Following in the footsteps of O'Sullivan, Trump, and Neil Robertson, yet another snooker legend has chosen to make Hong Kong his home.

On August 12, 2026, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government's Immigration Department announced that the British snooker star nicknamed “White Whirlwind”Jimmy White... has become a Hong Kong resident through the Hong Kong Quality Migrant Admission Scheme and has obtained a Hong Kong ID card.

Image source: Hong Kong Immigration Department

For many Chinese viewers, Jimmy White is a familiar name.

In 1991, he appeared in Stephen Chow’s film *The Descendants of the Dragon*, where he played pool alongside Stephen Chow. In the real world, Jimmy White is equally a snooker legend of his generation: he reached the World Championship final multiple times during his career and won numerous professional titles; the “White Whirlwind” has become almost synonymous with an era of snooker.

Now, 64-year-old Jimmy White has taken on a new identity—that of a Hong Kong resident.

Moreover, after obtaining Hong Kong residency, he wasn’t just planning to “move somewhere else.”

According to public reports, Jimmy White plans to open a snooker academy in Hong Kong to discover and train local young players and further promote the sport of snooker.

What’s more noteworthy is:Jimmy White isn't the first international sports superstar to choose Hong Kong.

Previously, renowned snooker players such as “The Rocket” Ronnie O’Sullivan, Judd Trump, and Neil Robertson had also become Hong Kong residents through the Hong Kong Quality Migrant Admission Scheme.

Why would these top-tier talents—who already enjoy global recognition and have a wide range of career options—go out of their way to obtain Hong Kong residency?

If you go back even further in time, you'll find that—

The appeal of Hong Kong residency for celebrities, professionals, and high-achievers actually began more than a decade ago.

From Lang Lang and Zhang Ziyi to Tang Wei(math.) genusHong Kong residency has never been a recent “trend.”

Many people have only heard of the “Hong Kong Quality Migrant Admission Scheme” and “High-Talent Pass” in recent years, but in fact, Hong Kong has been attracting top talent from around the world ever since it launched the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme in 2006.

Among the first group of applicants to attract the most attention, there were plenty of names we are very familiar with.

As early as 2008, publicly available information from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government mentioned that well-known figures such as Lang Lang, Li Yundi, and Zhang Ziyi had already come to Hong Kong through the Hong Kong Quality Migrant Admission Scheme.

Actress Tang Wei also came to Hong Kong in 2008 through the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme. Since then, she has participated in official promotional campaigns for the Hong Kong Immigration Department’s Quality Migrant Admission Scheme and has publicly stated that coming to Hong Kong was one of the most important opportunities of her life.

If we take a longer-term view, we can see that the targets of Hong Kong’s “talent recruitment” efforts are also changing.

In the early days, people mostly saw celebrities, artists, and athletes.

It later gradually expanded to include: financial professionals, technology professionals, other professionals, and business executives.

Today, however, the growing number of people interested in obtaining Hong Kong residency includes entrepreneurs, high-income individuals, cross-border entrepreneurs, and those with long-term family planning needs, such as those focused on their children’s education.

Hong Kong residency is no longer the exclusive privilege of so-called “celebrities.”

What really deserves attention is:Why are more and more people beginning to include Hong Kong residency in their life plans for the next 5 or 10 years—or even longer?

What people really value is the value behind Hong Kong residency.

1,Career

Backed by the Mainland, Connected to the World

One of the most distinctive features of Hong Kong is that it connects two markets at the same time.

Internally, it serves as a link to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the vast mainland market; externally, it boasts a highly internationalized system of financial, trade, legal, and professional services.

For entrepreneurs, cross-border entrepreneurs, and professionals, this means that planning for residency status can often proceed in tandem with their career development.

Jimmy White’s plan to establish a snooker academy in Hong Kong after obtaining residency is a prime example of this—Hong Kong is not only a place to live but can also serve as a new hub for him to connect with the Asian market and advance his career.

This is also worth noting for entrepreneurs engaged in international trade, cross-border e-commerce, overseas investment, or global business.

Identity is not isolated.

It can be further integrated with Hong Kong companies, bank accounts, cross-border operations, and international business resources.

2,taxation services

A simpler tax system also leaves more room for career planning

Another advantage of Hong Kong that has long been frequently cited is its relatively streamlined and competitive tax system.

Taking personal salaries tax as an example, Hong Kong uses a system of progressive and standard tax rates, with the lower of the two rates applied. The Hong Kong government has already announced the relevant tax rates and tax-exemption arrangements for the 2026/27 tax year.

This is why Hong Kong is often included in the overall career and tax planning of high-income individuals, international professionals, and business owners.

But there's one issue here that's very easy to misunderstand:Obtaining Hong Kong residency does not automatically make you a Hong Kong tax resident, nor does it mean that all income earned overseas is “automatically tax-free.”

An individual’s tax residency status, the nature of their income, the source of their income, and their domestic and overseas assets and corporate structure must all be assessed based on the actual circumstances.

Therefore, a truly well-thought-out plan is definitely not: “Get your residency first, and worry about the rest later.”

Instead, we should consider this from the very beginning:How to obtain residency, how to plan your career, how to set up a company, how to generate income, and how to ensure tax compliance.

3,Education

What really matters is giving children another option.

Why do many entrepreneurial families focus more on their children than on themselves when planning for Hong Kong residency?

Because education has never been about just one test.

Its most important value lies in—the freedom to choose.

Once the appropriate residency and educational arrangements in Hong Kong are in place, children can enter the local education system based on their individual circumstances. At the higher education level, there are various pathways available, including the HKDSE, JUPAS, Hong Kong universities, and—for those who meet the eligibility requirements—applications to universities in mainland China. The Hong Kong Education Bureau currently maintains admissions arrangements for Hong Kong students seeking admission to universities in mainland China.

If you hope to pursue an international path in the future, Hong Kong also offers a wealth of international curricula and educational resources.

What makes Hong Kong residency truly appealing is that it offers an additional educational system, another path to higher education, and yet another option for the future.

This is the real reason why many families begin planning their immigration status several years—or even more than a decade—in advance.

4,Family

It’s not about one person’s identity, but a long-term plan for the whole family.

Many talent admission schemes allow eligible principal applicants to apply to bring their spouses and unmarried dependent children under the age of 18 to reside in Hong Kong. These include the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme, the High-Caliber Talent Admission Scheme, and the Professional Talent Admission Scheme, among others; however, specific requirements for dependents must still be met.

For applicants with families, Hong Kong residency planning should take the following into account:

🔷 Where will your spouse work and live in the future?

🔷 When do children enter the Hong Kong education system?

🔷 Does the family plan to settle in Hong Kong long-term?

🔷 Do career and assets need to be adjusted in tandem?

🔷 Can the requirements for future renewals be met on a long-term basis?

5,Long-Term Development

Obtaining Hong Kong residency is just the first step

When many people first learn about Hong Kong identity, they tend to confuse several concepts: the Hong Kong Resident Identity Card, the Hong Kong Permanent Resident Identity Card, and the Hong Kong SAR passport.

In fact, these are not the same thing.

Upon approval under talent programs such as the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme, the High-caliber Talent Scheme, and the Specialized Talent Scheme, applicants are first granted the corresponding Hong Kong residency status; those who meet the requirements may apply for Hong Kong permanent resident status only after having ordinarily resided in Hong Kong continuously for at least seven years and fulfilling the relevant conditions.

Therefore: “Obtaining Hong Kong residency” ≠ “Automatically obtaining permanent residency after 7 years.”

🔷 What really matters are the years in between:

🔷 Do you have genuine ties to Hong Kong in terms of your career and personal life?

🔷 Are the renewal requirements still being met?

Can documents related to employment, the company, income, residence, family, and so on form a complete chain of evidence?

These issues are often even more important than those involved in the initial application.

How Can Ordinary People Obtain Hong Kong Residency? A Comprehensive Guide to the 5 Main Pathways for 2026

Jimmy White came to Hong Kong through the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme.

However, for ordinary entrepreneurs, professionals, and families, the “Quality Migrant Admission Scheme” is not the only path to obtaining Hong Kong residency.

Currently, there are five common application pathways:

The Hong Kong Immigration Department has currently clarified that:

• The Comprehensive Points System for High-Caliber Talent includes6 categories, 12 evaluation criteria, the current submission requirement is to meet at least six criteria;
• The High-Talent Pass (Category A) requires that the applicant's income in the year prior to application reachHK$2.5 million or more;
• The eligibility requirements for the New Capital Investor Immigration Program are as follows:Not less than 30 million Hong Kong dollars.
• The IANG program is primarily aimed at eligible non-local graduates; recent graduates can apply to stay in Hong Kong to look for work without first obtaining a job offer.

There is no “best Hong Kong residency program”; there is only “the path that’s right for you.”

For example:

• Annual income meets the requirements, and they are looking for a more direct path

→ You can focus on evaluating Gaocaitong

• Has a strong overall combination of educational background, work experience, and industry background

→ Priority can be given to evaluating high-potential employees

• We already have a Hong Kong company, employers, and actual job placements

→ You can focus on the "Specialized Talent" category

• Younger in age, hoping to break into the field through education

→ You might want to consider studying abroad + IANG

• With strong financial resources, we hope to expand into Hong Kong at the same time.

→ The New Capital Investor Immigration Program could be further evaluated

A truly comprehensive Hong Kong residency planning strategy should not focus solely on “how to apply.”

When many people first inquire about Hong Kong residency, their questions are usually:

Do I qualify for the Talent Admission Scheme?

Can't apply if you're highly qualified?

How soon can I get my residency status?

These issues are certainly important.

But if you look at the bigger picture over a period of seven years or even longer, you’ll find that the initial application may be just the first step in Hong Kong’s overall planning process.

What really needs to be addressed is:

• How to choose a path before applying;
• How to implement it in Hong Kong after approval;
• How do I renew my visa in a few years?;
• How to handle business and tax matters;
• How to plan for your family and children;
• Finally, how to achieve permanent residency.

Qicaiying does more than just help clients apply for(math.) genusInstead, make long-term plans centered on identity, career, taxes, and family

01,Career Assessment: First, Determine Which Path Is Right for You

Qicaiyinghui conducts a comprehensive evaluation based on multiple factors—including the applicant’s age, educational background, work experience, income, corporate background, family structure, financial assets, and future development plans in Hong Kong—to first determine:Talent, High-Caliber Talent, Specialized Talent, studying abroad, or investment—which path is the best fit?

02,Scheme Design: From Condition Matching to a Closed-Loop Material System

Applying for residency isn’t simply a matter of submitting your academic credentials and employment records and calling it a day. Especially for programs like the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme, the key factor is often not just “whether you have this experience,” but rather:Can you prove thatThe

Qicaiying can assist clients with preliminary reviews of application eligibility, organizing resumes and materials, planning supporting documents, preparing application materials, and following up on subsequent procedures, ensuring that the application logic and supporting evidence form as complete a cycle as possible.

03,Settling in Hong Kong: Planning Your Identity and Career Together

For entrepreneurs and cross-border business operators, obtaining Hong Kong residency is often not the ultimate goal.

What really matters:Once you’ve obtained your residency status, what should you do in Hong Kong?

Qicaiying can further tailor its services to meet clients' actual needs by integrating:One-stop services including Hong Kong company registration, corporate secretarial services, bank account opening, corporate financial and tax compliance, and establishing a business presence in Hong Kong.

Let identity planning be more than just an ID card—let it be integrated with real career development.

04,Renewals and Long-Term Status: Planning Ahead for the Coming Years

For many residency programs, the stage that truly tests one’s expertise actually comes after approval.

🔷 How should you plan your business in Hong Kong?

🔷 Is the company actually in business?

🔷 How should employment and income be reported?

🔷 How can you build up a long-term record of documents such as proof of residence, tax records, bank statements, and family contacts?

All of these factors may affect future arrangements regarding identity.

That is why Qicaiying places even greater emphasis on:Having your status approved is not the end—it’s the beginning of a long-term plan.The sooner you clarify Hong Kong’s development path for the coming years, the smoother the process will be for subsequent visa renewals and long-term residency arrangements.

05,Identity + Career + Taxes + Assets: A Comprehensive Approach That Considers All These Factors Together

Especially for entrepreneurs, high-income individuals, and families with businesses and assets both domestically and abroad, residency issues rarely stand alone.

Once you obtain Hong Kong residency, you may soon find yourself facing:

🔷 How do you set up a Hong Kong company?

🔷 How are responsibilities divided between the Hong Kong and Mainland operations?

🔷 How is cross-border income taxed?

🔷 How is tax residency determined?

🔷 How can domestic and foreign companies and individuals conduct business with each other in compliance with regulations?

🔷 How should family assets be allocated in the future?

If you engage different firms to handle your personal identity, business, taxes, banking, and assets separately, it’s easy for the various aspects to become disconnected from one another.

Therefore, Qicaiying aims to address more than just obtaining Hong Kong residency.

Rather, it is to further addressOnce you obtain your residency status, how can you ensure that your career, taxes, family, and assets operate smoothly over the long term under a single set of compliance guidelines?

put at the end

From Lang Lang, Zhang Ziyi, and Tang Wei, to Ronnie O’Sullivan and Judd Trump, and now Jimmy White.

People from different generations and different fields may choose Hong Kong for different reasons.

Some do it for their careers, some to tap into larger markets, some prioritize their children’s education, and others hope to create more options for the future.

But one thing is becoming increasingly clear:Today, Hong Kong residency is no longer just an option for a select few celebrities and top-tier talent.

As various immigration pathways—such as the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme, the High-caliber Talent Admission Scheme, the Specialized Talent Admission Scheme, the IANG Scheme, and the New Capital Investor Immigration Scheme—gradually take shape, an increasing number of entrepreneurs, professionals, and high-income families are beginning to incorporate Hong Kong residency into their career and family plans for the coming years. Hong Kong continues to attract individuals from diverse backgrounds to pursue opportunities in the city through a variety of talent immigration programs.

Hong Kong residency is merely the starting point of the strategy. What truly holds value is ensuring that residency, career, taxes, family, and assets all work in harmony under a single long-term plan.

If you are also considering obtaining Hong Kong residency, you can start by scheduling a professional assessment.

Qicaiying can be tailored to yourEducation, Occupation, Income, Business Operations, Family Education, and Financial Status...Comprehensively evaluate various pathways—such as the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme, the High-Caliber Talent Scheme, the Specialized Talent Scheme, the Study Abroad Scheme, and the Investor Scheme—and further coordinate the establishment of Hong Kong companies, bank account openings, financial and tax compliance, status renewal, and long-term development planning.

First, choose the right path, then make clear plans for the next few years.

It's more important than just “rushing to submit an application.”