Three categories: you need to qualify under one of them
The Department frames the condition as follows: the applicant must meet the criteria of one of three categories — not all of them, any one.
Category A — income. At least HK$2.5 million, or the equivalent in foreign currency, earned during the year immediately preceding the date of application. Income means taxable income from employment or business: salary, allowances, options, and profit from the applicant’s own companies. For business income, the department requires that the applicant continuously held shares in the relevant company throughout the tax year before filing. Income from personal investments is not counted at all.
Category B — degree plus experience. A graduate of an eligible university with at least three years of work experience in the five years immediately preceding the application date.
Category C — recent degree. A graduate of an eligible university within the last five years with fewer than three years of experience. An annual quota applies here, allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. There is also a separate exception: Category C does not apply to international students who completed an accredited full-time bachelor’s programme in Hong Kong itself.
| Category | Condition | First term |
|---|---|---|
| A | income of at least HK$ 2.5 million over the past year | 36 months |
| B | degree from an eligible university + 3 years of experience within 5 years | 24 months |
| C | degree from an eligible university within 5 years, less than 3 years of experience | 24 months, quota of 10,000 |
What university qualifies
The list is maintained by the Bureau of Labor and Social Welfare and is compiled according to clear rules, not at the authority’s discretion.
It includes: the top 100 universities in four global rankings over the past five years — Times Higher Education, QS, U.S. News & World Report, and the Shanghai Ranking; the top five universities with dedicated hospitality programmes in the QS ranking for Hospitality & Leisure Management over the past five years; the top 20 universities in mainland China according to the Shanghai Ranking of Best Chinese Universities over the past five years; and the top five specialist institutions in the QS ranking for Art & Design over the past five years.
The qualification must be equivalent to a recognised Hong Kong bachelor’s degree standard. Honorary degrees are not accepted.
An important note on where exactly the degree was obtained: qualifications issued by continuing and professional education divisions, branch campuses, extension schools and affiliated schools of eligible universities are not accepted. The degree must be from the university itself.
- Top 100 in four global rankings over the past five years
- Top 5 in hospitality in the QS ranking
- Top 20 mainland Chinese universities in the Shanghai Ranking
- Top 5 in art and design in the QS ranking
- The university itself only — not a branch campus, extension school, or continuing-education programme
What the permit gives you and for how long
Those admitted under category A receive an initial term of 36 months; those under categories B and C receive 24 months. In both cases the permit is issued solely on the basis of the term, with no additional conditions of stay.
That wording is the core value of this scheme. A standard Hong Kong work visa is tied to an employer: changing jobs means a new permit. Here there is no such tie — you can take a job, leave it, switch industries, or start your own business, and your status remains unchanged.
The first term is granted once only. The Department states this explicitly to prevent the scheme from being used more than once: if a person leaves and their permitted stay expires, they may return only through other schemes — not through the Top Talent Pass again.
Renewal: what you will need to prove
The extension application is submitted online within three months before the end of the period of stay.
You need to demonstrate one of two things: that you have taken up employment in Hong Kong with a stable income, or that you have established or joined a business in Hong Kong. An extension is granted for no more than three years — or until the end of the employment contract if that ends sooner.
If you are unemployed at the time of application, you will need a formal job offer at a level typically filled by degree holders or professionally qualified specialists, with market-rate compensation. Those who cannot demonstrate that they will continue working or running a business may be refused a further extension.
How the department assesses ’the level at which holders of a given degree are normally employed’ is described honestly: each case is considered on its merits, taking into account the skills and knowledge required for the role and the complexity of the duties.
- Filing — up to three months before expiry, online
- Evidence required: stable employment income or a business in Hong Kong
- Renewal duration — no more than three years or until the end of the contract
- No job — a formal offer at the appropriate level for degree holders
Upper stream: renewal for six years at once
A separate option becomes available to those who have already lived in Hong Kong under this scheme. Eligibility for assessment under the Top Talent stream requires two conditions to be met simultaneously: at least two years of residence under the Top Talent Pass, and a taxable income of no less than HK$2,000,000 in the preceding tax year.
Those who have passed the assessment are granted a renewal for six years — also solely on the basis of the term, with no additional conditions.
The practical value in relation to the right to permanent residence: the right to apply for it arises after seven years of ordinary residence. The 36-month-plus-six-year upper-stream scheme covers those seven years within a single renewal cycle, with no annual trips to the office.
| Upper-stream condition | Value |
|---|---|
| Residence under the scheme | at least 2 years |
| Taxable income for the previous tax year | at least 2,000,000 HK$ |
| Renewal duration | 6 years, based on length of stay alone |
Family
The applicant may bring a spouse and unmarried dependent children under 18. Registered partnerships are also recognised, provided they are formed under the applicable law of the place of registration, officially recognised there, confirmed by a written document from a competent authority, and entail a mutual commitment to a life together akin to marriage, exclusive and permanent.
Condition for the applicant: they must satisfy the Director of Immigration that they can support their dependants at a level noticeably above subsistence and provide them with suitable accommodation in Hong Kong.
You can apply together: a single online application allows up to eight accompanying dependants. You can also apply later — after the main application has been approved.
What often makes families choose this route: a dependant who is permitted to reside in Hong Kong is also permitted to work or study there.
- Spouse and unmarried children under 18
- Registered partnerships — provided the stated conditions are met
- Up to eight dependants in a single application
- Dependents are allowed to work and study
Top Talent Pass for Hong Kong: preparation and application
- Checking which of the three categories you qualify under — and whether you qualify at all
- Checking your university against the current consolidated list
- Preparing proof of income: tax notices, options, and company financial statements
- Calculating work experience over the five-year period according to the scheme’s rules
- Filing online together with accompanying family members
- Preparing for renewal: evidence of employment or business activity, and an assessment against the upper-stream criteria
A legal consultation — 100 $.Credited toward the full service fee if you continue with us.
During the consultation the lawyer reviews your situation based on your documents and provides filing route: which basis, what will be needed and in what order.
Government fees, notarisation, certified translations and apostille, where required, billed separately at actual cost — we will itemise them for your situation. Processing time depends on the authority and its workload, which is why we do not publish an average figure.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need an employer in Hong Kong to apply for the Top Talent Pass?
No. The scheme assesses the individual — their income or degree combined with experience. The permit is issued for a fixed term only, with no tie to an employer: you can work, change jobs, and start your own business freely.
What income counts under Category A?
At least HK$2.5 million in the year before filing — assessable income from employment or business: salary, allowances, options, profits from owned companies. Income from personal investments does not count.
Is my university on the list?
The list is maintained by the Bureau of Labor and Social Welfare and is built on rankings for the past five years, so it must be checked as of the date of application. Degrees from branch campuses, extension schools and continuing education programmes are not accepted, even if the university itself is on the list.
What is needed for renewal?
Apply within three months before expiry and demonstrate stable employment income or your own business in Hong Kong. Extensions are granted for no more than three years or until the end of the contract. After two years under the scheme with income of HKD 2 million or more in the previous tax year, you may request assessment under the top tier — which grants a six-year extension.
Can you reapply if you left and your status has expired?
No. The initial period under this scheme is granted only once. You may return only through other immigration routes.
Verified September 6, 2026. The thresholds and amounts are tied to indicators that are reviewed annually — check the official source for your country before filing.
Services and prices — openly, before any conversation
People usually add: hkid: appointment, biometrics, collection — 250 $ · complete set of initial documents — 590 $. Two or more services — 5% off each.
Prices are in US dollars and are all-inclusive — nothing is added on top. Hong Kong government fees are paid separately and directly to the authority: visa or extension — 230 HKD (approx. $30), initial HKID card — free. There is no VAT in Hong Kong.