A new visa intended to attract international talent to participate in short-term training programmes in Hong Kong could become available as early as the first quarter of next year, the South China Morning Post has learned.
The final policy address of Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s current term also put the spotlight on five existing or soon-to-launch academies that would seek to train overseas professionals and organise international events.
They and the new visa category were among a spate of talent-trawling measures unveiled on Wednesday, with the latter allowing non-locals to take part in government-recognised training programmes lasting less than 12 months.
“It will advance Hong Kong’s development into a regional training hub,” an insider said.
The government source said various public and private bodies had set up other training academies in recent years, including the MTR Corporation, the Airport Authority and Cathay Pacific Airways.
The insider noted the city lacked a suitable visa category for those who wished to attend short-term training in Hong Kong, limiting their chances of receiving training in the city.
Further details about the new visas are expected to be announced by the end of this year.
The source said applications could open as soon as the first quarter of 2027.
She added that anyone holding the new visas would be prohibited from working part time during their stay, except for internships provided by the programmes, and could not remain in the city after completing their training.
“If they engage in part-time jobs, they will become illegal workers,” she said, adding that the government would conduct checks to prevent employers exploiting such visas to employ “cheap labour” through long-term bogus internships.
Another measure is the expansion of the Immigration Facilitation Scheme for Invited Persons to cover Central Asia and the Middle East, and allow all government bureaus and departments to issue invitations for guests to take part in activities in Hong Kong.
The scheme currently covers Asean member states, with just five government bureaus and departments allowed to send invites.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations comprises the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and East Timor.
The government source said the visa application process would be simplified and the invited visitors would be allowed to use e-channels to enter Hong Kong under the scheme.
The latest policy blueprint also includes plans to add more talent categories related to artificial intelligence (AI) to enrich the list of desired professionals, in addition to relaxing the extension of stay requirements under the Top Talent Pass Scheme for employees at technology start-ups.
Under the revised requirements, start-up talent will be exempt from submitting proof of company income when applying for a visa extension if their enterprise was supported by designated public sector organisations, as their business performance would be considered unstable during such early stages.
Lee also highlighted five established or planned academies for training international talent, namely the International Clinical Trial Academy, the Maritime Academy, the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy, the Hong Kong Intellectual Property Academy and the Hong Kong International Academy of Policing.
The Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trial Institute is set to establish the International Clinical Trial Academy next year, with plans to help train practitioners to meet global standards and potentially pave the way for smoother drug registrations in the future.
The government said it would promote the creation of the Maritime Academy in Hong Kong and support prominent industry institutions looking to establish a presence in the city to help train talent.
The policy address touched on the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy, which was established in 2024. The institution organises a wide variety of programmes, conducts research on cross-jurisdictional topics covering common law and other legal systems, and regularly holds international seminars.
The Hong Kong Intellectual Property Academy will launch in the fourth quarter of this year to provide more on-the-job training programmes that offer a higher level of recognition.
The academy will seek to raise the intellectual property literacy of practitioners in sectors such as technological innovation, cultural and creative, commerce and industry, and professional services.
The Hong Kong International Academy of Policing will be established in November, with plans for it to organise 20 global training programmes and forums by the end of next year. It will aim to train about 1,000 law enforcement officers every year, including around 200 from overseas.
The academy is expected to organise a police leadership forum called “ConvergeHK”, which will be held annually starting from 2027.
Organisers will invite police officials from Asean and Middle Eastern countries, as well as nations under the Belt and Road Initiative, to join the event, according to the policy address.
The blueprint called for a revamp of the website for the Education Bureau’s “Study in Hong Kong” campaign to help attract more high-calibre professionals to study in the city.
On top of the revamped website, the bureau is expected to launch the “Hong Kong: Your World-class Campus” promotion campaign and organise exhibitions in belt and road countries and other target locations.
The policy address also calls for a two-year extension of a pilot scheme allowing graduates from bay area campuses of Hong Kong universities to apply for visas under the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates policy.
The scheme allows such graduates to apply to work in Hong Kong.
Other measures include raising the annual quota for the Belt and Road Initiative Scholarship to 200 places, up from 150, from the next academic year.
Public universities plan to organise more than 160 recruitment activities in mainland China and overseas in the current school year as part of efforts to attract outstanding students from around the world. -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
