The Democratic Alliance for Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) has proposed halving the annual Category C quota under the Top Talent Pass Scheme from 10,000 to 5,000 and redirecting the other 5,000 places to a new Category D route for workers linked to emerging industries. The party made the recommendations in its “Building Hong Kong as an International High-End Talent Hub: Proposal 2.0”, released on August 17, 2026. The proposals have not been confirmed as government policy.
The proposed Category D route would target people with skills connected to “new quality productive forces”. According to i-CABLE News, it could cover highly specialised professionals as well as skilled technical workers needed by newer industries, such as electric or new-energy vehicle repair workers. The supplied reports do not set out eligibility rules, application requirements or a timetable for implementation.
The DAB said Hong Kong’s approach to attracting talent should be driven more by industry needs than by admission numbers alone. It suggested that quotas could be allocated to sectors such as artificial intelligence to reduce the risk of people arriving with skills that do not match available jobs.
The party also proposed that the government review manpower shortages every six months, rather than every two years. It called for more admissions of non-local students and research postgraduate students. A Star Headline report described the proposal as increasing non-local university places to 50%, but the supplied report does not explain what the figure refers to or how the measure would be calculated.
RTHK reported that government talent schemes introduced since 2022 had attracted more than 300,000 professionals. More than half of those arriving through the Top Talent Pass Scheme had applied to extend their stay by the end of February, although the report did not specify the year associated with that date.
DAB representatives said some top talent had been unable to find suitable jobs after arriving in Hong Kong and had moved into other industries instead of remaining in their original fields. The party said a more industry-focused system could help address such mismatches.
DAB deputy chairman and talent-hub convener Chan Ho-yuen said Hong Kong should build a talent brand around “Hong Kong–Bay Area–new quality productive forces”, while promoting the city’s institutional advantages and role under the national 15th Five-Year Plan. The supplied reports do not say whether the government will adopt any of the proposals.