Hong Kong · Talent schemes
Hong Kong Top Talent Pass
Income needed: HKD 2.5M+ a year ≈ $319k
Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Top Talent Pass is a talent schemes route for Hong Kong. Applicants need income of HKD 2.5M+ a year ≈ $319k. You can stay 3 yrs, renewable. You can work locally. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Money needed
- HKD 2.5M+ a year ≈ $319k
- Government fees
- HKD 600 ≈ $76 · HKD 1,300 ≈ $170
- Processing
- Up to 28 days
- First stay
- 3 yrs
Cost, time and long term
To apply: 2 government fees listed below; income to show HKD 2.5M+/yr ≈ $319k; decision: up to 28 days. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government feesHKD 600 ≈ $76 · HKD 1,300 ≈ $170
- HKD 600 (≈ $76)Non-refundable application fee, charged to the principal applicant and each dependant.
- HKD 1,300 (≈ $170)Visa issuance fee when the relevant period of stay is more than 180 days (HK$600 for 180 days or less).
Shown, not spentHKD 2.5M+/yr ≈ $319k
- HKD 2,500,000 a year (≈ $319,000)Category A: taxable employment or business income in the preceding year, including salary, allowances, stock options and profits of self-owned companies; personal investment income is excluded.
RenewalRenewable
The initial stay is granted once. Extensions are normally for up to 3 years, or until the Hong Kong employment contract ends if sooner.
Permanent residenceAfter 7 years of residence
After a continuous period of not less than 7 years of ordinary residence you may apply for the right of abode (permanent resident status), and you must take Hong Kong as your place of permanent residence. Time as a foreign domestic helper, an imported-labour contract worker or a refugee, or spent unlawfully or in breach of a condition of stay, does not count.
ProcessingUp to 28 days
Normally takes four weeks once all documents and the fee are received.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Not open to passports from Afghanistan, Cuba, North Korea
What you'll need
Who can apply5
- Category A: income of at least HKD 2.5 million (≈ $319,000) or foreign equivalent in the year before application.
- Category B: a bachelor's degree from an eligible university (top-100 in four world rankings) and at least 3 years of work experience in the past 5 years.
- Category C: a bachelor's degree from an eligible university within the past 5 years and less than 3 years of work experience.
- Category C is under an annual quota.
- Category C is not for non-local graduates of full-time Hong Kong undergraduate programmes.
What you must show2
- Category A income is taxable employment or business income, including salary, allowances, stock options and profits of self-owned companies.
- Personal investment income is excluded from the Category A test.
Steps1
- No job offer is needed at application.
After you arrive3
- The initial stay is granted once per applicant.
- An extension requires either employment in Hong Kong with a stable income or an operating business.
- After 2 years under the scheme and assessable salaries-tax income of HK$2 million or more, the top-tier employment stream gives a 6-year extension.
When you become tax resident
How Hong Kong decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
Up to 3 years at first, renewable
- Tax residence
- More than 60 days in a year of assessment (aggregated visits to Hong Kong)Non-Hong Kong employment: visits to Hong Kong totalling more than 60 days in the year of assessment make the pay for those services assessable on a days-in-days-out basis; any part of a day counts.
- Foreign-source income
Territorial
Hong Kong taxes under the territorial concept: salaries tax, property tax and profits tax apply to income arising in or derived from Hong Kong, whether the person is resident or not.
All tax rules for Hong Kong Tax records checked
Full official text
Talent entry pass allowing qualifying high-income earners and graduates of eligible universities to enter without a Hong Kong job offer. 1 2 3 4
What you must show and pay
- Income of at least HKD 2,500,000 a year (≈ $319,000) · Category A: taxable employment or business income in the preceding year, including salary, allowances, stock options and profits of self-owned companies; personal investment income is excluded. 1
- A fee of HKD 600 (≈ $76) · Non-refundable application fee, charged to the principal applicant and each dependant. 3
- A fee of HKD 1,300 (≈ $170) · Visa issuance fee when the relevant period of stay is more than 180 days (HK$600 for 180 days or less). 3
Requirements
- Category A: income of at least HKD 2.5 million (≈ $319,000) or foreign equivalent in the year before application. 1
- Category B: a bachelor's degree from an eligible university (top-100 in four world rankings) and at least 3 years of work experience in the past 5 years. 1
- Category C: a bachelor's degree from an eligible university within the past 5 years and less than 3 years of work experience. 1
- Category C is under an annual quota. 1
- Category C is not for non-local graduates of full-time Hong Kong undergraduate programmes. 1
- Category A income is taxable employment or business income, including salary, allowances, stock options and profits of self-owned companies. 1
- Personal investment income is excluded from the Category A test. 1
- No job offer is needed at application. 1
- The initial stay is granted once per applicant. 1
- An extension requires either employment in Hong Kong with a stable income or an operating business. 1
- After 2 years under the scheme and assessable salaries-tax income of HK$2 million or more, the top-tier employment stream gives a 6-year extension. 1
Stay
- Initial stay on time limitation only: 36 months for Category A, 24 months for Categories B and C; granted once. Extensions are normally up to 3 years, or 6 years under the top-tier employment stream.
- First stay: 24 to 36 months, decided case by case.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Nationality
Not open to nationals of Afghanistan, Cuba and North Korea. Not open to: Afghanistan, Cuba, North Korea.
Work
No other condition of stay initially; employment/business is allowed subject to immigration conditions and subsequent extension criteria.
Family
Spouse/recognized partner and unmarried children under 18 may qualify; dependants may work or study if admitted. Your spouse or partner may work in Hong Kong without a separate permit.
Official sources
- Top Talent Pass Scheme · Immigration Department, Hong Kong SAR Government · checked 2026-10-10
- Top Talent Pass Scheme FAQs · Immigration Department, Hong Kong SAR Government · checked 2026-10-10
- New Fee Structure for Visa Applications under Specified Schemes · Immigration Department, Hong Kong · checked 2026-10-11
- Guidebook for Entry for Residence as Dependants in Hong Kong, ID(E) 998 (04/2026) · Immigration Department, Hong Kong SAR · checked 2026-10-12 · published 2026-04-01
- The Position of Non-Chinese Citizens (right of abode) · Immigration Department, Hong Kong SAR Government · checked 2026-10-11
- Notes for Guidance: Application for a Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card · Immigration Department, Hong Kong SAR Government · checked 2026-10-11
Top Talent Pass and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top Talent Pass | Needs income of HKD 2.5M+ a year ≈ $319k | 3 yr, renewable | Yes |
| QMAS | Needs income from HKD 1M a year ≈ $127k | 3 yr, renewable | – |
| J-Find Japan | – | 2 yr | – |
| Golden Visa · Talent Indonesia | – | 5 yr, renewable | – |
| Blue Residence United Arab Emirates | – | 10 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Top Talent Pass?
Income of at least HKD 2,500,000 a year (≈ $319,000). Category A: taxable employment or business income in the preceding year, including salary, allowances, stock options and profits of self-owned companies; personal investment income is excluded. A fee of HKD 600 (≈ $76). Non-refundable application fee, charged to the principal applicant and each dependant. A fee of HKD 1,300 (≈ $170). Visa issuance fee when the relevant period of stay is more than 180 days (HK$600 for 180 days or less).
How long can I stay on the Top Talent Pass?
Initial stay on time limitation only: 36 months for Category A, 24 months for Categories B and C; granted once.
How long does the Top Talent Pass take to process?
Normally takes four weeks once all documents and the fee are received.
Can I work on the Top Talent Pass?
Yes. No other condition of stay initially; employment/business is allowed subject to immigration conditions and subsequent extension criteria.
Can I bring my family on the Top Talent Pass?
Spouse/recognized partner and unmarried children under 18 may qualify; dependants may work or study if admitted.
Who can apply for the Top Talent Pass?
Not open to nationals of Afghanistan, Cuba and North Korea. Not open to: Afghanistan, Cuba, North Korea.
Does the Top Talent Pass lead to permanent residence in Hong Kong?
Time on the Top Talent Pass counts toward permanent residence in Hong Kong, which the rules allow after 7 years of residence.
How are Top Talent Pass holders taxed in Hong Kong?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Top Talent Pass. The standard rules apply: Hong Kong taxes under the territorial concept: salaries tax, property tax and profits tax apply to income arising in or derived from Hong Kong, whether the person is resident or not. Income arising outside Hong Kong is not charged under those taxes; salaries tax follows where the employment services are rendered.
More in Hong Kong
Special talent visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 6 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Top Talent Pass Scheme · Immigration Department, Hong Kong SAR Government · checked 2026-10-10
- Top Talent Pass Scheme FAQs · Immigration Department, Hong Kong SAR Government · checked 2026-10-10
- New Fee Structure for Visa Applications under Specified Schemes · Immigration Department, Hong Kong · checked 2026-10-11
- Guidebook for Entry for Residence as Dependants in Hong Kong, ID(E) 998 (04/2026) · Immigration Department, Hong Kong SAR · checked 2026-10-12
- The Position of Non-Chinese Citizens (right of abode) · Immigration Department, Hong Kong SAR Government · checked 2026-10-11
- Notes for Guidance: Application for a Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card · Immigration Department, Hong Kong SAR Government · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.