Policy Address 2024 | John Lee highlights talent development initiatives amid workforce shortage
Chief Executive John Lee is delivering his third Policy Address today (Oct. 16).
"Hong Kong boasts five of the world's top 100 universities and is an international hub for exchange and collaboration among high-calibre talents." Lee says.
The government implemented a new talent admission regime in late 2022. More than 380,000 applications have been received to date, and around 160,000 talents have arrived in Hong Kong with their families.
There will be a projected shortage of around 180,000 workers across different sectors in the next five years. In order to build a quality talent pool for development, related measures are as follows:
- updating the Talent List to include talents required for development of the "eight centres";
- expanding the list of universities under the Top Talent Pass Scheme to 198 universities by adding 13 top Mainland and overseas universities, and extending the validity period of the first visa of high-income talents under the scheme from two years to three years;
- enhancing the General Employment Policy and the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals, providing new channels to attract experienced specialists in specific skilled trades facing acute manpower shortage to come to Hong Kong. There will be a quota under the new arrangement;
- introducing a new mechanism under the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme, proactively inviting top-notch talents to come to our city for development, promoting Hong Kong as the focal point of international high-calibre talents; and
- extending for two years the pilot arrangement of including graduates from the GBA campuses of Hong Kong universities under the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates.
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