HK to Relax Restrictions on Import of Inland TalentsHong Kong is prepared to renew implementation of the plan for the import of inland professionals, disclosed Tsang Yam-kuen (Donald Tsang), financial secretary of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), while reading out his 2001/02 Financial Budget Wednesday afternoon.The 2001/02 Financial Budget, the first budget of HKSAR in the new century, particularly includes the section "Introducing Professionals from Inland". Tsang noted that according to the latest HKSAR reckoning report on human resources, there would be 120,000 vacancies for highly-educated talents on the labor market in the next five years. To promote HK's economic development and guarantee sufficient human resources in the short-and medium-term, the HKSAR government plans to re-implement the "Program on Introducing Professionals from the Inland". The current "Program on Introducing Professionals from the Inland", which only allows top-notch outstanding inland talents to work in Hong Kong, is far from being able to meet the urgent needs for the region's economic development. Personages of different social circles suggested that the HKSAR government to readjust the Program. According to Tsang's new budget, the government will relax control in the following two aspects: First, no ceiling is set on the number of talents to be brought in. Second, people to be "imported" are no longer limited to those engaged in innovation and research work. Talents to be imported are only required to be able to handle the work relating to company routine operation. In the initial stage, the program only allows the introduction of talents in the fields of information technology and financial services. Tsang added that the HKSAR government is planning to permit inland students studying courses in Hong Kong's universities for academic degrees and are qualified to stay and work in Hong Kong after graduation. By PD Online Staff Member Du Minghua |
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