Q5 Preventing abuse of the talent admission schemes
Mr Chan Chun-ying: Thank you, President. I fully agree with Secretary SUN’s earlier remarks that the various talent schemes’ role in stimulating the local economy and enhancing the quality of the workforce should be fully acknowledged. However, regarding how data on these talents is collected, as mentioned in the main reply and asked by colleagues, the Secretary stated that this occurs during visa renewal, meaning a frequency of at least once every two years. My question is, since everyone is so concerned about how well these talents settle in Hong Kong, for example with regard to changes involving their children, would the Bureau consider adjusting this frequency slightly? For instance, could they be required to complete an annual questionnaire providing sufficient information for us to assess their situation after arriving in Hong Kong, including the number of children or housing needs, so that we can make appropriate welfare, housing and other arrangements? Thank you.
Secretary for Labour and Welfare: I thank the Member for his supplementary question, which is also a suggestion. I think it’s a very good idea. Currently, the easiest time for us to obtain data is when they come for visa renewal. But beyond that, we are actively considering whether there are other methods to gather more information, such as avenues beyond renewals. The Honourable Member is correct. Taking TTPS as an example, the renewal rate is currently 55%. While we are concerned about those who apply for renewal, we are equally concerned about the remaining 45% who do not. We need to find ways to understand their situations better. Therefore, in addition to renewals, we are internally exploring what other avenues and touchpoints we could use to engage with them and gather faster, more up-to-date and more comprehensive information. We will work in this direction. Thank you, President.