Hong Kong talent schemes could add 1.2% to GDP annually: John Lee
Por Wynna Wong — South China Morning Post – News feed
Advertisement John Lee policy address 2026 Hong Kong Hong Kong Economy Hong Kong talent schemes could add 1.2% to GDP annually: John Lee
City leader also says more than half of arrivals are willing to stay past three-year mark
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Wynna Wong Published: 1:47pm, 18 Sep 2026 Updated: 2:32pm, 18 Sep 2026
Talent attracted to Hong Kong under various admission schemes could add about 1.2 per cent to the city’s gross domestic product (GDP) each year, the city leader has said, adding that more than half of those reaching the three-year mark are willing to stay.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Friday the government had attracted more than 300,000 people through its talent measures, with about 20 per cent from places outside mainland China.
“These talent will create an extra GDP of probably 1.2 per cent every year because they are very well qualified,” Lee told a phone-in radio programme, days after delivering his policy address and unveiling the city’s first five-year plan.
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