Australian talent scheme lures 1,339 Hong Kong residents over 4 years with tech sector workers securing most visas

Figures obtained by the Post show that from November 2019 to last October, 2,866 applications by Hong Kong residents were received and 1,339 approved

Human resources expert says a ‘huge talent shortage’ exists in certain sectors in Hong Kong because of emigration

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Some Hongkongers have set their sights on Australia, but the number of spaces on the country’s top talent scheme have fallen in recent years, Photo: AFP

Published: 8:30am, 2 Jan 2024

Australia has accepted more than 1,300 Hongkongers in four years via a talent scheme that offers fast-track permanent residency, with most of the workers from the digital technology sector, data from the country’s Department of Home Affairs shows.

A man who moved there under the scheme said most professionals earned less than in Hong Kong partly because of higher taxes but they could also enjoy more benefits especially for their children, such as paying local universities fees.

A human resources expert said a “huge talent shortage” existed in cybersecurity, technology risk, artificial intelligence and research and development in the chip business in Hong Kong because of emigration, while various firms were paying top dollar for such candidates in the market.

Stephen Cheung and his wife in Melbourne. The couple are part of an outflow of Hong Kong talent to Australia. Photo: Handout

The Australian global talent programme, which began in 2019, offers successful applicants instant permanent residence, and is for highly skilled individuals earning at least A$167,500 (US$114,500) annually in designated fields.

Stephen Cheung Yu-yuk, 51, a general manager of a software house in Hong Kong, applied in October 2020 because of discontentment with local politics and was approved in four months. He eventually landed in Australia in September 2022 following preparations and pandemic lockdowns.

“At the time, I wanted to migrate to other countries and looked to see where I could go. But I was too old for various migration programmes as I was over 45,” he said.

“There was a slim chance I would succeed. But this programme has no age requirement.”