HONG KONG – In a bid to address a growing shortage of local talent, the Hong Kong government is aggressively courting skilled workers from outside its borders, the Secretary for Welfare and Labour Chris Sun said on Sunday.
Speaking on a radio program, Sun acknowledged that the city currently produces only around 50,000 local graduates per year, a significant decline from decades past. Combined with the proliferation of career paths, this has left Hong Kong struggling to meet its talent demands.
“Over the years, Hong Kong has been attractive to talent, but the actual number of people coming here is quite low because our vetting process has been pretty strict,” Sun said. “However, as the economy tries to return to normal after the pandemic and with fewer young people around, we really need more highly qualified talent.”
To that end, the government has implemented the Top Talent Pass Scheme, which allows skilled applicants to obtain visas without first securing a job offer in the city. With no annual quota, the program has already facilitated the arrival of tens of thousands of workers.
Sun expressed confidence that Hong Kong’s high cost of living would serve as a natural filter, ensuring that only the most talented and capable individuals are able to thrive in the city.
“If someone can thrive here, they’re definitely talented. If they can’t make it, they’ll simply leave. It’s a natural process of elimination,” he said. “While talent chooses Hong Kong, we also choose them.”
The push to attract foreign talent comes as Hong Kong grapples with a demographic shift, with the city’s population of young people declining. Sun believes that by opening its doors to skilled workers from abroad, Hong Kong can maintain its position as a global hub for business and innovation.
“We really need more highly qualified talent,” he said. “That’s when I thought of asking for specific qualification requirements, leading to the Top Talent Pass Scheme.”
