In 2026, Hong Kong’s talent admission policies continue to send positive signals. According to figures released by the Hong Kong Immigration Department in the first quarter of 2026, the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS) saw more than 18,000 approvals in the whole of 2025, an increase of about 35% over 2024. At the same time, the Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) has received over 120,000 applications since its launch at the end of 2022, with an approval rate maintained above 80%. Faced with multiple routes, the most common confusion among applicants is: which channel actually suits my circumstances best? How much do processing times and renewal difficulty really differ? This article breaks each one down in turn.
Quality Migrant Admission Scheme: The General Points Test Remains the Mainstream Choice
The core advantage of the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme lies in its flexibility — once approved, there is no need to have secured a Hong Kong job offer in advance, and renewal does not mandate working in Hong Kong. In 2026, the scheme continues its 2023 policy of abolishing the annual quota, with no cap on the number of approvals each year, and this window has been explicitly extended to 31 December 2026.
Applications use two scoring systems. The General Points Test (GPT) is the choice for the vast majority of applicants. It scores across five dimensions — age, academic qualifications, work experience, language ability and family background — with a maximum of 245 points, and an application can be submitted with 80 points. A notable change in 2026 is that the Talent List has been expanded from the original 51 items to 60, adding shortage occupations such as ESG (environmental, social and governance) specialists, fintech compliance officers and cross-border dispute resolution lawyers, with applicants matching the list eligible for an additional 30 points.
The other system, the Achievement-based Points Test (APT), has an extremely high threshold and is suited to top-tier talent such as Olympic medallists and Nobel laureates, who receive the full 245 points in one go. For ordinary applicants, once the General Points Test score reaches above 110 and enters the selection pool, the probability of approval rises markedly. According to approval data published by the Immigration Department in the fourth quarter of 2025, applicants with these three characteristics — a master’s degree or above, more than five years’ work experience and an overseas study or work background — enjoyed the highest approval rates.
Top Talent Pass Scheme: The Fastest Elite Route
The Top Talent Pass Scheme is known for its efficient processing, with approvals possible in as little as 4 weeks in 2026. The scheme precisely targets two groups: high-income individuals and graduates of top institutions, and is divided into Categories A, B and C.
Category A is aimed at high earners with an annual income reaching HK$2.5 million, with no academic threshold. “Annual income” here refers to taxable income, including salaries, allowances, share options and company profits; investment income is not counted. In 2026, the Immigration Department has tightened its scrutiny of income proof materials, requiring tax clearance certificates issued by the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) and bank statements, with some applicants asked to supply employment contracts and social security contribution records.
Categories B and C target graduates of eligible universities. The list updated in January 2026 has expanded to 199 institutions worldwide, with mainland universities rising to 22, including the newly added University of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Beihang University. Category B requires at least 3 years’ work experience within 5 years of graduation, while Category C is for those within 5 years of graduation with less than 3 years’ experience, but is subject to an upper limit of 10,000 places per year. Note that Category C applications do not apply to non-local graduates of Hong Kong’s local universities; such individuals should apply through the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG).
The biggest limitation of the Top Talent Pass Scheme lies in renewal. The initial approval grants a 24-month stay; at renewal, the applicant must already be employed or have started a business in Hong Kong, and the salary must reach market level. In 2025, the first batch of TTPS visa holders entered the renewal period, and the Immigration Department made clear that nominal links to shell companies or fake self-employment will be rejected and recorded in the integrity file.
Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals: The Secure Route with Employer Sponsorship
The Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals (ASMTP) is essentially a work visa, with the core prerequisite being a formal job offer from a Hong Kong company. Unlike QMAS and TTPS, this scheme has no points threshold and no eligible-institution list restriction; the key lies in employer credentials and role suitability.
The employer must prove to the Immigration Department that the role cannot be readily filled by a suitable local candidate. In 2026’s assessment practice, the Immigration Department focuses on three aspects: the genuineness of the company’s operations, requiring office lease agreements, employees’ Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) contribution records, business contracts and audit reports; the reasonableness of remuneration — generally no less than HK$25,000 per month, with the finance and technology sectors typically requiring above HK$40,000; and the relevance of the applicant’s qualifications to the role, with cross-industry applications almost impossible to approve.
The distinctive advantage of the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals lies in its stability. Upon approval, a 36-month stay is usually granted, with a renewal pattern of 3+3+2 years, and the path to applying for permanent residency after 7 years is clear and well defined. Spouses and children under 18 may accompany the applicant, and the spouse may work freely in Hong Kong. The scheme’s drawback, however, is being closely tied to the employer; changing jobs requires a fresh application, and the visa becomes invalid immediately upon leaving the job.
A Side-by-Side Comparison of the Three Schemes and Selection Strategy
In terms of processing time, the Top Talent Pass Scheme is the fastest, with approval in around 1 month where documents are complete; the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals usually takes 4 to 6 weeks; and QMAS has the longest selection process, with an average wait of 6 to 9 months, and some cases during the 2025 peak exceeding even 12 months.
In terms of renewal difficulty, QMAS is the most lenient, requiring only proof of ordinary ties with Hong Kong, such as renting in Hong Kong, children studying in Hong Kong and regular return records; the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals comes next, requiring the employment relationship to be maintained at renewal; and the Top Talent Pass Scheme is the strictest, demanding actual work or business operations in Hong Kong.
In terms of entry thresholds, the Top Talent Pass Scheme is the most rigid — either high income or a prestigious-school background, with no middle ground; QMAS offers the greatest flexibility, allowing scores to be raised through a multi-dimensional combination; and the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals hinges on the employer, with finding a qualifying Hong Kong company being the key.
For applicants with an annual salary of HK$2.5 million, Category A of the Top Talent Pass Scheme is undoubtedly the optimal choice — fast and with no restriction on academic background. Those who are graduates of prestigious universities with substantial work experience can apply simultaneously to Category B of the Top Talent Pass Scheme and QMAS, using the former as the fast track and the latter as a fallback. Applicants who have already secured a job in Hong Kong will find the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals the most certain. For freelancers, entrepreneurs or those wishing to keep their mainland job, QMAS is almost the only option.
Practical Points for 2026 Applications
During document preparation, all mainland certificates must be provided as notarised documents or certified true copies, including degree certificates, marriage certificates and birth certificates. In 2026, the Immigration Department has fully rolled out electronic applications: QMAS and TTPS are submitted via the GovHK one-stop portal website, while the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals is submitted by the employer on the applicant’s behalf.
The plan for coming to Hong Kong is the centrepiece document of a QMAS application. For 2026, it is advisable to build the narrative around how your professional expertise can fill Hong Kong’s industry gaps, drawing on the shortage occupations in the Talent List and spelling out your development path and expected contribution after arrival. Empty statements such as “contributing to Hong Kong’s economic development” no longer impress the Selection Committee.
Renewal planning should be front-loaded. TTPS applicants should immediately set about arranging employment in Hong Kong after approval, while QMAS applicants need to build up a continuous record of ties with Hong Kong, including bank statements, utility bills, insurance policies and children’s school enrolment proofs. The Immigration Department stated clearly in 2025 that cases of prolonged absence from Hong Kong without reasonable explanation will no longer be renewed.
References
- Hong Kong Immigration Department website — Quality Migrant Admission Scheme Application Guidance (January 2026 revision)
- Hong Kong Immigration Department website — Top Talent Pass Scheme Eligible Universities List (January 2026 update)
- HKSAR Government Press Releases — Talent Policy sections of the 2025 Policy Address
- QS World University Rankings 2026 — reference ranking basis for eligible institutions
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I keep my mainland household registration after being approved under QMAS? A: Yes. QMAS grants Hong Kong resident status, and there is no need to cancel your mainland household registration; holding a Hong Kong identity card and mainland household registration can coexist. Only when applying for a Hong Kong SAR passport or a Home Return Permit is cancellation of mainland household registration required.
Q: How is the HK$2.5 million annual income for Category A of TTPS calculated? A: It is based on taxable income over the 12 months preceding the application, including wages, bonuses, commissions and gains from exercising share options. Company shareholders may submit audited proof of company profit distribution. Passive income such as investment returns and rental income from property is not counted.
Q: Can I work in the mainland at the same time while my ASMTP application is being processed? A: After the ASMTP visa is approved, the applicant must work full-time in Hong Kong and, in principle, should not retain a full-time employment relationship in the mainland. If the employer permits remote working, the special nature of the work arrangement must be clearly stated at the time of application.