QMAS GPT: Six Categories and Twelve Criteria to Apply

Introduction

The Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS) “General Points Test” (GPT) now operates on six categories and twelve assessment criteria. Applicants must meet at least six of the twelve criteria before they can submit an application online. This assessment framework covers age, academic qualifications, language ability, work experience, annual income and business ownership.

A Full Breakdown of the Six Categories and Twelve Criteria

According to the Immigration Department’s Quality Migrant Admission Scheme page and the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme Application Guide, the QMAS General Points Test comprises six categories — age, academic qualifications, language ability, work experience, annual income and business ownership — with a total of twelve criteria. An applicant must meet at least six of the twelve criteria to clear the eligibility threshold for submitting an application. Each criterion has a precise definition and documentary requirements, which we break down one by one below.

Age category (one criterion)

• Criterion (1): Whether the applicant is aged 50 or below.

Academic qualifications category (two criteria)

• Criterion (2): Holding a master’s or doctoral degree awarded by an eligible university. The “eligible universities” here refer to institutions listed in the “Aggregate List of Eligible Universities” drawn up by the Labour and Welfare Bureau, which is based on the eligible universities under the Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) together with universities/institutions that have ranked among the top ten in the QS Global MBA Rankings and the Financial Times Global MBA Rankings over the past five years and that specifically offer postgraduate programmes. Those holding only a bachelor’s degree do not satisfy this criterion.
• Criterion (3): The master’s or doctoral degree held is in a “STEM” (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) subject and was awarded by an eligible university. The reference list of “STEM” subjects is for reference only; even if the subject of study is not on the list, it may still be considered, but the applicant must submit supporting documents to that effect.

Language ability category (two criteria)

• Criterion (4): Good written and spoken ability in two languages.
• Criterion (5): Good written and spoken English ability.
• The Application Guide sets out acceptable English results, for example an IELTS overall band score of no less than 7.0, a TOEFL internet-based test score of no less than 94, or a College English Test Band 6 (CET-6) score of no less than 520; for Chinese, a “Putonghua Proficiency Test” result of no lower than “Pass”, or a “Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK)” result of no lower than Level 3, may be used.

Work experience category (four criteria)

The work experience category comprises four criteria in total, making it the category with the most criteria among the six.

• Criterion (6): Having no less than five years of work experience at degree level or expert level.
• Criterion (7): Having no less than three years of work experience at degree level or expert level with a multinational corporation or a well-known enterprise, such as a listed company or an enterprise ranked among the Forbes Global 2000, the Fortune Global 500 and the Hurun China 500.
• Criterion (8): Having no less than three years of work experience at degree level or expert level in the fields of “innovation and technology”, “finance” and “international trade” (which includes cross-boundary shipping and air transport, as well as supply chain management).
• Criterion (9): Having no less than two years of international work experience at degree level or expert level, that is, work experience acquired outside the applicant’s place of origin/country or territory.

Applicants who meet the requirements of the Talent List may be given priority consideration under the General Points Test.

Annual income category (one criterion)

• Criterion (10): The applicant’s annual income in the year immediately preceding the application reaching HK$1 million or above (or its equivalent in foreign currency). Annual income refers to taxable employment or business income, including salary, allowances, share options and profits derived from a company the applicant owns; income generated from personal investments is not counted.

Business ownership category (two criteria)

• Criterion (11): The applicant currently owns a business entity whose annual profit in the year immediately preceding the application reached HK$5 million or above (or its equivalent in foreign currency).
• Criterion (12): The applicant currently owns a listed company.
• Definition of ownership: The applicant must absolutely and beneficially own 50% or more of the equity of an unlisted company; or hold a commensurate proportion of shares in a listed company, normally meaning an absolute beneficial ownership of 10% or more.

At this point, applicants can check against each criterion; meeting six of them confers eligibility to submit an application.

The Current Assessment Method: Criterion-by-Criterion “Met or Not Met” Check

The QMAS General Points Test checks the twelve criteria one by one on a “met or not met” basis; the official page does not provide a per-criterion score table. The current eligibility threshold is meeting six of the twelve criteria; only applicants who reach the threshold may submit an application online. The threshold may be changed from time to time without prior notice.

Take, for example, a person aged 50 or below who holds a master’s degree (non-”STEM” subject) awarded by an eligible university, has good Chinese and English ability, and has no less than five years of work experience at degree level: they would meet Criterion (1) age, Criterion (2) academic qualifications, Criterion (4) ability in two languages, Criterion (5) good English ability, and Criterion (6) five years of work experience — five criteria in total, falling short of the six-criterion threshold. This applicant would need to meet one further criterion — Criterion (3) a “STEM” degree, Criterion (7) multinational or well-known enterprise experience, Criterion (8) specific-industry experience, Criterion (9) international experience, Criterion (10) annual income of HK$1 million or above, or Criterion (11) or (12) business ownership — before they can submit an application.

On the assessment logic: an applicant only needs to meet six of the twelve criteria to submit, after which the application enters the periodic selection process conducted by the Immigration Department; not every application that meets the threshold is guaranteed approval, but applications meeting more criteria will be given higher priority consideration.

How Applicants from Different Backgrounds Accumulate Met Criteria

Those who find it relatively easier to accumulate met criteria fall into three groups: highly educated elites (especially STEM PhDs), senior executives and professionals at multinational corporations, and entrepreneurs and owners of listed companies. For young specialists who hold a master’s or doctoral degree in a STEM subject (must be awarded by an eligible university) and have good Chinese and English ability, they can secure two criteria in the academic qualifications category, two in the language category, plus one for age (below 50), and one or two more in the work experience category (five years’ experience, specific industry, renowned employer), already reaching the six-criterion threshold, and benefiting from higher priority consideration by meeting more criteria.

Likewise, bankers, lawyers and technology directors with annual income of HK$1 million or above, together with their years of service and renowned-employer background, can also reach the six-criterion threshold. Those who own a business entity with annual profit of HK$5 million or above can meet Criterion (11); those who currently own a listed company can meet Criterion (12).

Conversely, those who find it harder to accumulate met criteria are “generalist” applicants with good overall qualities but no single standout strength. For example, a 40-year-old holding a bachelor’s degree (short of a master’s or doctorate), with good English ability, eight years of general management experience but not in a specific industry or a renowned enterprise, and an annual income of HK$1 million: they would meet Criterion (1) age, Criterion (5) English ability, Criterion (6) five years of work experience and Criterion (10) annual income — four criteria in total, falling short of the six-criterion threshold and unable to submit an application.

Application Strategy and Points to Note

Faced with the current rules, prospective applicants should adopt the following targeted strategies:

First, benchmark against each criterion and pre-check them yourself. Use the assessment criteria list on the Immigration Department’s official assessment mechanism page to calmly review each requirement. Avoid subjective assumptions. For “STEM” subjects, the Immigration Department’s “STEM” subject reference list may be consulted, but even if the subject is not on the list, it may still be considered, and supporting documents must be submitted; “international work experience” must have been acquired outside the applicant’s place of origin/country or territory and be at degree level or expert level.

Second, document preparation must be watertight. Under the current mechanism, every criterion relies on objective proof; omitting a single supporting document may result in that criterion not being regarded as met. On academic qualifications, the Immigration Department may, where necessary, require the applicant at their own expense to apply to the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications for an assessment of their qualifications; if the “STEM” subject is not on the reference list, supporting documents to that effect must be submitted. On business ownership, it must be demonstrated that the applicant absolutely and beneficially owns 50% or more of the equity of an unlisted company, or holds a commensurate proportion of shares in a listed company.

Third, keep an eye on changes to the Aggregate List of Eligible Universities. The Aggregate List is drawn up by the Labour and Welfare Bureau, and institutions on it may be added or removed (for example, graduates of master’s or doctoral programmes from four institutions have, since 1 January 2026, ceased to meet the academic qualifications criteria under the General Points Test). Applicants should consult the latest version before submitting; relevant information can be found in the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme Application Guide and on the Immigration Department’s website.

Finally, note the residence requirement. A person admitted to Hong Kong under the QMAS who has been ordinarily resident in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region continuously for not less than seven years may, in accordance with the law, apply for the right of abode in the HKSAR.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does the QMAS still have an annual quota?
A: The current official QMAS webpage does not list an annual quota figure.

Q: Can a bachelor’s degree from an eligible university satisfy the academic qualifications criterion?
A: No. Criteria (2) and (3) in the academic qualifications category require a master’s or doctoral degree awarded by an eligible university; a bachelor’s degree does not meet those criteria.

(This article is for information reference only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific eligibility and documentary standards, the latest Immigration Department announcement shall prevail.)