In his 2026 Policy Address delivered on 16 September, Chief Executive John Lee confirmed that the pilot arrangement allowing graduates from Hong Kong universities’ Greater Bay Area (GBA) branch campuses to remain in – or return to – Hong Kong for employment under the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG) will be renewed for a further two years. The scheme was first introduced in 2024 to make it easier for companies operating in Hong Kong to hire talent educated on satellite campuses in Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Zhuhai. Under the extension, eligible graduates can continue to obtain a 24-month stay on an unconditional and unrestricted basis, during which they may take up or change employment freely. Employers welcome the certainty: professional-services firms in Central say the pilot has already shaved at least two months off typical hiring lead-times for entry-level analysts who previously needed full employment visas. The decision comes as local businesses face structural labour shortages and as the government doubles down on its ambition to position the city as a regional talent hub. According to Immigration Department figures, more than 6 000 GBA-campus alumni have so far benefited from the pilot, with 41 % entering fintech, supply-chain management or advanced manufacturing roles. By lengthening the window, authorities hope to attract a further 8 000 graduates by 2028. For human-resource managers the practical implications are clear. Internship pipelines can now be designed around a predictable post-study pathway, while mobility teams no longer need to budget for separate employment-visa applications if contracts are signed within the two-year IANG period. Immigration lawyers nonetheless urge companies to keep onboarding files meticulous: although graduates enjoy visa-free work rights, they must still report job changes within 14 days and ensure that their travel documents remain valid for at least six months. In the longer term, policymakers will monitor retention outcomes to decide whether to fold the pilot permanently into Hong Kong’s main talent admission schemes. Should that happen, it would further integrate labour markets within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and cement Hong Kong’s role as the metropolis’ international business springboard.
Source: news.gov.hk
