Hong Kong
High-end Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) application qualifications, renewal requirements and updated list of eligible universities
In December 2022, the Hong Kong Immigration Department launched the High-end Talent Pass Scheme (Top Talent Pass Scheme, TTPS) to attract high-paying talents and high-end talents such as graduates from the world's top 100 universities to develop in Hong Kong. From the start of the Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) to the end of July 2025, a total of more than 140,000 applications were received, and more than 110,000 were approved. The approval rate is about 80%, and the number of high-end talents in Hong Kong has exceeded 90,000. Nearly 95% of Gao Caitong's approved applications are from the mainland, and the rest are from Canada, the United States, Australia, Singapore and other places.
Uni Immigration will explain to you the application qualifications, renewal requirements and list of eligible universities for the Talent Access Program.
*this planNot applicable toNationals of Afghanistan, Cuba, Laos, North Korea, Nepal and Vietnam.
Eligibility Categories for Application to the Highly Talented Program
If you have an annual salary of HKD 2.5 million in the past year, or have graduated from a top 100 university in the world and have more than three years of experience in the past five years, you will be issued a two- to three-year Hong Kong residence visa. There is no quota. If graduates from the top 100 universities in the world do not meet the three-year work experience requirement, the annual quota is 10,000.
Gao Caitong Category A application: There are no quotas and academic requirements for those whose annual income reaches HK$2.5 million or more (or equivalent in foreign currency) in the year immediately preceding application.
Category B application for Gao Caitong: Applicants who have obtained a bachelor's degree from an eligible university and have accumulated at least 3 years of work experience in the 5 years immediately before application. There are no quotas and income requirements.
Gao Caitong Category C applications: Those who have received a bachelor's degree from a top 100 university in the world within the 5 years immediately before application, but have less than 3 years of work experience, there is no income requirement; this type of application is subject to an annual quota (10,000) and is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Contact Uni Immigration's Hong Kong immigration consultants immediately to learn how to apply for the "Highly Talented Program" and handle related procedures to avoid being refused a Hong Kong visa.
List of universities eligible for the Talent Access Scheme
The 2024 Policy Address announced that the list of eligible universities for the Gao Caitong Program will increase by 13 universities from mainland China or overseas to 199. In addition to universities in mainland China, the list of these universities also includes universities in Australia, Canada, France, the United Kingdom, the United States, Japan, etc. Click here to view the complete list of eligible universities for the Talent Access Program.
On December 27, 2024, the Hong Kong Immigration Department updated the latest [List of Top 100 Qualified Colleges for High Talents]. The five new universities include the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, King Saud University, Cesar Ritz Colleges Switzerland and the University of Massachusetts.
The number of eligible mainland universities under the Talent Access Program has increased to 23! Currently, eligible universities in the mainland include: Tsinghua University, Peking University, Fudan University, Zhejiang University, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, University of Science and Technology of China, Sun Yat-sen University, Nanjing University, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan University, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Tongji University, Southeast University, Tianjin University, Beijing Institute of Technology, Nankai University, Beihang University, Central South University, Renmin University of China, Beijing Normal University, Sichuan University, and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences.
In addition, four universities will no longer meet the application qualifications for Category B and Category C of the Talent Access Program from January 1, 2025, namely the University of Paris-Sud (Paris 11), Ecole Normale Superieure-Paris, Radbound University and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Other application qualifications for the Talent Connect Program
- There are no security reasons for rejecting the application and the applicant does not have any known serious criminal record; and
- There are annual quotas available for allocation (only applicable to highly talented Category C applicants).
- Chinese citizens who hold a passport of the People's Republic of China and live overseas, if they meet the above application qualifications and general entry requirements, and meet the following conditions, can apply to come to the Hong Kong SAR for employment under the Talent Access Scheme:
- Applicants for the Talent Connect Program already have permanent resident status overseas; or
- The applicant has lived overseas for not less than one year immediately before the application ("overseas" refers to countries or regions other than Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR and Taiwan), and the application is submitted from overseas.
Gao Caitong Program renewal requirements and methods
People who are admitted to Hong Kong under the Talent Connect Scheme are generally allowed to stay in Hong Kong for 36 months (Type A applications) or 24 months (Type B and C applications) for the first time without being restricted by other conditions of stay. They can apply online to extend their stay within four weeks before the expiry of their stay. # Starting from November 1, 2024, the time for accepting applications for extension of stay under the High Talent Connect Scheme will be temporarily extended from 4 weeks before the expiration of the period of stay to 3 months.
When applying for renewal of the Highly Talented Program, there are certain requirements. The applicant must have been employed, and the job to which he is employed must be usually held by a degree holder or a person with good professional/technical qualifications, proven professional abilities and/or relevant experience and achievements with documented evidence, and the remuneration and benefits of the position must reach market levels. If the applicant has opened or participated in any business in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, he or she must produce supporting documents for his or her business; reasons for disapproval of the Gao Caitong application include incomplete information submitted, failure to submit supplementary information upon request, unstable income (such as a commission system), etc.
If the GTP Scheme renewal application is approved, the applicant will usually be allowed to extend his or her stay in Hong Kong on a 3-3 or 2-3 year basis without being subject to other conditions of stay.
Persons admitted to Hong Kong under the Talent Connect Scheme may apply for extension of stay under the top talent category if they meet the requirements set out above and the following conditions when applying for extension of stay:
- The applicant has been approved to stay in the Hong Kong SAR for not less than two years under the Talent Access Scheme; and
- The applicant's income assessable to salaries tax in the previous year of assessment amounts to HK$2 million or more.
Contact Uni Immigration's Hong Kong immigration consultant immediately to learn how to renew the "Highly Talented Program", which will make it easier to obtain the right of abode in the Hong Kong SAR and successfully immigrate to Hong Kong.
Gao Caitong plan approval time
The Immigration Department will start calculating the required documents and the relevant application fees. Generally,takes four weeksProcess applications related to the Talent Connect Scheme. The processing time is subject to the specific circumstances of individual applications and the number of applications received at that time.
Persons admitted to Hong Kong under the Talent Access Scheme may apply for the right of abode in the Hong Kong SAR in accordance with the law if they have ordinarily resided in the Hong Kong SAR for a continuous period of not less than seven years.
Documents required for the Highly Talented Program (main applicant)
- 3 recent color photos with white background (or digital photos);
- Valid travel document (passport or travel permit to and from Hong Kong and Macao);
- Copy of Chinese Resident ID Card (front and back);
- A copy of the full household registration book (if any);
- The front and back of the Hong Kong Resident Identity Card (if any);
- Certificate of no criminal record;
- Letter of consent to work in Hong Kong [only applicable to mainland residents];
- Copy of Macao Resident Identity Card (front and back) [only applicable to Macao residents];
- Copy of Taiwan household registration and Taiwan resident identity card (front and back) [applicable to Taiwan residents only];
- Proof of residence abroad (only applicable to Chinese citizens holding Chinese passports living overseas);
- Proof of income and tax payment in the last 12 months (applicable to Category A applicants);
- Proof of work experience (applicable to highly talented Category A and B applicants);
- Official academic transcript, graduation certificate or letter of certification issued by the degree-granting institution, certification document for bachelor's degree (applicable to Category B and C applicants);
Highly Talented Program Dependents
The main applicant for Gao Caitong can apply to bring his/her spouse and unmarried children under the age of 18 to reside in Hong Kong (there is no upper limit on the number of children). The period of stay of a dependent is generally linked to the period of stay of his/her sponsor (i.e. the main applicant). According to the current policy, dependents of Gao Caitong can study and work in Hong Kong without restrictions.
Documents required for Highly Talented Program (Dependents)
- 3 recent color photos with white background (or digital photos);
- Valid travel document (passport or travel permit to and from Hong Kong and Macao);
- Copy of Chinese Resident ID Card (front and back);
- Household register (if any);
- Marriage certificate and notarial marriage certificate (spouse);
- Birth certificate (for children under 18 years old);
- Notarized birth certificate (children under 18 years old);
- Certificate of no criminal record (under 16 years old is exempted);
- Copy of Macao Resident Identity Card (front and back) [only applicable to Macao residents];
- Copy of Taiwan household registration and Taiwan resident identity card (front and back) [applicable to Taiwan residents only].