TL;DR
The Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) was launched in December 2022, and by the end of 2025 had approved over 180,000 applications, making it the most popular talent admission scheme in Hong Kong’s history. It is divided into Categories A, B and C: Category A (annual income of HK$2.5 million or above), Category B (top 100 university graduate plus 3 years’ work experience) and Category C (top 100 university graduate with less than 3 years’ experience, annual quota of 10,000 people). Category C fills up quickly every year, so we recommend applying right at the start of the year. This article explains it all.
1. Basic Requirements for the Three Categories
Category A: High-Income Individuals
Requirement: Annual income in the full year preceding the application reached HK$2.5 million or above (approximately US$320,000)
- Income includes: salary, allowances, bonuses and gains from share options
- Not included: investment gains (trading of shares/funds), rental income and inheritance
- Documents required: tax returns, company confirmation letters and bank statements
- No academic qualification requirement, and no prior job offer needed
Suitable for: corporate executives, investment bankers, fund managers and entrepreneurs (company profit distributions count as income)
Category B: Top 100 University Graduate + Work Experience
Requirement: Bachelor’s degree awarded by an “eligible university” + at least 3 years of full-time work experience within the 5 years preceding the application
- “Eligible university”: refers to a university ranked among the global top 100 in any one of the QS, Times Higher Education, US News or Shanghai Ranking (ARWU) lists (around 180 institutions in total)
- Mainland universities include: Tsinghua University, Peking University, Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Zhejiang University, University of Science and Technology of China, Nanjing University, Sun Yat-sen University, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan University, among others
- Work experience is not restricted by industry or location
- No prior job offer needed
Category C: Top 100 University Graduate with Limited Work Experience
Requirement: Bachelor’s degree awarded by an “eligible university”, but with less than 3 years of full-time work experience within the 5 years preceding the application
- Annual quota of 10,000 people, on a first-come, first-served basis
- Not applicable to non-local graduates who studied full-time locally accredited programmes in Hong Kong and obtained a bachelor’s degree (such people should apply for the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG))
- The Category C quota for 2025 was filled in March, and we recommend applying immediately in January 2026
2. Application Timeline
- Preparing documents: 1-4 weeks (depending on how complete the documents are)
- Immigration Department approval: about 4 weeks (official target)
- Collecting visa/entry permit: 1 week
- Activating the visa upon arrival in Hong Kong: within 6 months of approval
- Applying for a Hong Kong identity card: within 30 days of arriving in Hong Kong
Total time required is about 6-8 weeks (from submitting the application to being able to work legally in Hong Kong).
Actual approval times vary from person to person: applicants with complete documents and a clear background can be approved in as little as 2 weeks; those requiring supplementary documents or with more complex backgrounds may take 8-12 weeks.
3. Common Reasons for Rejection
3.1 Common Issues with Category A
- Incorrect income calculation: counting investment income, or treating combined household income as personal income
- Unable to provide sufficient proof: those paid in cash or self-employed find it difficult to prove their income
- Income concentrated outside the 12 months preceding the application: for example, if you earned HK$3 million in 2024 but only HK$2 million in 2025, an application in 2026 would not meet the threshold
3.2 Common Issues with Categories B and C
- Misunderstanding of university rankings: the university must be ranked within the top 100 in the year you graduated with your bachelor’s degree, not ranked top 100 now
- Using only one ranking list: a university only needs to be within the top 100 of one of the lists — it does not need to be on all four
- Degree type does not match: only a bachelor’s degree is accepted; a master’s or doctoral degree does not count (unless your bachelor’s degree is also from a top 100 university)
- Insufficient proof of work experience: having only a reference letter but no employment contract, payslip, tax return or other supporting documents
3.3 Issues Common to All Categories
- Criminal record (the Immigration Department will require a declaration)
- False information (will lead to refusal of entry and legal liability)
- Incomplete document translation (non-Chinese/English documents must be accompanied by an official translation)
4. Visa Extension Requirements
The TTPS is first granted with a 2-year visa, after which it can be extended:
Extension Requirements
- You must already be employed (as an employee) or already have established a business (self-employed)
- Employees: the work undertaken must normally be a role that would be held by a degree holder, with remuneration and benefits reaching market level
- Self-employed persons: must prove the business is genuinely operating and contributing to the Hong Kong economy (turnover, hiring of local staff, etc.)
- Extension pattern: 2+3+3 years (i.e. first grant 2 years, first extension 3 years, second extension 3 years)
- Continuous ordinary residence for 7 years makes you eligible to apply for permanent resident status
Common Reasons for Failed Extensions
- Never came to Hong Kong after approval (treated as a waiver)
- The job held does not match the academic qualifications (e.g. a top 100 university graduate going to work as a waiter)
- Frequent job changes, or excessively long gaps in employment
- Remuneration clearly below market level
5. Arrangements for Spouse and Children
- Once the principal applicant is approved, their spouse and unmarried children under 18 may come to Hong Kong together as “dependants”
- The spouse may work freely in Hong Kong (no separate work visa application required)
- Children may enrol in Hong Kong schools (including government, aided, direct subsidy and private schools)
- The spouse’s and children’s permitted stay is tied to that of the principal applicant
6. FAQ
Q1: Can I apply for both the TTPS and the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS) at the same time? A1: Yes. The two schemes are assessed independently. If both are approved, you may choose either one.
Q2: Can I remain in Hong Kong after the TTPS is approved but before I find a job? A2: Yes. The initial two-year visa has no employment requirement. However, you must already be employed when you apply for an extension.
Q3: Can I change jobs while holding a TTPS visa? A3: Yes. The TTPS is not an employer-tied visa (unlike the General Employment Policy), so you can change jobs at any time without approval from the Immigration Department.
The information in this article is as of May 2026. Visa policies are subject to the latest announcements of the Immigration Department.