Hong Kong rolls out Fast-track Visas to hire overseas IT workers

Hong Kong will roll out Fast-track Visas that will ease hiring of Overseas IT Workers. The firms in Hong Kong at the 2 major Tech parks will be able to hire them within 4 weeks. This will be made possible through the latest immigration initiative that will offer Fast-track Visas.

 

Technology Talent Admission Scheme is a 3-year pilot program that commences from June 2018. 700 plus firms at the Cyber port in Pok Fu Lam and Sha Tin Science and Technology Parks will benefit from this initiative. In the first 12 months of the program around 1,000 Overseas IT Workers will be welcomed at Hong Kong, as quoted by the SCMP.

 

The freshly recruited overseas workers must belong to 7 areas: Material Science, Financial Technologies, Data Analytics, Robotics, Cyber Security, Artificial Intelligence, and Biotechnology.

 

Nicholas Yang Wei-Hsiung Innovation and Technology Secretary said that it is hoped that the Fast-track Visas will facilitate the industry to recruit talents. This is more relevant in the severe international competition, he added.

 

Yang said that scarcity of IT workers is a global issue and not confined to Hong Kong alone. We are trying to cope up with the supposed talent leader, he added. Diverse firms in Cyber port and Science Park have said that more numbers of Overseas IT Workers are needed, added the Secretary.

 

The firms intending to avail the Fast-track Visas will have to first submit an application to the Commission for Technology and Innovation. They must explain as to why the required workers are scarce and not available in the local market. 2 weeks will be taken by the commission to review the application. Further 2 weeks will be taken by the firm to apply for the Work Visa to the Immigration Department.

 

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