The 2026 Policy Address also brought good news for alumni of Hong Kong universities’ Greater Bay Area (GBA) branch campuses. The government confirmed that the pilot arrangement allowing these graduates to work in Hong Kong under the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG) will be prolonged for another two years. Since its launch in 2024, the pilot has issued more than 3,600 IANG visas, feeding engineers, biotech researchers and fintech specialists into the local talent pool. Extension of the scheme means students who complete degrees at campuses in Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Zhuhai through 2028 can still obtain a one-year, unconditional stay in Hong Kong with the option to convert to employment visas once they secure a job offer. Corporate relocation teams welcome the certainty. Tech start-ups in Cyberport and science-park tenants rely heavily on these bilingual graduates, many of whom already hold internships with Hong Kong entities during their studies. Without the extension, the last eligible cohort would have exited the pipeline in mid-2026, creating a skills cliff-edge for employers battling regional competition from Shenzhen and Singapore. Practically, HR managers should review onboarding calendars and flag visa-renewal deadlines. Graduates already in Hong Kong can continue to accrue residence towards right-of-abode, while new applicants must demonstrate completion of a GBA-campus degree but are exempt from salary thresholds. Immigration advisers expect e-applications to reopen on 1 October after the Immigration Department updates its online forms.
Source: news.gov.hk
