Guide | Comprehensive Comparison of Application Eligibility and Stay Periods for Hong Kong’s Eight Major Talent Schemes (2026 Complete Guide)
Since the end of 2022, Hong Kong has significantly relaxed its talent admission policy, and has since developed a “talent scheme matrix” covering people from diverse backgrounds. By the end of 2025, the various schemes had received a cumulative total of over 450,000 applications, of which approximately 280,000 had been approved. For those intending to work, start a business, study or settle in Hong Kong, understanding the application eligibility, stay period and renewal requirements of each scheme is the first step in planning their residency pathway.
Based on the application guidelines most recently published by the Hong Kong Immigration Department in January 2026, this article systematically compares the core parameters of the eight major talent schemes and presents the key differences in table form, helping you quickly identify the most suitable application channel.
Overview of the Eight Major Talent Schemes
Hong Kong currently has eight talent admission schemes in operation. By application threshold and target groups, they can be divided into three categories: High-end talent channel (Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS), Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS)), employment-linked channel (General Employment Policy (GEP), Technology Talent Admission Scheme (TechTAS), dependant visa), and study and investment channel (Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG), Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (CIES), Admission Scheme for the Second Generation of Chinese Hong Kong Permanent Residents). The approval logic, stay mode and permanent residency pathway of each scheme differ.
1. Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS)
TTPS is a new scheme launched at the end of 2022 and officially opened in 2023, aimed at attracting high-income individuals and graduates of top institutions. Applications are divided into three categories:
- Category A: An annual income of HK$2.5 million or above (or equivalent foreign currency) in the year preceding the application, with no restriction on academic qualifications and no quota.
- Category B: A bachelor’s degree from an eligible university (the 2026 list covers 185 institutions), with at least three years of cumulative work experience within the five years preceding the application, and no quota.
- Category C: A bachelor’s degree from an eligible university but with less than three years of work experience, with an annual quota of 10,000 places, allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Stay mode: Upon first approval, a stay period of 24 months (2 years) is granted. At renewal, the applicant must already be employed by a Hong Kong company or have established a business in Hong Kong, and each renewal grants 3 years. Holders of a TTPS visa who have ordinarily resided in Hong Kong for 7 years may apply for Hong Kong permanent resident status.
2. Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS)
QMAS adopts a points-based system, with two routes: the “General Points Test (GPT)” and the “Achievement-based Points Test (APT)”. From 2025, the General Points Test underwent structural adjustments, removing the annual quota cap, but the assessment criteria place greater emphasis on the applicant’s professional capability and alignment with Hong Kong’s economic development.
- General Points Test: Scored across five areas — age (maximum 30 points), academic/professional qualifications (maximum 70 points), work experience (maximum 75 points), language ability (maximum 20 points) and family background (maximum 20 points) — for a total of 245 points. The minimum pass mark remains at 80 points in 2026.
- Achievement-based Points Test: Applicable to top individuals who have received international-level awards (such as Olympic medals or Nobel Prizes) or lifetime achievement awards in their field, who are approved directly.
Stay mode: Upon first approval, a stay period of 36 months (3 years) is granted. At renewal, the applicant must demonstrate that they have settled in Hong Kong or made an economic contribution to Hong Kong, and each renewal grants 3 years. Holders of a QMAS visa who have ordinarily resided in Hong Kong for 7 years may apply for permanent residency.
3. Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals (ASMTP)
The ASMTP targets Mainland professionals who have been hired by a Hong Kong company but for whom no suitable local candidate is available. The application must be lodged by the employer, who must prove that the position is genuinely difficult to fill with a suitable candidate recruited locally in Hong Kong.
Eligibility: Holds a bachelor’s degree or above (professional qualification certificates may be accepted in exceptional cases); has been hired by a Hong Kong employer, and the position is related to the applicant’s academic qualifications or work experience; remuneration and benefits are not lower than Hong Kong market levels.
Stay mode: The initial approved stay period is generally 24 months (2 years), renewed on a “3+3” basis. If the position the applicant is hired for falls within a profession on the “Talent List”, or the annual salary reaches HK$2 million or above, the initial stay period may be extended to 36 months.
4. Technology Talent Admission Scheme (TechTAS)
This scheme is a “fast track” under the ASMTP, applicable to R&D positions in ten technology fields: advanced communication technology, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, cybersecurity, data analytics, financial technology, materials science, robotics, blockchain and quantum technology.
Eligibility: Must hold a degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) discipline; be employed by a tenant or incubated company of Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation or Cyberport; and the position must be full-time R&D work.
Stay mode: The initial approved stay period is 36 months (3 years), with each renewal granting 3 years. Processing is about two weeks faster than the ASMTP, with a result generally within 4–6 weeks.
5. Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG)
The IANG visa is the “post-graduation channel” for graduates of Hong Kong institutions with a full-time bachelor’s degree or above. It is divided into stay applications by fresh graduates (within 6 months of graduation) and return applications by non-fresh graduates (more than 6 months after graduation).
Eligibility: Completion of a full-time bachelor’s degree or above programme at a recognised Hong Kong institution (including the eight public universities and some private institutions); fresh graduates may apply without first securing employment; non-fresh graduates must already have been hired by a Hong Kong employer.
Stay mode: Upon first approval, a stay period of 24 months (2 years) is granted, renewed on a “2+3+3” basis. Dependants of IANG visa holders (spouse and unmarried children under 18) may study and work in Hong Kong without needing to apply for separate permission.
6. Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (CIES)
The Capital Investment Entrant Scheme, relaunched in March 2024, requires applicants to have continuously held net assets of not less than HK$30 million in the two years preceding the application. Investment categories include:
- Permissible financial assets (minimum HK$27 million): shares, bonds, certificates of deposit, debentures and qualifying collective investment schemes.
- Non-residential real estate (cap of HK$10 million): commercial or industrial properties.
- Capital Investment Entrant Scheme Investment Portfolio (HK$3 million): managed by Hong Kong Investment Corporation Limited, supporting key industries such as innovation and technology.
Stay mode: Upon first approval, a stay period of 24 months (2 years) is granted, and each renewal grants 2 years. After residing for 7 years and meeting the investment management requirements, the applicant may apply to become a Hong Kong permanent resident. This scheme has no quota, but applicants need not be employed or operate a business in Hong Kong.
7. Admission Scheme for the Second Generation of Chinese Hong Kong Permanent Residents
This scheme applies to second-generation children of Chinese Hong Kong permanent residents who have emigrated overseas. Applicants must:
- be aged 18 to 40;
- have been born overseas, or have resided overseas continuously for not less than three years;
- have one parent who already held Hong Kong permanent resident status at the time of the applicant’s birth;
- have a good educational background (bachelor’s degree or above);
- have a certain financial capacity to cover initial living expenses in Hong Kong.
Stay mode: Upon first approval, a stay period of 24 months (2 years) is granted, renewed on a “2+3+3” basis. This scheme has no quota, with a processing time of approximately 4–6 weeks.
8. Dependants Coming to Reside in Hong Kong
A dependant visa is not a standalone talent scheme but a visa category dependent on the principal applicant. When the principal applicant holds a TTPS, QMAS, ASMTP, IANG, TechTAS or CIES visa, their spouse and unmarried children under 18 may apply to reside in Hong Kong as dependants.
Stay mode: A dependant’s stay period is tied to that of the principal applicant, and the dependant’s renewal is synchronised when the principal applicant renews. Dependants who have ordinarily resided in Hong Kong for 7 years may independently apply for Hong Kong permanent resident status.
Comparison Table of Core Parameters of the Eight Schemes
- TTPS (Category A): Annual income above HK$2.5 million · 24 months · 3+3 · 4–8 weeks · no quota
- TTPS (Category B): Eligible university bachelor’s degree + 3 years’ experience · 24 months · 3+3 · 4–8 weeks · no quota
- TTPS (Category C): Eligible university bachelor’s degree + less than 3 years’ experience · 24 months · 3+3 · 4–8 weeks · 10,000 per year
- QMAS (General Points Test): General points reaching 80 · 36 months · 3+3 · 6–12 months · no quota
- QMAS (Achievement-based Points Test): International-level award/lifetime achievement · 36 months · 3+3 · 3–6 months · no quota
- ASMTP: Hired by Hong Kong employer + position difficult to fill locally · 24 months (36 months for Talent List positions) · 3+3 · 4–6 weeks · no quota
- TechTAS: STEM degree + Science Park/Cyberport employer · 36 months · 3+3 · 4–6 weeks · no quota
- IANG (fresh graduates): Full-time bachelor’s degree or above from a Hong Kong institution · 24 months · 2+3+3 · 2–4 weeks · no quota
- IANG (non-fresh graduates): Same as above + already hired by an employer · 24 months · 2+3+3 · 2–4 weeks · no quota
- CIES: Net assets HK$30 million + designated investment · 24 months · 2+2 · 3–6 months · no quota
- Second Generation Scheme: Parent is a Hong Kong permanent resident + born/resided overseas · 24 months · 2+3+3 · 4–6 weeks · no quota
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: What documents are required as proof of income for TTPS Category A?
A: A salaries tax assessment notice issued by the Inland Revenue Department, a remuneration certificate issued by the company, bank statements or records of realised share option gains, among others, must be provided. If income comes from multiple sources, all documents must be certified by a…