Hong Kong’s labour chief has brushed aside concerns over the government’s new goal of retaining only 50,000 talent a year, stressing it has already been enhanced and authorities are confident in attaining it.
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Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han told lawmakers on Monday that the government did not intend to “babysit” talent but rather help them settle in Hong Kong by providing them with opportunities.
“Just like other major cities, talent flow in and out. If they can contribute to Hong Kong, they are welcome to stay,” Sun said in a Legislative Council panel on talent policies.
His remarks followed an inquiry from lawmaker and chairman of the Hong Kong Top Talent Services Association Jesse Shang Hailong, who asked if the low target reflected a reduced confidence in the city’s ability to retain talent as the figure was relatively small when compared with the number of applications.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced in his policy address earlier this month that the administration aimed to extend visas for at least 50,000 newcomers annually from 2025 to 2027.
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Official data showed that Hong Kong had approved close to 240,000 out of 380,000 visa applications under different talent schemes over the past two years.
In response, Sun said the new yearly target already represented a 40 per cent increase from the actual number of visas extended annually from the past years, showing the government’s commitment to retaining skilled professionals.