Author: Soso FUNG
Hi everyone, I’m migration consultantSoso FUNG，2010 graduate of Auckland University of Technology.2019 I began working on Hong Kong’s Quality Migrant Admission Scheme after returning home, and to date I have helped more than 100 families successfully obtain their Hong Kong residency through the QMAS programme.Sincerity is my working attitude, professionalism is my ethical standard, and dedication is the reputation I’ve built in this industry.I will live up to your trust and use my most dedicated and professional service to help you and your family successfully secure Hong Kong residency.
Hong Kong’s talent shortage has become increasingly severe of late, and the HKSAR Government has been rolling out a series of measures to attract talent. The main Hong Kong talent schemes currently fall into two major categories: the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS) and the Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS). Many applicants may be unsure which of these two schemes to choose.
Top Talent Pass Scheme
TTPS
The Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) is Hong Kong’s most recent talent policy, designed to attract top talent from around the world — those with extensive work experience and advanced qualifications — to explore opportunities in Hong Kong. This includes high-income earners and graduates of the world’s top universities。
Hong Kong Quality Migrant Admission Scheme
QMAS
QMAS is a scheme introduced by the HKSAR Government whose main aim is to attract highly skilled talent or quality professionals to settle in Hong Kong. Applications are assessed on personal attributes such as age, academic/professional qualifications, work experience, language ability, and family background. Successful applicants are typically the multi-disciplinary talent Hong Kong particularly needs。
Differences between the two talent schemes
Although both are talent-admission schemes run by Hong Kong, there are still some fundamental differences between them. You should match the scheme that best fits your personal circumstances before applying.
01 Ease of application
Top Talent Pass Scheme
is divided into three categories; you only need to meet one of them to apply.
Category A: Applicants whose annual salary in the past year reached HK$2.5 million or more (or equivalent in foreign currency)
Category B: Top 100 world university* bachelor’s degree + at least three years of cumulative work experience within the past five years (undergraduate degree must be from a top-ranked university)
Category C: Bachelor’s degree* from a top 100 world university within the past five years, with less than three years of work experience (undergraduate must be from a top-ranked university; annual quota capped at 10,000)
Quality Migrant Admission Scheme
· Age: 18 years or older
· Financial requirement: applicants must demonstrate they can independently support themselves and any dependants financially, including accommodation, during their stay in Hong Kong
· Good character: applicants must have no criminal record or adverse immigration record in Hong Kong or elsewhere.
· Language proficiency: applicants must possess a good level of written and spoken Chinese or English (spoken Chinese refers to either Mandarin or Cantonese)
· Basic qualifications: applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from a recognised university or higher-education institution. (Documented strong technical qualifications, demonstrable professional abilities, and/or experience and achievements may also be considered.)
Once the basic eligibility requirements are met, applicants can choose to be assessed under either the “General Points Test” or the “Achievement-based Points Test”.
02 Processing speed
TTPS processing usually takes about 4–8 weeks, while QMAS takes roughly 5–12 months.
So if you want to join Hong Kong’s talent pool quickly, the TTPS is your first choice — though of course your own circumstances should still guide which scheme you apply under.
03 Duration of stay
QMAS: 3+3+2 years
TTPS: 2+3+3 years
04 Number of applications allowed
There is no cap on how many times you can apply for the QMAS, but the TTPS only grants one approval chance per applicant!
It’s important to note that if a TTPS visa expires without being renewed, you cannot reapply — you would need to use another entry scheme to return to Hong Kong for work or residence, meaning your previous effort essentially goes to waste.
05 Difficulty of renewal
TTPS applicants must apply to extend their stay (renewal) four weeks before their visa expires. At the time of renewal submission, applicants must already have secured employment with a Hong Kong company, and the role’s salary and benefits must meet prevailing market standards.
QMAS renewals depend largely on which points test was used for approval. If approved under the “Achievement-based Points Test,” the applicant will usually be granted an 8-year stay in one go, becoming eligible for Hong Kong permanent residency after 7 years, with no renewals required in the meantime. If approved under the “General Points Test,” the renewal condition simply requires maintaining a close connection with Hong Kong.
Suitable applicants
As the name suggests, the Hong Kong QMAS first requires highly educated and highly skilled professionals, typically those covered by the 13-category QMAS Talent List — for example, IT, finance, information, and technology professionals, as well as those who have published high-quality research.
·Those with international work experience
· Those with experience at multinationals or leading companies
· Those graduating from top 100 world universities
· Those holding a master’s or doctoral degree, or a double-bachelor/double-master’s qualification
· Those working in industries Hong Kong is short on or actively recruiting for
· Those meeting the Hong Kong Talent List criteria
· Those with extensive work experience or senior-management experience
There are no restrictions on renewal or changing jobs, and you don’t need to give up your Mainland household registration. You can freely work, start a business, live, and study in Hong Kong.
Benefits of Hong Kong residency
1. No need to live in Hong Kong long-term
Even if your base remains on the Mainland, you can still renew — you only need to satisfy the “ordinarily resident” principle. You retain your Mainland identity and household registration. Compared with study-abroad or GEP applicants who must work in Hong Kong, QMAS offers far more flexibility and suits people who mainly live on the Mainland.
2. Secured education for children
With Hong Kong residency, children gain a wide range of educational options. Whether in Hong Kong or on the Mainland, they can access rich international education resources — international schools impose no entry barrier, and students can sit the Hong Kong DSE and the Joint Entrance Examination for Overseas Chinese, enjoying lower-score admission advantages and greater social competitiveness.
3. One applicant, whole family benefits
A family needs only one principal applicant; spouses and children can obtain residency as dependants, allowing the whole family to relocate to Hong Kong.
4. Freedom to travel many countries
The Hong Kong passport offers visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 168 countries and territories worldwide, including Canada, Finland, Japan, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, and Sweden — genuine global mobility. Do note, however, that obtaining QMAS residency is not the same as obtaining a passport!
5. Low tax rate and asset protection
Hong Kong has one of the world’s lowest tax rates and a simple tax system with no bewildering array of taxes and levies. The same income goes much further in Hong Kong, preserving your assets better. Hong Kong also has no estate duty, so future transfers of wealth to children won’t incur heavy taxation.
Success Stories
Ms L – Approved with 100 points
① Age: 26
② Education: Domestic bachelor’s in management; overseas master’s from a top 100 university
③ Field: Actuarial studies
④ Work: Recently graduated and entered insurance-product development and management
Processing timeline:
September 2022
Formally approved 21 September 2023
Mr Z – Approved with 110 points
① Age: 35
② Education: Domestic bachelor’s degree
③ Field: Computer-related profession
④ Work: Two years of senior-management experience within the past five years
⑤ Industry experience: multiple roles in data analysis and processing, software R&D, etc.
Processing timeline:
Submitted October 2022
Formally approved 7 September 2023
Mr S – Approved with 90 points
① Age: 38
② Education: Bachelor’s degree (not from a top 100 university)
③ Field: Finance-oriented management
④ Family background: Bachelor-degree spouse + one child
⑤ Work: Financial-control management and digital management at a large enterprise
Processing timeline
Application submitted October 2022
Formally approved 13 September 2023
Successful Hong Kong TTPS and QMAS cases over the past year
2023–2024 is firmly the window of opportunity for obtaining Hong Kong residency — if you want it, seize these two years and don’t wait any longer.
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