The Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Nicholas W Yang; the Permanent Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing; and the Commissioner for Innovation and Technology, Ms Annie Choi, held a standup media session today (May 8) on the Technology Talent Admission Scheme. Following is the transcript of remarks at the media session:

Reporter: How do you make sure that Mainland applicants will not be the main share who took part in the scheme? How do you make sure that overseas candidates will also be considered… Also, what is the main purpose of the scheme? Is it because there is a serious shortage of technology talents in Hong Kong?

Secretary for Innovation and Technology: First of all, I just said it to an earlier question is that the talent shortage is a global problem. It is not a Hong Kong unique problem. What we are doing is our share of trying to grab onto the so-called needed talents. The way we are doing it is really open and share. We are listening to different companies in Cyberport and also in Science Park. They actually tell us that these people are needed, these talents are needed. So what we will do is we will be depending on them to pick what is best for Hong Kong.

Reporter: But the Immigration Department is currently having at least five schemes to attract overseas talents. Why do you need this one to especially fill in I&T talents and what is the difference between the new one and the existing schemes?

Secretary for Innovation and Technology: Perhaps I will let the Permanent Secretary answer that.

Permanent Secretary for Innovation and Technology: Currently there are two schemes for admission of talents - actually personnel and not necessarily talents - from overseas places. One is called General Employment Policy. One is called ASMTP. Both are administered by the Immigration Department. The difference between these two schemes with the one that we are proposing is our Scheme is much more, as you said, focused. We are focusing on innovation and technology talents. If you look at the figures, those two schemes do not admit a large number of technology talents. The other thing is this scheme is actually built on the basis of those two schemes but with a fast track arrangement. Successful applicant companies and institutes would be given a certain quota of the number of talents that they can bring in. With this quota they can expeditiously proceed with their recruitment and also plan their business plan accordingly. These are the major differences.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

Ends/Tuesday, May 8, 2018
Issued at HKT 21:12

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