CY Leung raises concerns over HK's capacity to accommodate talent influx

Former Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying has renewed his scrutiny of the city's talent admission schemes, warning that existing infrastructure may struggle to accommodate the growing population of mainland-born residents and imported professionals.

In a social media post on Monday, the former Hong Kong leader cited education sector figures estimating that 200,000 "double non-permanent" children—those who were born to mainland parents in the city—have accumulated over the years.

He highlighted that many of these students, now turning 17, are returning to compete for just 15,000 local university spots as they prepare for Hong Kong's Diploma of Secondary Education examinations.

Leung argued that while his administration banned mainland women from giving birth in Hong Kong starting in 2013, he had “no solution” to potential problems, as the children were entitled to subsidised university places.

He criticized past governments for institutionalizing birth quotas for mainland mothers in public and private hospitals, which failed to address population aging but instead created "extreme uncertainty" in higher education capacity planning.

Drawing parallels to current talent admission programs, Leung noted that 220,000 applications have already been approved across various schemes.

He questioned whether the city could manage the potential arrival of accompanying family members, asking how Hong Kong would handle the resulting pressures on education, healthcare, and housing.

Leung described the "double non-permanent" situation as a cautionary tale for current migration policies, emphasizing the need for proactive planning rather than reactive measures.