The High-Level Talent Pass Program (Gaocaitong) has three categories of eligibility,You may submit your application if you meet any one of these criteria; you do not need to have a job offer from a Hong Kong employer in advance.<\/strong>::<\/p>\n The above conditions are subject to the official announcements of the Hong Kong Immigration Department.<\/strong> Policy details and quota usage may be subject to change; be sure to check the latest version on the official website before submitting your application.<\/p>\n Point 1: The list is dynamic.<\/strong> The list of eligible universities is maintained and regularly updated by the relevant departments of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and includes institutions from around the world. The number and specific composition of these institutions may change with each update,You cannot directly reuse the outdated list provided in someone else's article.<\/strong>. The method of inquiry is subject to the list published on the Immigration Department\u2019s \u201cHigh-Talent Pass\u201d webpage.<\/p>\n Criterion 2: The focus is on a bachelor\u2019s degree, not a master\u2019s or doctoral degree.<\/strong> The requirements for Class B and Class C areBachelor's degrees are awarded by accredited universities<\/strong>. Some applicants hold a master\u2019s degree from an institution on the list but an undergraduate degree from an institution not on the list; in such cases, they typically do not meet the requirements for Categories B or C and must switch to the \u201cTalent\u201d or Category A assessment track. This is one of the most common misjudgments made before submitting an application.<\/p>\n Criteria 3: Distinction Between an Honors Bachelor\u2019s Degree and a Regular Bachelor\u2019s Degree.<\/strong> There are variations in the names of degrees awarded by some institutions; to determine whether they fall within the scope of recognition, please refer to the notes accompanying the list. In case of any questions, the Immigration Department\u2019s review criteria shall prevail.<\/p>\n Three Common Mistakes Regarding Caliber:<\/p>\n Category C is subject to an annual quota,While supplies last<\/strong>. This has two practical implications:<\/p>\n According to statistics released by the Hong Kong Immigration Department (as compiled by the media), approximately [number] High-Talent Pass applications were approved in the first half of 2026.14,847 cases<\/strong>...with over 90 percent of approvals issued in mainland China. Separate statistics show that in the first seven months of 2026, there were approximately 22,657 applications for the High-Talent Pass, of which about 17,600 were approved; the approval rate declined slightly compared to 2025.<\/p>\n In terms of industry distribution, the approved candidates are primarily concentrated in three major sectors: commerce and trade, innovation and technology, and financial services. Within Category A, the largest proportion of candidates falls within the annual income range of 2.5 million to 3 million Hong Kong dollars.<\/p>\n The figures above are based on media and institutional compilations of official statistics; for specific definitions and the most up-to-date data, please refer to the official announcements from the Hong Kong Immigration Department.<\/strong><\/p>\n It is important to note that:No channel can guarantee approval.<\/strong>. Applications for the High-Talent Pass are reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Immigration Department; claims by agencies regarding \u201dguaranteed approval\u201d or \u201dguaranteed acceptance\u201d have no legal validity. Applicants should prepare authentic supporting documents in accordance with official requirements.<\/p>\n Qicaiying provides qualification assessment, document checklist review, and submission guidance services for the Gaicaitong program, helping applicants prepare their materials in accordance with official guidelines; however, we make no guarantees regarding the outcome of the approval process.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" For Category B and Category C applicants under the High-Talent Pass program, the core eligibility requirement is a bachelor\u2019s degree from an \u201deligible university,\u201d and this list is maintained and dynamically updated by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government. In the first half of 2026, 14,847 High-Talent Pass applications were approved, with the approval rate declining slightly compared to 2025. This article outlines how to access the list, the three key differences between Category B and Category C applicants, the criteria for calculating work experience, and the two aspects most commonly misunderstood by applicants before they apply.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":18032,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13,17,18,2014],"tags":[2180,2181,2182,1281,203],"class_list":["post-18033","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guide","category-allguide","category-recomguide","category-2014","tag-2180","tag-bc","tag-2182","tag-1281","tag-203"],"yoast_head":"\n\n
II. List of Eligible Universities: Three Criteria<\/h2>\n
III. How is the \u201dthree years of work experience within the past five years\u201d requirement for Category B calculated?<\/h2>\n
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IV. Category C Quotas: What Does \u201cFirst Come, First Served\u201d Mean?<\/h2>\n
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V. Approval Trends for 2026<\/h2>\n
VI. Four-Step Self-Check Before Applying<\/h2>\n
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