TechTAS too timid to meet burgeoning talent needs
There seem to be few subjects which can generate such emotional and heated discussion as immigration. Whether in the United States (President Donald Trump and the so-called “Muslim Ban”), the United Kingdom (immigration was one of the issues shaping the Brexit debate) or Singapore (the recently tightened foreign manpower rules to ensure local employment), the definition of who is allowed to stay and work in a nation has become very political, defining one’s true political color. This is not positive, as clearly these are very complex issues, touching many aspects of society, which cannot be defined in black and white, but rather in many shades of gray. Demographics, changing needs for certain skill sets, unemployment, and a nation’s ambition are all pieces of the puzzle that must be used to define the bigger picture.
And now Hong Kong has reopened the discussion with the government proposing to introduce a new Technology Talent Admission Scheme, or TechTAS. A proposed three-year pilot scheme will make it easier and quicker for companies in Cyberport and Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks to apply for visas for talented overseas individuals. Candidates must have science, mathematics, engineering or technology degrees from a “well-known” university. In addition, the job that the work permit is applied for must be in one of seven fields: artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, robotics, biotechnology, material science, financial technology or data analytics. A maximum of 1,000 individuals will be permitted to enter Hong Kong through this scheme in the first year. The difference with the existing talent admission schemes is the laser-like focus on certain specified areas, and the fast-track process to expedite work permit issuing.
As Secretary for Innovation and Technology Nicholas Yang Wei-hsiung said at the press conference announcing TechTAS: “The talent shortage is a global problem. It is not a Hong Kong unique problem.” This correctly implies that other cities, both globally and in the region — such as Singapore, Bangkok and Shenzhen — will be fishing in the same talent pool. Maybe the number of 1,000 was chosen because of a sense of realism regarding the competitive landscape.
For example, Thailand has indeed introduced a broader Smart Visa scheme for overseas talent operating in next-generation automotive, smart electronics, medical and wellness tourism, agriculture and biotechnology, automation and robotics, digital applications, aviation and logistics. This scheme can be applied for at Thai embassies overseas. The Smart Visa is valid for four years, including dependents.
Hong Kong will compete with schemes like the Thai Smart Visa and the best candidates will be fortunate enough to be able to choose where they work, where they will share their skills and their knowledge. This talent pool will consider the overall proposal, including work (visa) for dependents, international schooling, housing and even such details as ease of opening bank accounts. The government needs to overcome the silo mentality of the past and take a holistic approach, whereby a one-stop full package is offered to the sought-after candidates. If that is done correctly, then 1,000 of the best candidates will be easy to attract, and that number will grow over the years.
President Xi Jinping said he supports Hong Kong to become an international innovation and technology hub. Indeed, Hong Kong does have the potential to become a leading hub in these fields, if (and only if) a sufficiently large talent pool is formed. This entails flexibility in letting overseas talent (and their dependents) live and work in Hong Kong, enabling the knowledge to be transferred and further developed here in the special administrative region. At the same time qualified overseas academic staff should also be encouraged to teach at the local universities, in order to foster home-grown local talent. But they would not fall under the proposed TechTAS scheme, as they would logically not work in Cyberport or Science Park, which seems to be a somewhat short-sighted omission. The long-term objective must be to develop a local knowledge base and talent pool, and not to be solely dependent on overseas talent. Hand in hand the two pools should be sufficient for Hong Kong to meet all foreseeable needs concerning innovation and technology.
Hong Kong has the best infrastructure in Asia, an independent judiciary, a highly successful anti-corruption body, and is ranked as one of the easiest places to do business in the world. In other words, all the stepping stones are there. Add to this mix the natural beauty, the weather and food, and it should be a recipe for luring talent to our shores.
With all the right ingredients in place, it’s a pity the government will settle on a mere 1,000 candidates in the first year of this three-year pilot scheme. Perhaps in pursuing to plug this urgent need, we should look to President Xi’s exhortation to follow the “express train of China’s development” as mentioned at Davos.