HK will accept 60% of talent applicants: John Lee
Chief Executive John Lee on Tuesday said the government will approve around 60 percent of applications from people seeking to move to Hong Kong under various talent schemes. Speaking to reporters before the weekly Executive Council meeting, Lee said an analysis will be conducted in the future to determine the areas of talent the applicants fall into. On Monday, Lee said there have been more than 100,000 applications during the first six months of the year for various schemes to attract non-Hong Kong talent. At Tuesday's media briefing, he said he has repeatedly pointed out that Hong Kong has lost more than 200,000 residents in the past three years, and even though this is a natural phenomenon and other people have moved in, it has left the territory with a shortage of talented people. He added that the schemes are designed to increase the SAR's international competitiveness. "Every city and country is fighting for talent, and some of them are actually launching some very attractive talent admission schemes," he said. The chief executive also said the government will continue to look at ways to attract talent, to develop Hong Kong's strengths.