Immigration Department watching for ‘so-called loopholes’ used by false agents
The Hong Kong government has stressed that it carries out strict scrutiny on Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) applications amid reports of scammers attempting to undermine the initiative.
Labour Minister Chris Sun said there was no way for applicants to pay their way into Hong Kong through false agents, the Hong Kong Free Press reported.
"The Immigration Department strictly scrutinises every application, so there are no so-called loopholes in the [talent scheme] system," Labour Minister Chris Sun said as quoted by the news outlet.
Sun's remarks came amid reports of individuals in Guangzhou in China who are offering to falsify employment documents to applicants of the TTPS.
Among the falsified documents offered include fabricated payrolls that can make it seem like clients are making more than HK$2.5 million annually.
These "agents" charge a RMB100,000 fee for visa renewal, and an annual fee of RMB80,000 for the falsified payrolls, according to reports.
There are other agents, however, who are charging higher fees of RMB450,000 to RMB900,000 depending on whether clients have established their own companies.
Sun condemned these agents as scammers, and warned applicants who "blindly believe" in them that they would be wasting their money, the Hong Kong Free Press reported.
Hong Kong's Top Talent Pass Scheme seeks to lure talents with "rich work experience and good academic qualifications from all over the world to explore opportunities in Hong Kong."
According to the Immigration Department, eligible applicants for the TTPS include:
Applicants are not required to have a secure job offer in Hong Kong during the application process. Once accepted, they may be allowed to stay between 24 to 36 months provided that normal immigration requirements are met.
For renewal, they need to submit proof that they have taken up a job in Hong Kong and are earning stable income if they want to renew their visa after two years.
More than 80,500 applicants have been granted visas under the TTPS as of September, the Hong Kong Free Press reported. Among them, 95% are from mainland China.
