Author: Soso FUNG

Hello, I’m Soso FUNG, a migration consultant. I graduated from Auckland University of Technology in 2010. After returning to China in 2019, I began working on Hong Kong’s Quality Migrant Admission Scheme, and to date I have helped more than 100 families successfully obtain Hong Kong residency through the scheme. Sincerity is my fundamental working attitude, professionalism is my core code of conduct, and dedication is the reputation I’ve built in this industry. I will not let you down — with my most dedicated and professional service, I’ll help you and your family successfully secure Hong Kong residency.

In recent years, as the Greater Bay Area continues to flourish, many applicants from mainland China are looking to add a second residency status, so they can build a better future and live more comfortably in the Greater Bay Area.
Having watched Hong Kong attract numerous talents over the years through its Quality Migrant Admission Scheme and General Employment Policy — and more recently its Top Talent Pass Scheme — the Macau SAR is finally set to join the race for talent this year.

Recently, the Macau Special Administrative Region Talent Development Committee has proposed three migration schemes — the Senior Professionals Scheme, the Outstanding Talent Scheme and the High-End Talent Scheme — to attract talents at different levels.

In terms of assessment requirements, these three migration schemes are broadly similar to Hong Kong’s Quality Migrant Admission Scheme.
So for those who qualify, which should you choose — Hong Kong’s scheme or Macau’s?
Below, we set out the similarities and differences between Macau’s talent-admission schemes and Hong Kong’s migration schemes!

Let’s take a look at which one suits you better!

Macau High-End Talent Scheme

VS Hong Kong Quality Migrant Admission Scheme

01 High-End Talent Scheme

Benchmarked against Hong Kong’s QMAS “Achievement-based Points Test”

– Talents with recognised, outstanding achievements

– For example, Nobel laureates, Olympic medallists, national-level experts and scholars, or those who have made outstanding contributions to their industry.

– The scheme has no quota — the more, the better.

– For visa renewal, residence in Macau is not mandatory, but you must demonstrate your contribution to Macau’s development.

02 Outstanding Talent Scheme

Benchmarked against Hong Kong’s QMAS “General Points Test”

– Leading figures who stand out in their industry

– In the first phase, Macau will focus on talents in four key industries: big health, modern finance, advanced technology, and culture and sport.

Senior Professionals Scheme

Benchmarked against Hong Kong’s General Employment Policy

– Highly educated, with professional skills and extensive professional experience

– The first phase mainly admits, from four key industries — big health, modern finance, advanced technology, and culture and sport, technical or management talents. If you can prove you are a much-needed talent in short supply for Macau’s social development, you may also have a chance.

– This scheme has a quota. Before applying, you must already have an offer from a local Macau employer; the job must match your background, and the salary must be at market level.

– For visa renewal, you are required to ordinarily reside in Macau, and you will most likely need to remain employed in Macau.

The 8 Major Benefits of Macau Residency!

NO.1: Excellent welfare benefits

In Macau, you contribute just MOP 90 per month (MOP 60 from the employer and MOP 30 from the employee). Contribute continuously for 5 years and, at age 60 or 65, you can receive the standard monthly pension — currently MOP 3,350 per month. A 65-year-old, together with the MOP 8,000 elderly bonus, provident fund and “fruit money” allowance, can receive close to MOP 70,000 per year.

What’s more, from 2020 to 2022 the Macau government ran a policy of welfare and additional cash subsidies for residents: the amount initially paid to permanent residents was 5,000 patacas per person, and as inflation kept rising, this was raised to 10,000 patacas per person in 2021 — even Macau’s non-permanent residents were entitled to 5,000 patacas per person.

NO.2: Keep your mainland household registration

Macau’s migration laws impose no residence requirement (“migration jail”), so after applying you are free to live and develop wherever you choose. This saves on migration costs while letting you keep your Chinese nationality, making travel to and from the mainland very convenient.

NO.3: Childbirth advantages

Children born in Macau automatically obtain the right of abode in Macau.

NO.4: Education advantages

Macau residents enjoy fifteen years of free Chinese- and English-language education. Secondary-school graduates benefit from preferential national policies that allow them to enter top mainland universities with lower entrance scores, and they can also study directly in Europe or the United States.

Under Macau’s current education system, children begin pre-school education in kindergarten at age 3, start primary school at age 6, and enter secondary school at age 12, with junior and senior secondary education spanning 5 to 6 years.

Macau’s education system has two key features: first, a diverse mix of providers, with private schools in the majority; second, a variety of academic systems, with Chinese-medium, Portuguese-medium and English-medium schooling all coexisting.

Beyond the advantages above, Macau residency can likewise help your children gain admission to international schools and plan for the Joint Entrance Examination for Overseas Chinese Students. As one of the world’s free trade ports, the Macau SAR can also help entrepreneurs grow their international trade.
Preferential policies for Hong Kong and Macau candidates applying to mainland universities: the entrance exam for Hong Kong and Macau students is easier than the mainland Gaokao, and the admission cut-off scores are lower than the mainland’s.

NO.5: Travel convenience

A Macau SAR passport gives you visa-free access to more than 130 countries, including the UK, Germany, Italy, France, Denmark, Switzerland, Singapore, Japan and South Korea — and the list of visa-free destinations keeps growing.

NO.6: Business advantages

Like Hong Kong, Macau operates a territorial tax system, taxing only income sourced in Macau or property located in Macau. The Macau SAR tax regime is characterised by few tax types and a light tax burden: there are currently 14 taxes, of which 8 are direct taxes.

Among these, Macau’s complementary tax on corporate income (profit tax), payable by companies operating in Macau, is just 12%, compared with a profits tax rate of 16.5% in Hong Kong. Macau’s professional tax (personal income tax) has a top rate of only 12%, with a basic tax-free allowance of MOP 144,000, whereas Hong Kong’s salaries tax has a standard rate of 15% with a basic allowance of HKD 132,000.

With its low-tax free-trade-port status, setting up an international company is simple — no registered capital is required — and the cost of doing business is low. Macau products can be exported to the mainland Chinese market with zero tariffs, and most imports and re-exported goods are exempt from customs duty.

NO.7: Financial advantages

A well-developed financial system and a flexible currency-management regime mean banks impose no cash-withdrawal controls and funds can flow freely, boosting a company’s international competitiveness.

NO.8: Greater Bay Area opportunities

For overseas high-end and in-demand talents working in the Greater Bay Area, where the personal income tax they have paid in the nine Pearl River Delta cities exceeds the amount calculated at 15% of their assessable income, the governments of those nine cities provide a fiscal subsidy for the difference.
As the Greater Bay Area continues to develop, more favourable policies are expected in the future.

Advantages of Hong Kong residency

1. Prime location: a world-renowned international trade port and entrepôt

2. Low-tax policy: a simple, transparent system that taxes on a territorial basis, with low taxes and fees

3. International financial centre: no foreign-exchange controls, the world’s freest economy

4. Quality education resources: 15 years of free education in two written languages and three spoken languages, with 7 universities ranked in the world’s top 100

5. A high-value passport: visa-free access to 170 countries, letting you travel the world with ease

6. A robust legal system: well-developed legislation, legal protection and law enforcement

7. Keep your mainland status: you can retain your mainland household registration and flexibly enjoy the preferential benefits of holding two statuses

Advantages of relocating to Hong Kong

Beyond the benefits within Hong Kong, Hong Kong residency also comes with many policy perks on the mainland:

1. Income-tax subsidy: a 15% personal income tax subsidy in the Greater Bay Area

2. Property policy: free to buy 1 property in the Greater Bay Area

3. Access to social-security benefits: you can join the mainland social-security system and subsequently work, study and live on the mainland

4. Joint Entrance Examination for Overseas Chinese Students: with Hong Kong status, your children can readily sit this exam and progress to mainland 985/211 universities

5. Old Age Living Allowance at 65: under the Hong Kong Social Welfare Department’s “Guangdong Scheme” and “Fujian Scheme”, eligible Hong Kong elderly aged 65 or above who choose to relocate to Guangdong or Fujian can receive the allowance without having to return to Hong Kong each year.

From August onwards, the Macau government will progressively release the details of its various talent-admission schemes. Now is the perfect time to plan for Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan residency. If you’d like to pave the way for your children’s education, your own career development, or a dual-status plan, and if you’re interested in Hong Kong or Macau residency, get in touch with us~

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