Article by Soso FUNG

Hello, I’m Soso FUNG, a migration consultant. I graduated from the Auckland University of Technology in 2010. After returning home in 2019, I began working on Hong Kong’s Quality Migrant Admission Scheme, and to date I’ve helped more than 100 families successfully obtain Hong Kong identity through the Hong Kong QMAS pathway. Sincerity is my core attitude to work, professionalism my fundamental standard, and dedication the reputation I’ve built in this industry. I’ll honour your trust, and use my most dedicated and professional service to help you and your family secure Hong Kong identity.

The Competition of the Mainland China Gaokao

The number of Gaokao registrations nationwide has risen year on year. In 2023, the national Gaokao registration figure surpassed 12.91 million, a new record high, and the fifth consecutive year the figure has broken the 10-million mark. The growing numbers mean that the pressure of getting into university intensifies for many families every year. The students feel the pressure, and the parents feel it even more.

After looking at the recent shifts in Gaokao numbers, take a look at the admission rates for the 985/211 universities for a reality check~

The “difficulty” of the Gaokao isn’t getting into university at all — it’s getting into a good university. Graduating from a good university gives a stronger competitive edge in the future job market and helps a child stand out among countless resumes.

In fact, beyond the Gaokao, parents can consider new pathways to help their children get ahead in their studies and “overtake on the bend”!

That means changing identity, changing lane — giving children the option of applying fora Hong Kong identity, and planning an easier pathway into higher education.

So once a child holds Hong Kong identity,

how can their education pathway be planned?

1. The Joint Entrance Examination for Overseas Chinese, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Students

A child holding Hong Kong permanent resident identity can pursue higher education by sitting the Joint Entrance Examination for Overseas Chinese, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Students, and can apply to around 300 mainland universities, with the participating institutions covering most of the 985/211 universities.

Advantages of the Overseas Chinese Students Joint Examination

①Lower admission score thresholds:

400 points or above secures a first-tier (“yiben”) place, 300 points a second-tier (“erben”) place, and arts students need 200 points or above, with mainland universities admitting on merit. Compared with the Gaokao, the Overseas Chinese Students Joint Examination thresholds are around 100–200 points lower

②Fewer candidates, less competitive pressure

2023 the Overseas Chinese Students Joint Examination had only 7,238 registered candidates! Yet each year it offers 15,000–20,000 admission places for overseas Chinese students. Compared with the tens of millions sitting the domestic Gaokao, the Overseas Chinese Students Joint Examination actually has many places to spare, and its undergraduate admission rate is as high as 80% — twice that of the ordinary Gaokao.

③Easier exam difficulty

The difficulty of the Overseas Chinese Students Joint Examination questions is also far lower than that of the mainland’s ordinary Gaokao — 70% of the content is junior secondary level, with only 30% of the question types drawn from Year 10 content.

2. The Hong Kong DSE Examination

The Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE), also known as the Hong Kong Gaokao, is one of the public examinations held each year by the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority.

When a child sits the entrance examination, if they hold Hong Kong identity (whether permanent or non-permanent), they may be treated as a local student when applying to Hong Kong’s local universities, and can apply to Hong Kong’s local universities through the Joint University Programmes Admissions System (JUPAS). 80% of the places at Hong Kong’s local universities are reserved for students with Hong Kong identity, who also enjoy local-student admission benefits such as lower entry-score requirements and lower tuition fees.

In 2023 the number of HKDSE candidates was 50,823, just 0.39% of the number sitting the mainland Gaokao.DSEThe admission rate in the DSE formal-selection results is far higher than the undergraduate admission rates for the mainland’s 985/211 universities.

DSE results to enter mainland universities

If a child already holds a Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card when sitting the DSE, they can also join the mainland’s exam-exempt admission scheme and, using their DSE results, apply directly to 132 mainland universities — including renowned institutions such as Tsinghua, Peking, Fudan and Zhejiang.

Holding Hong Kong identity not only makes it easier for a child to progress in their studies, but also opens up more choices and opportunities on the road ahead. Choice outweighs effort — a parent’s decisions directly affect the next generation, and identity resources and choice are the key. Right now is a window of opportunity for applying for Hong Kong identity, so if you’d like to pave the way for your child’s education, it’s worth planning for a Hong Kong identity early!

Hong Kong Quality Migrant Admission Scheme(Hong Kong QMAS)

(Quality Migrant Admission Scheme)

The Hong Kong QMAS is a talent-attraction scheme introduced by the Hong Kong Government to draw outstanding talent from around the world to Hong Kong.

QMAS eligibility requirements

1. The principal applicant must be aged 18 or above;

2. No criminal record and no adverse immigration record;

3. Good written and spoken Chinese or English;

4. A university degree awarded by a tertiary institution;

5. Sufficient funds to support themselves and their dependants for the first year (HK$200,000 for an individual; HK$300,000+ for a family);

6. Achievement-based points test: a visa is granted directly; General points test: 80 points or above.

8 policy changes to the QMAS:

1. Change to the application quota

The annual cap of 4,000 places is removed for a two-year period

2. Change to renewals

The first stay visa changes from 2 years to 3 years, following a 3+3+2 / 3+5 renewal pattern

3. Change to the points test

The maximum total rises from 225 points to 245 points, with an extra 20 points added for work experience at a renowned enterprise

4. Change to processing time

Processing time is reduced from 9–12 months to 6–9 months

5. Change to supporting documents

The no-criminal-record certificate is no longer required, overseas transcripts may be submitted as copies, and same-sex spouses are now recognised, among other changes.

6. Change to the application process

The in-principle approval and the in-person Hong Kong interview steps are removed

7. Change to the application method

Applications can only be made online; from application and payment through to collecting the “e-Visa”, no trip to Hong Kong is required at any stage

8. Change to the Talent List

13 items on the Talent List expand to 51 items, covering 9 industries, with the medical and construction sectors newly added

2023 in the first quarter, a total of 2,073 applicants were approved under the Hong Kong QMAS, breaking the historical record!

Hong Kong Top Talent Pass Scheme

(TTPS)

In its drive to attract talent, the Hong Kong Government launched the Top Talent Pass Scheme — “TTPS” for short — on 28 December 2022

Anyone who is a graduate of a top-100 QS university can apply

An applicant may apply under the TTPS in one of the following categories:

A Category:Individuals whose annual income in the year immediately before the application reached HK$2.5 million or more (or the equivalent in foreign currency);

B Category:Applicants who hold a bachelor’s degree from a QS top-100 university and have 3 years of work experience in the past 5 years are granted a 2-year stay visa;

C Category:Those with no work experience but who graduated with a bachelor’s degree from a QS top-100 university within the 5 years before application may also apply directly, subject to a cap of 10,000 places

At least eight universities in Australia meet this Hong Kong requirement

TTPS applications are processed quickly — Hong Kong identity can be approved in roughly 4 weeks!

Plus the University of Sydney listed below

TOUR

The Advantages of Hong Kong Identity

Advantages of relocating to Hong Kong

1.Prime location: a world-renowned international trading port / entrepot

2.Low tax policy: a simple, transparent system taxed on a territorial basis, with low rates

3.An 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 travel document: visa-free access to 170 countries, for travel around the world

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

7.Keep your mainland identity: you can retain your mainland identity and household registration, flexibly enjoying the benefits of both identities

Beyond the benefits available in Hong Kong, Hong Kong identity also brings many policy benefits on the mainland:

1.Individual income tax subsidy: a 15% income tax subsidy in the Greater Bay Area

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

3.Social-security entitlements: you can join the mainland social-security scheme and subsequently work, study and live on the mainland

4.Overseas Chinese Students Joint Examination: children can easily sit the overseas-Chinese-students examination on the basis of their Hong Kong identity and progress to the mainland’s 985/211 universities

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

In its drive to recruit talent, the Hong Kong Government has rolled out many talent-attraction policies, and right now is the best time to apply for Hong Kong identity. If you want to pave the way for your child’s education, plan for your own development, or arrange dual identity early to avoid competitive pressure, if you’re interested in Hong Kong identity, get in touch with us~

Success StoriesCases

Hong Kong QMAS Success Story

Age: 40

Score: 130 points

Qualification: doctoral degree

Industry: biotechnology

Submitted: 18 September 2022

Approved: 3 June 2023

Hong Kong QMAS Success Story

Age: 38

Score: 125 points

Qualification: master’s degree

Industry: new-energy vehicles

Submitted: 14 September 2022

Approved: 4 June 2023

Hong Kong TTPS Category A Success Story

Age: 51

Industry: new-energy company; annual income exceeding HK$2.5 million in the year before applying

Hong Kong QMAS Success Story

Age: 36

Score: 120 points

Qualification: master’s degree

Industry: finance

Submitted: August 2022

Approved: 7 June 2023

Hong Kong QMAS Success Story

Age: 34

Score: 105 points

Qualification: bachelor’s degree

Industry: information technology professional

Submitted: August 2022

Approved: 3 June 2023

Hong Kong QMAS Success Story

Age: 41

Score: 140 points

Qualification: master’s degree

Industry: engineering

Submitted: May 2022

Approved: March 2023

Hong Kong TTPS Category A Success Story

Age: 55

TTPS Category B visa

Tsinghua University bachelor’s graduate, 5+ years’ work experience

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