained a full-time accredited bachelor's degree or higher qualification in Hong Kong may stay or return to work in Hong Kong for one year without any conditions. This scheme provides broader development space for high-quality talent from the mainland, and it is likely that applications for immigration and study in Hong Kong will show an upward trend in the coming year.
