Hong Kong's 2026 Policy Address: four talent-visa measures, and what the New CIES page still says

What the Policy Address says about talent visas

Paragraph 152 of the 2026 Policy Address, under “Enhance Visa Arrangements for Talent”, lists four measures. The Government says it will:

1. Consider adding more AI-related talent categories to the Talent List. The list currently covers 60 professions where local talent is short, including finance, healthcare and I&T.
2. Relax TTPS extension-of-stay requirements for tech start-up talent. Proprietors of technology start-ups supported by designated public-sector organisations will no longer need to provide items such as proof of company income when they apply to extend their stay under the Top Talent Pass Scheme.
3. Expand the Immigration Facilitation Scheme for Invited Persons from ASEAN member states to countries and regions in Central Asia and the Middle East, and allow all bureaux and departments to issue invitations.
4. Introduce a new visa category for non-locals attending short-term training programmes recognised by bureaux and departments.

Paragraph 147 also extends for two years the pilot that includes graduates of Hong Kong universities’ Greater Bay Area campuses in the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates.

The address gives no start dates. Each measure takes effect only when the Immigration Department or the relevant bureau publishes the details.

What the New CIES page still says

The talent-visa section does not mention the New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme. On 21 October 2026 the ImmD New CIES page still sets out these points:

• Who may apply: foreign nationals; Chinese nationals who have obtained permanent resident status in a foreign country; Macao SAR residents; and Chinese residents of Taiwan. Nationals of Afghanistan, Cuba and the DPRK are excluded, and that list is reviewed from time to time.
• Thresholds: net assets of at least HK$30 million held throughout the six months before the net-asset application to InvestHK, and investment of at least HK$30 million in permissible investment assets.
• Other conditions: applicants must be 18 or over, have no adverse immigration record and be able to support themselves and their dependants without relying on the investment’s returns or on work in Hong Kong.

What this does not mean

The Policy Address measures are plans until they are published as rules. No application outcome is implied; the Director of Immigration decides each case. This piece is not legal, tax or immigration advice.