Hong Kong talent call for clearer visa extension rules, more job-matching services

Holders of Hong Kong talent visas have called for clearer renewal regulations and more job-matching services to help them extend their stay in the city after the government announced its goal of retaining 50,000 professionals a year.

High-flyers who relocated to Hong Kong through the Top Talent Pass Scheme also urged authorities to be lenient with applicants who had children studying in the city.

Cindy Xu, a finance professional who moved to Hong Kong as a top earner, told the Post that her family were determined to stay, including her son, a secondary school student who she said liked the city’s education system.

But Xu, who works for the Hong Kong branch of a Guangzhou-based firm, was unsure whether her visa renewal application could be approved, as the government did not provide precedents or clear criteria for renewal.

“I receive salaries from both the Guangzhou and Hong Kong sides. As a result, my Hong Kong pay is not very high. I am afraid this may lead to rejection,” she said.

“I hope the government can relax the visa renewal requirements for those who have already brought their children to study in Hong Kong.