Technology Talent Admission Scheme (TechTAS)
An employer-led visa for technology research and development staff, running against a quota held by the hiring company.
Two corrections matter. The 14 designated technology area restriction was lifted on 24 December 2025, and quota and visa applications can now run in parallel, so earlier guidance is out of date. And this is not a route for founders or the self-employed. You must be a full-time employee of the sponsor, doing principally technology R&D rather than product or support work.
Programme snapshot
| Item | Current rule |
|---|---|
| Main audience | Overseas and Mainland technology talent hired by a Hong Kong company doing technology R&D |
| Route family | skilled-work |
| Validity | Normally 24 months, linked to the quota and the contract |
| Stay per entry | Tied to the sponsoring company and its quota |
| Threshold | No fixed salary, but pay at market level, plus a STEM degree from a top 100 university, 2026 |
| Renewal | Extension under the employment arrangement. Top-tier stream after 2 years at HK$2,000,000 assessable income |
| Settlement | Switch required |
| PR clock | 7 years of continuous ordinary residence |
| Citizenship clock | None |
| Family | Yes, dependants admitted under the prevailing dependant policy |
| Local employment | Sponsor only, and the sponsor must hold an unused quota |
| Tax headline | Territorial salaries tax, progressive to 17% |
| Processing | About 2 weeks for the visa once documents are complete |
The degree test
The degree must be in a STEM subject and from the top 100 of QS, THE, ARWU or US News. Master’s and doctoral holders need no work experience. Bachelor’s holders need at least one year in the relevant technology area. This is stricter and simpler than the Top Talent Pass list: one ranking family, one subject requirement, no regional carve-outs.
Application flow
- Confirm the employer holds, or can obtain, an unused TechTAS quota.
- Check that the role is principally technology R&D, not product, teaching or support work.
- Verify the degree against the top 100 of QS, THE, ARWU or US News.
- The employer files the quota justification and the visa, which can now run in parallel.
- Immigration issues the visa within about 2 weeks of complete documents.
- Extend through the employment arrangement, or move to the top-tier stream after two years at HK$2,000,000.
Good fit
An R&D engineer or scientist hired by a Hong Kong technology company, a science park tenant or a Cyberport start-up. It is also the fastest option for anyone with a genuine offer, because the two week turnaround is unmatched.
Poor fit
A software engineer doing product work rather than research and development. Anyone whose employer is not an R&D company, or holds no quota and cannot justify one. Founders, who have no route here.
Watchpoints
- The quota is the gate, not your CV. Quotas are held per company, justified by business volume and genuine recruitment difficulty, and unused quotas can be withdrawn. Ask before accepting a start date.
- The role must be principally R&D. Teaching staff, product managers and support functions fall outside scope even at a technology company.
- The degree test is narrow. STEM subject plus top 100 of one of four rankings. A strong candidate in a non-STEM subject fails.
- Guidance before December 2025 is stale. The 14 designated technology areas no longer restrict eligibility, and parallel filing is allowed.
- It is not a founder route. TechTAS requires full-time employment with the sponsor, with no self-sponsorship variant.
- Two years is not settlement. The permit is short and the seven year clock still has to be served, usually by extending or switching route.
Sources
- Innovation and Technology Commission, TechTAS FAQ, checked 2026-10-22
- Immigration Department, Technology Talent Admission Scheme, checked 2026-10-22