Talent policy defended

Wallis Wang

John Lee defended his talent policy, saying that encouraging people to work in the Greater Bay Area would not contradict with the government's goal of attracting and retaining talent in Hong Kong.

Speaking at a joint radio phone-in program yesterday, Lee said it was easy for people to travel between the Greater Bay Area and Hong Kong.

"We have a 'one-hour living circle' [in the Greater Bay Area] and the transport network in the mainland is effective" he said.

"Hongkongers are also used to constant cross-border travel and Hong Kong is a free and open city. If citizens believe [traveling between the GBA and the SAR] is better for them, we should encourage them to do so.

"Retaining talent and integration with the GBA are not contradictory to each other. We also encourage foreigners to stay in Hong Kong as the SAR is a cultural exchange center."

Lee also said doubling non-local admission quotas in public universities to 40 percent from 20 percent will not affect local students.

Building Hong Kong into an international education hub can also help local students broaden their horizons, he said.

Meanwhile, the government announced thgat full-time non-local postgraduate students will be temporarily allowed to take up part-time jobs starting Wednesday.

The arrangement will be implemented on a trial basis for two years.

Currently, non-local students who are permitted to come to Hong Kong to study postgraduate programs will be individually issued a "No Objection Letter" by the Immigration Department, allowing them to take up part-time employment on campus for not more than 20 hours per week as well as curriculum-related internships during semesters or summer jobs only.

"The trial arrangement will allow more room for these students to look for jobs during their studies to enhance their experience and understanding of working in Hong Kong and further increase their incentive to stay in Hong Kong for their development after graduation," a government spokesman said.

The Immigration Department will arrange briefing sessions for universities this week to introduce the new arrangement.

Students are not required to file applications for the new arrangement.

The list of eligible universities under the Top Talent Pass Scheme will also be expanded to add eight top institutions from November 1, bringing the tally to 184 institutions.

The eight include three mainland universities - Wuhan University, Xi'an Jiaotong University, and Harbin Institute of Technology - and the top five universities providing specialized hotel programs - EHL Hospitality Business School, Swiss Hotel Management School, Les Roches Global Hospitality Management Education, Glion Institute of Higher Education and Hotelschool The Hague.