Hong Kong Talent List 2027: All 60 Professions & QMAS Rules

The Hong Kong Talent List currently has 60 professions in 9 industry segments, in force since 1 March 2025, when nine professions including accountants and systems architects were added. If your job is on the list, a Hong Kong employer hiring you on a GEP visa does not have to prove it could not find a local candidate. Under QMAS, Talent List applicants no longer get 30 bonus points: since the 1 November 2024 revamp they are "favourably considered" under the General Points Test, which has a pass mark of 6 out of 12. The list does not apply to the Top Talent Pass Scheme.

This guide lists all 60 professions by segment, the requirements for the roles English speakers most often ask about, and exactly how the list helps under GEP and QMAS. For every visa route, see our complete guide to Hong Kong work visas.

What Is the Hong Kong Talent List?

The Talent List is the government's official list of professions where Hong Kong is short of people and wants to bring in experienced talent from outside. It is not a visa. It is a set of profession definitions, each with requirements on degree, experience and sometimes registration, that make other visa applications easier.

It started small. The first list in 2018 had 11 professions, a 2021 review took it to 13, and on 16 May 2023 it grew to 51. The 2025 review added nine more, bringing it to 60. As at a LegCo reply on 25 March 2026, it was still 60.

The government picks professions by asking whether local talent is readily available and whether local training can meet demand in time, with reference to the 2023 Manpower Projection and its "eight centres" strategy. That is why the list leans heavily towards finance, healthcare, construction and tech.

A word of warning: much of what ranks on Google is out of date. Several pages still say 11 or 51 professions, and many repeat the "30 bonus points" line. Even the Immigration Department's own introduction page still refers to 13 shortage professions. Go by the official talentlist.gov.hk site, which says 60.

If you are looking for an English-speaking job in Hong Kong, check out ExpatJobBoard.com. We list thousands of jobs that don't require Cantonese or Mandarin, many of them in Talent List fields such as finance, tech and engineering.

The Full Hong Kong Talent List: All 60 Professions

Here is every profession on the current list, grouped by the nine official segments. Professions marked "2025" were added in the latest review. Each profession has its own detailed requirements page on talentlist.gov.hk, and the names below are as they appear on the segment pages.

Financial Services (9 professions)

Sources: Talent List, Financial Services segment; 2025 expansion announcement.

Innovation and Technology (8 professions)

Sources: Talent List, Innovation and Technology segment; 2025 expansion announcement.

Healthcare Services (13 professions)

Sources: Talent List, Healthcare Services segment.

Development and Construction (11 professions)

Sources: Talent List, Development and Construction segment.

Creative Industries, Arts and Culture, Performing Arts (8 professions)

Sources: Talent List, Creative Industries, Arts and Culture, Performing Arts segment.

Aviation and Shipping (6 professions)

Sources: Talent List, Aviation and Shipping segment; 2025 expansion announcement.

Legal and Dispute Resolution Services (3 professions)

Sources: Talent List, Legal and Dispute Resolution Services segment.

Business Support and Environmental Technology Services (1 profession each)

Sources: Talent List, Business Support segment; Environmental Technology Services segment.

That is 9 + 8 + 13 + 11 + 8 + 6 + 3 + 1 + 1 = 60, matching the official count. Tip: some profession pages on the official site show the wrong heading, so check the body text matches your job.

What Changed in 2025, and Will AI Jobs Be Added?

The 2025 review added nine professions with effect from 1 March 2025: accountants, financial professionals with Islamic market experience, experienced professionals in commodities trading, experienced systems architects, patent professionals, legal knowledge engineers, ship surveyors, professionals in green shipping and aircraft maintenance engineers. The announcements mention only additions, and the count went from 51 to exactly 60, so nothing appears to have been removed.

There is no fixed review cycle. Reviews have taken place in 2021, 2023 and 2025, and in a June 2026 LegCo reply the government said it would review the list "in a timely manner". A mid-term update of the Manpower Projection is expected in Q4 2026, and that projection feeds the reviews.

On AI: according to Human Resources Online and Vialto Partners, the 2026 Policy Address on 16 September 2026 said the government will consider adding more AI-application talent categories to the list. These are secondary reports; we have not checked the wording against the official Policy Address text, and as of October 2026 no new professions have been added. "Experienced AI specialists" is already on the list today.

Which Talent List Professions Suit English-Speaking Professionals?

Most of them. Of the requirements pages we checked, only asset and wealth management mentions language (English and/or Mandarin). In practice, the most realistic fits for our readers are the professions where English is the working language and Hong Kong registration is not needed:

• Tech: software, cloud, data science, cyber security, AI and systems architecture. See our guide to software engineer jobs in Hong Kong.
• Finance: asset and wealth management, compliance, fintech, actuaries, specialty insurance, ESG and commodities trading.
• Accounting: added in 2025, though you need a recognised qualification (see below). Our accounting jobs guide covers the market.
• Legal: dispute resolution and senior transactional lawyers, plus legal knowledge engineers.
• Shipping and aviation: naval architects, marine superintendents and the new green shipping roles.

Healthcare professions are on the list too, but doctors, nurses and other clinicians must also be registrable with the relevant Hong Kong board, which is a much bigger hurdle than the visa.

What Are the Talent List Requirements?

Each profession has its own requirements, usually a relevant degree plus a minimum number of years of experience. These are the rules for the roles we get asked about most.

Sources: Talent List profession pages for software specialists, AI specialists, data scientists, Fintech, asset and wealth management, accountants, digital marketing, legal professionals and doctors.

The bar is high for some roles. A software engineer with five years' experience does not meet the software specialist definition, which asks for at least six years within the last ten. The legal definition is aimed at senior specialists, with specialised areas including cyber security, data privacy, maritime law, green finance, blockchain and IP, as set out on the legal professionals page. Overseas lawyers should also read our guide to working as a foreign lawyer in Hong Kong.

How Does the Talent List Help With a GEP Work Visa?

This is where the list does the most work. Normally, a Hong Kong employer sponsoring you under the General Employment Policy (GEP) has to show the job could not readily be filled locally. Since 28 December 2022, employers filling a post on the Talent List are exempt from that market availability test. The same exemption applies under ASMTP, the scheme for Mainland Chinese professionals.

The Immigration Department's facilitation measures page says the exemption covers either a Talent List post or a job with an annual package of HK$2 million or more, including fringe benefits such as housing. It also says supporting documents may still be requested case by case.

What the list does not do: it does not replace the job offer, the salary at market rate or the other GEP conditions. You still need an employer, and the employer still sponsors you. Our GEP visa guide walks through the full process.

My advice for job seekers: if your role is on the list, say so in your application and point the HR team to the profession page. Many smaller employers have never sponsored a visa, and that line persuades them.

Does the Talent List Still Give 30 Points for QMAS?

No. This is the most common myth online.

Before November 2024, QMAS applicants who met a Talent List profession's requirements received 30 bonus points under the General Points Test. That system ended when QMAS was revamped with effect from 1 November 2024. The test is now a checklist of 12 criteria across six aspects, and the prevailing pass mark is 6 out of 12.

Under the revamped scheme, applicants who meet the Talent List requirements are "favourably considered" under the General Points Test after assessment. There are no fixed bonus points any more. In the application form, you report "being engaged in a profession under the Talent List" in the accomplishments section, choose your profession from a drop-down, and attach proof, according to the QMAS Guidance Notes ID(E) 982.

The 12 criteria, from the current guidance notes, are:

1. Age 50 or under.
2. Master's or doctoral degree from an eligible university.
3. STEM degree.
4. Two languages.
5. English proficiency.
6. Five years' graduate or specialist experience.
7. Three years at a multinational or reputable enterprise.
8. Three years in innovation and technology, finance or international trade.
9. Two years' international work experience.
10. Annual income of HK$1 million or more.
11. Running a business with profit of HK$5 million or more.
12. Owning a listed company.

A Talent List profession helps, but you still need to tick six boxes. A 35-year-old software specialist with a master's from an eligible university, a STEM degree, strong English and a second language, plus eight years' experience at a multinational, gets there comfortably. Our full QMAS guide explains each criterion.

The big advantage of QMAS is that it is not tied to a job offer: you can come to Hong Kong first and look for work, and bring your dependants.

Does the Talent List Apply to the Top Talent Pass Scheme?

No. TTPS is not among the schemes the Talent List facilitates. The official facilitation page names only GEP, ASMTP and QMAS.

TTPS has its own simple criteria, set out by the Immigration Department: Category A for annual income of HK$2.5 million or more, Category B for a degree from an eligible university plus three years' experience in the past five, and Category C for recent graduates of eligible universities with under three years' experience, under an annual quota. If you hold a degree from one of the eligible universities, TTPS is often simpler than relying on the Talent List at all. See our TTPS guide.

Talent List, GEP, QMAS or TTPS: Which Route Is Right for You?

Sources: Talent List, Immigration facilitation; ImmD, Admission schemes for talents and professionals; ImmD, QMAS FAQ.

My rule of thumb: if you have an offer, GEP is the most predictable route and the Talent List makes it easier. If you don't, check TTPS first, then QMAS.

Under GEP, ASMTP and QMAS the usual stay pattern is 3+3+2 years, or 3+5 for top-tier talent with salaries tax income of HK$2 million or more. You can bring a spouse or civil partner and unmarried children under 18, and after seven years' continuous ordinary residence you can apply for permanent residence. Since 1 March 2026, eligible talent-scheme holders can apply to extend up to three months before their visa expires.

How Do You Prove You Meet the Talent List Requirements?

You prove it with documents, not with a job title. The Immigration Department assesses your qualifications and experience against the profession page, so make it easy for the officer.

1. Find the exact profession page on talentlist.gov.hk and print the requirements.
2. Degree certificates and transcripts showing a relevant subject.
3. Employer reference letters on letterhead, stating your job title, dates and duties. Make the duties match the profession's wording; "built and maintained cloud infrastructure on AWS" beats "IT work".
4. Professional qualifications or registration, such as an accounting body membership, a practising certificate or proof that you are registrable with a Hong Kong board.
5. Count your years carefully. For software specialists, only experience within the last ten years counts.
6. Flag it in the application. On QMAS, select the profession in the accomplishments section. On GEP, ask your employer to state in the submission that the post is a Talent List profession.

The talentlist.gov.hk facilitation page gives degree certificates and employer reference letters as examples of the proof needed.

How Many People Use the Talent List?

Fewer than you might think, at least directly. From 2018 to 31 May 2023, 364 applications under QMAS, GEP and ASMTP met the Talent List criteria and 361 were approved. We could not find a more recent official figure.

The talent schemes as a whole are much bigger. Across all seven schemes, the government reported nearly 600,000 applications and over 410,000 approvals in the three years to early 2026, with TTPS alone taking over 150,000 applications. Non-Mainland passport holders accounted for nearly 110,000 of the approvals.

FAQs: Hong Kong Talent List

How many professions are on the Hong Kong Talent List?

60 professions across 9 industry segments, according to the official Talent List site. The list grew from 51 to 60 on 1 March 2025. Pages quoting 11, 13 or 51 professions are out of date.

When was the Talent List last updated?

The last update took effect on 1 March 2025, after being announced on 18 February 2025. There is no fixed review cycle, and as of October 2026 no further changes have taken effect.

Is software engineering on the Hong Kong Talent List?

Yes, as "experienced software specialists". You need a relevant bachelor's or master's and at least six years' relevant experience within the ten years before you apply. Systems architects, cloud, data, AI and cyber security specialists are listed separately.

Are accountants on the Talent List?

Yes, since March 2025. You need a relevant degree, relevant experience in accounting and audit firms, and either HKICPA QP Associate Level completion or exemption, or a qualification from HKICPA, CICPA or a body with a reciprocal agreement with HKICPA.

Does the Talent List give 30 bonus points for QMAS?

Not any more. The 30 bonus points applied before the QMAS revamp of 1 November 2024. Now Talent List applicants are "favourably considered" under the General Points Test, which has a pass mark of 6 out of 12.

Do I need a job offer to use the Talent List?

Only for GEP and ASMTP, where the list helps your employer. Under QMAS you do not need a job offer, and the list counts in your favour in the points assessment.

Does my employer need to prove it could not hire locally?

Not if the post is a Talent List profession. Since 28 December 2022, these posts are exempt from the market availability test under GEP and ASMTP. The same applies to jobs paying HK$2 million or more a year.

Does the Talent List apply to TTPS?

No. The list only facilitates GEP, ASMTP and QMAS. TTPS uses its own income and eligible-university criteria.

Can overseas-qualified lawyers use the Talent List?

Yes, if they are senior. The legal professionals definition requires at least 8 years' post-qualification experience, a current practising certificate and at least 5 years in a specialised area such as cross-border M&A or data privacy.

Will AI jobs be added to the Talent List?

Possibly. Secondary sources including Vialto Partners report that the 2026 Policy Address said the government will consider adding more AI-application categories. Nothing has been added yet; experienced AI specialists are already listed.

Can I bring my family on a Talent List visa?

Yes. Under GEP, ASMTP and QMAS you can sponsor a spouse or civil partner and unmarried children under 18 as dependants.

Key Takeaways

• The Hong Kong Talent List has 60 professions in 9 segments, effective 1 March 2025.
• Nine professions were added in 2025, including accountants, systems architects and legal knowledge engineers.
• Employers hiring for a Talent List post under GEP or ASMTP have been exempt from the local recruitment test since 28 December 2022.
• The old 30 QMAS bonus points ended with the 1 November 2024 revamp; Talent List applicants are now "favourably considered" against a 6 out of 12 pass mark.
• The Talent List does not apply to the Top Talent Pass Scheme.
• Experienced software specialists need at least 6 years' experience in the last 10; AI specialists and data scientists need at least 4.
• Only 364 applications met Talent List criteria from 2018 to May 2023, against over 410,000 approvals across all talent schemes by early 2026.

Find a Talent List Job in Hong Kong

If your profession is on the list, an employer can sponsor your GEP visa without a local recruitment test. Browse English-speaking roles in finance, tech, engineering and healthcare on ExpatJobBoard.com.