Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) 2026: Eligibility & Renewal

The Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) lets high earners and graduates of the world's top universities move to Hong Kong without a job offer. You qualify under Category A if you earned HK$2.5 million or more in the year before applying, Category B if you have a bachelor's degree from one of 200 eligible universities plus three years of work experience in the last five, or Category C if you graduated from one of those universities in the last five years with less than three years of experience (capped at 10,000 places a year). Processing normally takes four weeks. You get 36 months (Category A) or 24 months (B and C) with no employment condition. To renew, you must show a Hong Kong job with a stable income or a Hong Kong business.

The TTPS is now one of Hong Kong's most popular visas, with more than 120,000 applications approved since it launched in December 2022. This guide covers the eligibility rules in detail, the university list, fees, how renewals really work, and when another visa is the better bet. For the full picture of every route, see our complete guide to Hong Kong work visas.

What Is the Top Talent Pass Scheme?

The TTPS is a Hong Kong talent visa, launched on 28 December 2022, that admits people on the strength of their income or their university rather than a job offer. Once approved, you can live in Hong Kong, look for work, change jobs freely, or start a business, all without asking the Immigration Department (ImmD) for permission.

That freedom comes from the visa's condition. TTPS holders are granted stay on "time limitation only without other conditions of stay". In plain English: you have a date you must leave by, but nothing restricts what you do before then.

The catch comes at renewal. When your first visa ends, you need to prove you've built something in Hong Kong: a job with a stable income, or a real business.

ExpatJobBoard.com. We list thousands of Hong Kong jobs that don't require Cantonese or Mandarin.

TTPS Eligibility: Categories A, B and C

The TTPS is not open to nationals of Afghanistan, Cuba or North Korea. Overseas Chinese nationals with PRC passports can apply if they hold permanent residence overseas, or have lived overseas for at least a year and apply from overseas.

Category A: What Counts as HK$2.5 Million Income?

Category A is based on taxable employment or business income in the year immediately before your application, in Hong Kong dollars or the foreign currency equivalent. ImmD counts:

• Salary and allowances
• Stock options
• Profits from companies you own, as long as you held the shares throughout the relevant tax year

It does not count income from personal investments, such as returns on a share portfolio, rental income or capital gains.

You prove it with official tax documents: a salaries tax assessment from your tax authority, tax payment certificates, and employer documents showing the value of stock options. Business owners use their profits tax assessment and the company's audited accounts or tax return. If your income was high but poorly documented, fix the paperwork before you apply.

Category B: Degree Plus Three Years' Experience

You need a bachelor's degree (or equivalent) from a university on the aggregate list of eligible universities, plus at least three years of work experience accumulated in the five years before you apply. The experience must come from full-time employment or self-employment after graduation, so internships and part-time jobs during your studies don't count.

Category C: Recent Graduates and the 10,000 Quota

Category C covers graduates of eligible universities who finished in the last five years (counted by year of graduation) and have less than three years of experience. It's the only TTPS category with a cap: 10,000 places a year, allotted first come, first served.

One important exclusion: non-local students who earned their undergraduate degree in a full-time, locally accredited programme in Hong Kong can't use Category C. They should apply under the IANG visa instead, which has no quota.

Degrees That Don't Count

Even if your university is on the list, ImmD won't accept:

• Honorary degrees
• Qualifications from a university's continuing and professional education arm, extension school, branch school or subsidiary school
• Anything below the level of a Hong Kong bachelor's degree

The TTPS Eligible Universities List (2026)

The aggregate list of eligible universities is compiled by the Labour and Welfare Bureau and updated every year. The version that took effect on 1 January 2026 contains 200 universities and institutions, up from 199. It's built from:

• The top 100 in any of four world rankings over the past five years: Times Higher Education, QS, US News Best Global Universities and the Shanghai ARWU
• The top five specialised hospitality institutions in the QS "hospitality and leisure management" ranking
• The top five specialised art and design institutions in the QS "art and design" ranking
• The top 20 Mainland universities in the Shanghai Jiao Tong Best Chinese Universities Ranking

The list that counts is the one in force on your application date. Universities do drop off, so check the current list on the TTPS page or at hkengage.gov.hk rather than relying on an old blog post.

Degree Verification

Category B and C applicants must upload verification proof of their degree, issued either by a third-party credential verification organisation or by the university itself. ImmD lists accepted verification organisations on its TTPS page. Start this early, because some verification services take weeks. If you didn't provide verification on your first application, you'll be asked for it at your first renewal.

TTPS Documents Checklist

Dependants upload a photo, passport and proof of the relationship (marriage or birth certificate). Documents not in English or Chinese need a certified translation.

How to Apply for the TTPS: Step by Step

1. Pick your category. If you meet Category A or B, use it rather than C, since C has a quota.
2. Order your degree verification (Categories B and C) or gather your tax documents (Category A).
3. Apply online through GovHK and pay the HK$600 application fee for yourself and each dependant.
4. Wait about four weeks. ImmD may ask for more documents.
5. Pay the HK$1,300 visa issuance fee per person after approval and download your e-Visa.
6. Enter Hong Kong with your passport and e-Visa.
7. Register for a Hong Kong ID card within 30 days of arrival.

Applying From Another Hong Kong Visa: The Six-Month Rule

This is the rule that trips people up. If you are, or were in the last six months, in Hong Kong under any talent admission scheme (as the main applicant or as a dependant), you must meet both the TTPS entry criteria and the TTPS extension criteria. That means you already need a Hong Kong job with a stable income, or a Hong Kong business, when you apply. You also won't get the standard 24 or 36 month initial stay. The TTPS initial stay can only ever be granted once.

In short, you can't use the TTPS to buy time between jobs if you're already in Hong Kong on a talent visa.

TTPS Processing Time, Fees and Approval Rate

Processing time: ImmD normally takes four weeks once it has all required documents and the fee. Allow four to eight weeks in practice.

Fees: the TTPS is a "Specified Scheme", so since 26 February 2025 each applicant pays a HK$600 non-refundable application fee plus a HK$1,300 visa issuance fee for stays over 180 days. That's HK$1,900 per person, or HK$7,600 for a family of four. See the ImmD fee schedule.

Approval rate: in 2025, ImmD received 35,705 new TTPS applications and approved 31,508, according to its 2025 annual review. That's roughly 88%. In 2024 there were 51,223 applications and 41,057 approvals.

How Long Can You Stay on a TTPS Visa?

Extensions are granted for up to three years, or until your employment contract ends, whichever is shorter. Business owners get a length based on how the business is doing. There's no minimum number of days you must spend in Hong Kong during your first visa, but ImmD does consider how long you've actually been in Hong Kong when it assesses your renewal.

TTPS Renewal: How to Extend Your Stay

Renewal is the real test of the TTPS. You can apply from three months before your visa expires, and ImmD asks for applications at least six weeks before expiry. Routine renewals take about two to three weeks.

To be approved, you need to show one of two things.

1. A Hong Kong job with a stable income. The job should be at a level normally done by degree holders or qualified professionals, and the pay should be at market level. You'll upload:

• A supporting letter from your employer with your position, total monthly pay and period of employment
• Your employment contract (for a first renewal or a change of employer)
• Payslips or Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) contribution records
• Hong Kong tax documents, such as your salaries tax return
• Employer documents (business registration, financial proof) unless the employer is listed in Hong Kong or has sponsored a visa in the last 24 months

2. A Hong Kong business that is operating healthily. ImmD looks at turnover, financial resources, how much you've invested, local jobs created and the economic benefit to Hong Kong. Expect to show your business registration, proof of ownership, audited accounts or tax documents, an office lease, contracts or invoices, MPF records for local staff, and a letter setting out investment and hiring plans for the next three years.

Every TTPS renewal also needs Hong Kong Talent Engage's acknowledgement that you've completed the "Exclusive Survey for Top Talent Pass Holders". It's a small step, but a missing acknowledgement can hold up your file.

TTPS Renewal Approval Rate

In 2025, ImmD received 22,128 TTPS extension applications and approved 19,205, about 87%. Earlier government figures show that of the first 13,678 TTPS holders whose visas had expired by the end of July 2025, only about 54% applied to renew. Put simply, getting the TTPS is easy for those who qualify. Keeping it depends on what you do once you arrive.

What If I Don't Have a Job When My TTPS Expires?

Your renewal will very likely be refused, and a pending application doesn't let you stay past your expiry date. Unless ImmD approves otherwise in exceptional circumstances, you must leave Hong Kong before your limit of stay ends. Start your job search well before the last six months. If you'd rather line up a role now, browse English-speaking roles on ExpatJobBoard.com.

The Top-Tier Employment Stream

If you've been in Hong Kong under the TTPS for at least two years and had assessable income for salaries tax of at least HK$2 million in the previous year of assessment, you can apply for the top-tier stream. Approval normally gives you six years with no conditions, which is enough to take most people past the seven-year mark for permanent residency. Note the threshold is HK$2 million of Hong Kong assessable income, not the HK$2.5 million needed to enter under Category A.

Bringing Family on the TTPS

TTPS holders can sponsor a spouse, or a partner in a same-sex or opposite-sex civil partnership, civil union or same-sex marriage that is legally recognised where it was entered into, plus unmarried dependent children under 18. You need to show a genuine relationship and that you can support them well above subsistence level with suitable housing.

Dependants get the same limit of stay as you and can work or study in Hong Kong freely. Their visas depend on yours, so if your renewal fails, theirs does too.

TTPS vs QMAS vs GEP: Which Is Better?

Our verdict: if you qualify for the TTPS, it is the best way into Hong Kong for most professionals. It's faster and more predictable than the QMAS, and unlike the GEP visa it doesn't tie you to one employer. The QMAS only wins if you don't qualify for the TTPS, or if your profile is strong on points but your degree isn't from a listed university. If you already have a firm job offer and plan to stay with that employer, the GEP is just as good, and your employer handles the paperwork.

TTPS and Permanent Residency

Time on a TTPS visa counts toward the seven years of continuous ordinary residence needed for Hong Kong permanent residency. However, ImmD looks closely at whether you actually lived in Hong Kong and made it your permanent home. Long stretches abroad during your first visa can make the seven-year case harder. Read our Hong Kong permanent residency guide to see what evidence matters.

FAQs: Top Talent Pass Scheme

Do I need a job offer for the Top Talent Pass Scheme?

No. You apply based on your income (Category A) or your degree (Categories B and C). You only need a job or business when you renew.

What is the income requirement for TTPS Category A?

HK$2.5 million or more in taxable employment or business income in the year immediately before you apply, or the foreign currency equivalent. Investment income doesn't count.

How many universities are on the TTPS list?

200 universities and institutions on the list in force from 1 January 2026. It's updated every January, so check the version in force on your application date.

How long does the TTPS take to process?

ImmD's normal processing time is four weeks after receiving a complete application. Renewals usually take two to three weeks.

How much does the TTPS cost?

HK$1,900 per person: a HK$600 application fee plus a HK$1,300 visa issuance fee. Dependants pay the same.

Is there still a quota for TTPS Category C?

Yes. Category C has an annual quota of 10,000 places, allotted first come, first served. Categories A and B have no quota.

Can I bring my family on the TTPS?

Yes. Your spouse or recognised partner and unmarried children under 18 can join you, and your spouse can work in Hong Kong.

Can I start a business on a TTPS visa?

Yes. You can set up or join a business without approval. At renewal, you'll need to show it's operating healthily and contributing to Hong Kong's economy.

Do I have to live in Hong Kong while on the TTPS?

There's no minimum stay during your first visa, but ImmD considers how long you've spent in Hong Kong when you renew, and long absences can hurt a later permanent residency application.

What happens if my TTPS renewal is refused?

You'll need to leave Hong Kong before your current limit of stay ends. You can't get a fresh TTPS initial stay, but you can apply for another visa, such as a GEP visa if you have a job offer.

Can I apply for the TTPS twice?

The standard 24 or 36 month initial stay is only granted once. If you leave and your stay expires, you can only come back under the TTPS with a Hong Kong job or business already in place.

Does the TTPS lead to permanent residency?

Yes. Seven years of continuous ordinary residence, including time on the TTPS, allows you to apply for the right of abode.

Key Takeaways

• The TTPS lets high earners (HK$2.5m+) and graduates of 200 listed universities move to Hong Kong without a job offer.
• Category C (recent graduates) is capped at 10,000 places a year. Categories A and B are uncapped.
• Processing is about four weeks, and fees are HK$600 plus HK$1,300 per person.
• First visas last 36 months (A) or 24 months (B and C), with no restriction on jobs or business.
• Renewal requires a Hong Kong job with stable, market-level pay or a healthy Hong Kong business.
• If you're already on a talent visa, you can't use the TTPS to reset the clock.
• Two years plus HK$2 million in assessable income unlocks a six-year top-tier extension.

Line Up Your Hong Kong Job Before Renewal

The TTPS gets you into Hong Kong. A job keeps you there. ExpatJobBoard.com lists English-speaking jobs in Hong Kong that don't require Cantonese or Mandarin, so you can start building your renewal case from day one.