According to figures released by the Hong Kong Immigration Department in the first quarter of 2026, the Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) had received a cumulative total of over 120,000 applications and approved more than 95,000, while applications under the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS) surged by nearly 40% year on year after the annual quota was abolished in 2025. These two sets of figures clearly outline a trend: Hong Kong is attracting global talent with unprecedented intensity, and 2026 stands at a critical stage of the policy dividend period. For Mainland applicants, faced with the three mainstream routes — the Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS), the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS) and the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals (ASMTP) — how to make the optimal choice based on their academic background, income level and career plan is the first step in determining the success or failure of the application.
Top Talent Pass Scheme: A Fast Track for High Earners and Leading Universities
The Top Talent Pass Scheme has been the route with the fastest approvals and the clearest thresholds since its launch at the end of 2022. In 2026, the scheme continues to apply the Category A, B and C division of applications, but after the list of qualifying universities was updated in October 2025, the number of Mainland institutions increased to 22, including Tsinghua University, Peking University, Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Zhejiang University, the University of Science and Technology of China, Nanjing University, Sun Yat-sen University, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan University, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Harbin Institute of Technology, Central South University, Sichuan University, Beihang University, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing Normal University, Nankai University, Tianjin University, Tongji University, Southeast University and Renmin University of China.
Category A is for high-earning individuals with an annual income reaching HK$2.5 million or above in the year preceding the application, with no academic qualification requirement and no need to have secured a Hong Kong employer in advance. This category continued to account for about 15% of total TTPS approvals in 2026, with an approval period typically of 4 weeks. Note that the proof of income must include salary, allowances, share options and company profit distributions, among others; personal investment income is not counted.
Categories B and C, meanwhile, target graduates of the world’s top hundred universities. Category B requires at least three years of work experience within the five years preceding the application, while Category C is for recent graduates with less than three years of work experience, but is subject to an annual quota cap of 10,000 persons. Data from early 2026 shows that the quota utilisation rate for Category C had already reached 35% in the first quarter; eligible applicants are advised to submit as early as possible to avoid the quota being exhausted by year-end.
TTPS visa extensions follow the “2+3+3” model: the first approval grants a 24-month stay period, and upon extension the applicant must already be employed by a Hong Kong company or have established a business in Hong Kong. The Immigration Department tightened scrutiny of genuine employment relationships in 2026, and merely being nominally affiliated with a company will face the risk of refusal.
Quality Migrant Admission Scheme: A Flexible Option under the General Points Test
The Quality Migrant Admission Scheme entered a two-year “quota-free” window after the annual quota of 4,000 persons was abolished in 2025, and this policy will continue until the end of 2026. For applicants who are not graduates of top-tier prestigious universities, whose income does not meet the TTPS threshold but who have strong all-round credentials, the QMAS offers a more flexible route.
The QMAS adopts two scoring systems: the General Points Test (GPT) and the Achievement-based Points Test (APT). The General Points Test scores across six dimensions — age, academic qualifications, work experience, language proficiency, family background and the Talent List — with a full score of 245 points, and the minimum pass mark remains at 80 points in 2026. The key items that earn additional points include: holding a master’s or doctoral degree from an internationally recognised prestigious university (+30 points), possessing no less than two years of international work experience (+15 points), and holding a professional qualification that matches the Hong Kong Talent List (+30 points).
The Hong Kong Talent List, updated in February 2026, was expanded from the original 51 items to 60 items, with the new areas concentrated in emerging fields such as green finance, ESG analysis, artificial intelligence ethics, cultural heritage protection and aviation financial leasing. If your profession happens to fall within the List, the probability of approval will rise significantly.
The QMAS has a longer approval period, typically 6 to 9 months, but its advantage is that no prior Hong Kong employer is required upon approval, giving applicants greater flexibility in their career transition. The extension model is “3+3+2”, and the Immigration Department focuses on the applicant’s substantive ties with Hong Kong, including time spent residing in Hong Kong, employment records and whether children are studying in Hong Kong. The review trend in 2026 shows that shallow ties such as “entering Hong Kong a few times each year” are no longer sufficient to meet extension requirements; it is advisable to establish a stable living track record in Hong Kong from the early planning stage.
Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals: Employer-Driven Targeted Recruitment
The Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals (ASMTP) — i.e., the Professionals Scheme — is the only one of the three routes that requires the applicant to have secured a Hong Kong employer before application; in essence it is a work visa. In the first quarter of 2026, ASMTP approvals exceeded 18,000, up 12% year on year, reflecting the Hong Kong job market’s continued demand for professional talent from the Mainland.
The ASMTP has no quota limit and sets no rigid minimum salary standard, but employer qualification and job matching are the core of the review. The Immigration Department assesses whether the position is genuinely difficult to fill with a suitable candidate recruited locally in Hong Kong, and whether the applicant’s professional background is closely aligned with the job requirements. For industries that Hong Kong is prioritising for development — such as fintech, biomedicine and data science — employers face relatively lower difficulty in proving local recruitment challenges.
When applying under the ASMTP, the employer must submit a detailed business registration certificate, audited financial reports and an account of the recruitment process. In 2026, the Immigration Department tightened scrutiny of start-up companies acting as sponsoring employers, requiring more substantial business development plans and proof of funds. The ASMTP approval period is typically 4 to 8 weeks; upon approval a 36-month stay period is granted, and the extension model is “3+3+2”, during which changing employer requires a fresh application.
For Mainland individuals who have already registered a company in Hong Kong or plan to start a business there, the “intra-company transfer” arrangement under the ASMTP is worth noting. If the applicant has held a managerial or professional position at the Mainland parent company for more than one year and is transferred to an equivalent-level position at the Hong Kong subsidiary, the requirement to prove local recruitment difficulty is waived, and the process is relatively simplified.
Core Differences and Selection Strategy across the Three Routes
Which route to choose essentially depends on what your core strength is. If you graduated from a top university and have some work experience, Category B of the TTPS is the most direct option, with fast approval and simple documents. If your annual income is stably above HK$2.5 million, Category A of the TTPS is unquestionably the optimal solution, as neither academic background nor age poses an obstacle.
For applicants whose academic qualifications and income both fall short of the TTPS threshold but who hold a master’s degree or above, rich work experience and good language ability, the General Points Test under the QMAS provides room to showcase their overall value. In particular, submitting the application before the quota-free policy ends at the end of 2026 can avoid the competitive pressure that might arise should quotas be reinstated in future. Note that the QMAS has a longer waiting period, so it is advisable to plan the timeline in advance.
The ASMTP suits applicants who have already secured a clear offer of employment from a Hong Kong employer. If you are a talent in short supply in the industry and your employer is willing to cooperate in completing the relevant proof procedures, the ASMTP approval rate is considerable. For business owners planning to obtain Hong Kong status through self-employment, the ASMTP is also a viable route, but substantive preparation for company operations is required, including office premises, staff employment and business cash flow.
In terms of extension difficulty, the TTPS and ASMTP require continuous employment in Hong Kong, while the QMAS places more emphasis on residency ties. If you cannot live in Hong Kong for an extended period for the time being but can maintain a stable Hong Kong work relationship, the former two may be more suitable; if you can arrange to spend more time residing in Hong Kong, the flexibility of the QMAS is more attractive.
Key Details in Preparing Application Materials
Regardless of the route chosen, the completeness and authenticity of the materials prepared are the primary factor determining the speed of approval. In 2026 the Immigration Department further promoted electronic processing, and most documents can be submitted through the online system, but the notarisation and translation requirements for key materials have not been relaxed.
For academic proof, applicants who graduated from Mainland universities must provide copies of their degree certificate and graduation certificate, together with a degree certification report issued by the Ministry of Education’s Academic Credential Authentication Centre. Overseas academic qualifications require an authentication document issued by the local education authority or a Chinese embassy or consulate abroad. Applicants under TTPS Categories B and C must also submit an official academic transcript from the qualifying university.
Proof of work experience is another area prone to supplementary document requests. It is recommended to use a letter of employment printed on company letterhead, stating the job title, start and end dates of employment, main responsibilities and salary level, and stamped with the company seal. For Category A TTPS applicants, the proof of income must cover the full 12 months preceding the application, including bank statements, individual income tax payment certificates and share option exercise records; self-employed persons must also provide audited company financial statements.
A certificate of no criminal record remains a required document in 2026; Mainland applicants must apply to the public security authority at their household registration locality. The certificate is typically valid for 6 months, so take care not to apply too early and let it expire.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I change jobs after being approved under the TTPS? A: TTPS holders may freely change jobs within the initial 24-month stay period without prior approval from the Immigration Department. Upon extension, a new proof of employment must be submitted, and the position and salary should be at a level comparable to or higher than that at the time of application.
Q: Must I move to Hong Kong immediately after being approved under the QMAS? A: Although the QMAS has no mandatory residency requirement, extension requires proof of substantive ties with Hong Kong. It is recommended to stay in Hong Kong for no less than 90 days each year, and to retain living evidence such as tenancy agreements, utility bills and children’s school enrolment records.
Q: Can the spouse work in Hong Kong after the ASMTP is approved? A: Yes. The spouse and unmarried children under 18 of an ASMTP applicant may come to Hong Kong as dependants, and the spouse may work in Hong Kong without separately applying for a work permit.
Q: What happens after the QMAS quota-free policy ends in 2026? A: At present the authorities have not announced specific arrangements for after 2027. Referring to the pace of past policy adjustments, it is highly likely that an annual quota system will be reinstated, but the quota number may be significantly higher than the previous 4,000 persons. Interested applicants are advised to submit within 2026 to lock in the current policy dividend.
Q: How soon after a rejection can I reapply? A: The Immigration Department sets no mandatory waiting period, but it is advisable to reapply after a substantive change in circumstances, such as an upgraded academic qualification, a new professional certification, a significant increase in income, or a move to an industry listed on the Talent List. Simply resubmitting the same materials will likely result in rejection again.
References
- Hong Kong Immigration Department – Top Talent Pass Scheme: https://www.immd.gov.hk/hks/services/visas/TTPS.html
- Hong Kong Immigration Department – Quality Migrant Admission Scheme: https://www.immd.gov.hk/hks/services/visas/quality_migrant_admission_scheme.html
- Hong Kong Immigration Department – Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals: https://www.immd.gov.hk/hks/services/visas/ASMTP.html
- Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government – 2026 Talent List Update Announcement
- Hong Kong Immigration Department – 2026 First Quarter Visa Statistics