QMAS Selection: Four Prerequisites, 12 Criteria, No Guarantee

As of 7 October 2026, the official selection of the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS) proceeds in four stages: first meeting the four basic eligibility requirements of age, financial standing, character and academic qualifications, then being assessed under either the General Points Test (GPT) or the Achievement-based Points Test (APT). The current application threshold of the GPT is meeting 6 of the 12 assessment criteria; however, reaching the threshold does not guarantee approval, and the Director of Immigration exercises discretion under a periodic selection process.

Application Stages as Officially Described

The selection mechanism of QMAS advances in four stages as officially described. The first stage is basic eligibility: an applicant must first meet the four requirements of age, financial requirement, good character and basic academic qualifications before proceeding to the next stage.

The second stage is the assessment mechanism. Those who meet the basic eligibility may choose to be assessed under either the GPT or the APT.

The third stage is the selection process. The selection process is conducted periodically; the Director of Immigration may consult the High-level Selection Committee.

The fourth stage is the issuance of a visa / entry permit. Approved applicants are issued an “e-Visa”.

Each applicant may submit only one application at a time and may be assessed under only one assessment mechanism.

What Happens If You Fail to Meet a Prerequisite

If any of the basic eligibility requirements cannot be supported by satisfactory proof, the application is rejected immediately and will not be processed further. The specific requirements of the four basic eligibility criteria are as follows.

Age: at the time of submitting the application, the applicant must be 18 or above.

Financial: the applicant must demonstrate the ability to meet his/her own and (where applicable) his/her dependants’ living and accommodation expenses in Hong Kong out of independent means, without relying on public assistance; the application guide further requires proof that the applicant’s net personal assets are sufficient to cover the living and accommodation expenses of himself/herself and dependants for the first 12 months in Hong Kong. An applicant need not declare all personal assets, but only needs to report the amount sufficient to cover the living needs of the first 12 months and upload proof; any outstanding mortgage or other liabilities should be deducted from the reported net asset value by the latest outstanding amount.

Character: the applicant must not have any criminal record or adverse immigration record in Hong Kong or elsewhere; when submitting the application, he/she must declare the relevant circumstances in the online system and upload supporting documents.

Academic qualifications: the applicant is generally required to hold a university degree awarded by a recognised university or institution of higher education; in exceptional cases, good technical qualifications, proven professional abilities and/or experience and achievements supported by documentary evidence may also be considered.

This scheme does not apply to nationals of Afghanistan, Cuba and North Korea.

Assessment Mechanism and Eligibility Threshold

The GPT comprises 12 assessment criteria across six categories, and the current threshold is meeting 6 of them in order to submit an application online. The six categories and criteria are as follows.

The official page has no item-by-item scoring table and no pass mark. The application eligibility threshold may change from time to time without prior notice.

On academic criteria: all declared academic qualifications must meet Hong Kong’s recognised standards for a master’s or doctoral degree; honorary master’s/doctoral degrees, or degrees not awarded by a nationally recognised or registered institution, are not accepted; academic qualifications obtained from the School of Continuing and Professional Education, branch campus, extension college or affiliate college established by an eligible university are also not accepted. The Aggregate List of Eligible Universities is compiled by the Labour and Welfare Bureau, based on the eligible universities under the Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) and universities/institutions that have, in the past five years, ranked among the top ten in the QS Global MBA Rankings and the Financial Times Global MBA Rankings and specifically offer postgraduate programmes. Ecole Polytechnique, Université Grenoble Alpes, Universite Sorbonne Paris Cite-USPC and University of Freiburg have been removed from the list; persons who graduated from the master’s or doctoral programmes of these four institutions no longer meet the academic criteria from 1 January 2026.

On language proficiency: acceptable English results include an IELTS overall band score of not less than 7.0, a TOEFL internet-based test score of not less than 94 (or not less than 5 if the test adopted the 1–6 scoring scale on or after 21 January 2026), and a CET-6 score of not less than 520; for Chinese, a Putonghua Proficiency Test result of not below “Pass”, or a Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK) result of not below Level 3. Apart from the transcript, a written statement with supporting evidence may be submitted; holders of a bachelor’s degree or above in a language-related subject where the graduation certificate clearly shows this are generally recognised as fluent in the relevant language. Even if proof has been submitted, the Immigration Department may still require the applicant to take a designated language assessment test at his/her own expense.

On work experience: “degree level” generally refers to a post that must be held by someone with academic qualifications no lower than a bachelor’s degree, and “expert level” generally refers to a post requiring a high level of specialised knowledge or skill. Whether work experience falls within a particular field is determined mainly by the duties, position or job title, rather than solely by the industry classification of the employing company; where the applicant holds a position with broad operational responsibilities such as CEO, General Manager or President, the nature of the company’s business becomes a relevant consideration.

On annual income: income means taxable employment or business income, including salary, allowances, share options and profits from a company the applicant owns; income derived from personal investments is not counted. The online application system offers 17 major currencies in addition to HK dollars for selection.

On business ownership: meeting the relevant criterion requires absolute beneficial ownership of 50% or more of the ownership interests in a non-listed company, or holding a substantial proportion of shares in a listed company (generally meaning absolute beneficial ownership of 10% or more).

Applicants who meet the requirements of the Talent List may, after assessment, be given priority consideration under the GPT, and must provide documentary proof of meeting the qualifications and experience requirements of the relevant profession in the List.

The APT is for individuals of exceptional talent or skill with outstanding achievements, and the requirements are extremely high. Meeting either of the following two criteria is treated as meeting the application eligibility and is further assessed by the assessment committee: having received an outstanding achievement award (such as an Olympic medal, a Nobel Prize, or a national/international award); or having work recognised by peers and having made a major contribution to the development of the field (such as a lifetime achievement award in the industry). Those who do not meet the criteria have their application rejected immediately. Applicants choosing the APT must give a summary of their achievements in the online form of 250 to 500 words.

Applicants may first use the in-site assessment criteria self-check tool to verify the criteria they meet, or refer to the QMAS pathway overview to understand the scheme framework.

How the Immigration Department Selects After the Threshold Is Met

Meeting the basic eligibility and the application eligibility threshold does not mean the application is certain to be approved. In general, not all applications that simultaneously meet the basic eligibility and the application eligibility threshold are necessarily approved, but applications meeting more assessment criteria will be given priority consideration.

The Director of Immigration may seek the views of the High-level Selection Committee, chaired by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, on matters relating to the applicant; the committee takes into comprehensive account factors such as manpower demand, socio-economic needs and the applicant’s background and credentials.

The Director of Immigration has absolute discretion, under the two assessment mechanisms, to determine whether an applicant meets a particular assessment criterion, and to approve or reject any application without giving reasons.

Assessment is based on the information entered in the online form and the documents submitted. If circumstances change after submission and the applicant wishes to be assessed on the latest information, he/she must submit a new application; any previously submitted or pending application is treated as withdrawn.

A GPT applicant who, at the time of application or within the preceding six months, has already been permitted to remain in Hong Kong under any talent admission scheme (whether as a principal applicant or a dependant) must simultaneously meet the eligibility for entry application and for extension of stay application, including being employed in Hong Kong with stable income, or having established or joined a business in Hong Kong.

Stay Arrangements After Approval

Those approved under the GPT are generally granted an initial stay of 36 months, and those approved under the APT are generally granted an initial stay of eight years; both are not subject to other conditions of stay.

A GPT approval holder applying for extension when the 36 months expire must provide documents satisfactory to the Immigration Department showing that steps to settle in Hong Kong have been taken and that he/she is residing in Hong Kong, such as being employed in a salaried post or having established a business. An approved extension is generally granted on a “3 + 2” year pattern. An APT approval holder seeking an extension must prove the ability to meet his/her own and dependants’ living and accommodation expenses in Hong Kong out of independent means.

An application for extension of stay should be made within the three months preceding the expiry of the limit of stay, and in all cases submitted at least six weeks before expiry. After all documents and the application fee are received, the Immigration Department generally takes about two to three weeks to complete processing; not all extension applications are approved.

A GPT approval holder who has been permitted to come to Hong Kong for not less than two years and whose assessable income for salaries tax in the preceding year of assessment reached HK$2 million or above is generally granted an extension of five years; the application may be made even before the three-year limit of stay expires, and the new five-year limit of stay is counted from the original limit of stay.

Persons permitted to come to Hong Kong under QMAS may, during the approved period of stay, freely take up and change employment without prior approval from the Immigration Department.

If a mainland resident’s application is approved, he/she must submit a consent for residence in Hong Kong issued by his/her mainland employer or the relevant mainland authority responsible for keeping his/her records, and before coming to reside in Hong Kong apply to the mainland authorities for the Exit-Entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao and the endorsement for Hong Kong. Those who submit their application overseas holding a Chinese passport, who already hold permanent resident status overseas, or who had resided overseas for not less than one year immediately before the application, may use a valid Chinese passport without the permit and endorsement.

On dependants: an applicant may bring to Hong Kong a spouse (or the other party to a locally legally recognised civil partnership/union) and unmarried dependent children under the age of 18; the applicant must prove that his/her net personal assets are sufficient to cover the living and accommodation expenses of himself/herself and dependants for the first 12 months in Hong Kong. A dependant’s limit of stay is generally tied to that of the sponsor, and he/she may work and study in Hong Kong without restriction. A dependant may apply for an extension within the three months preceding the expiry of the limit of stay, provided that he/she still qualifies for residence in Hong Kong as a dependant and the sponsor remains a Hong Kong resident genuinely living in Hong Kong.

On application fees: QMAS is a specified scheme; an online application requires payment of an application fee of HK$600 per case, which is not refunded under any circumstances; after approval, the visa issuance fee follows a two-tier system — HK$1,300 where the relevant period exceeds 180 days and HK$600 where it does not exceed 180 days. The new fee arrangement applies from 11:00 am on 26 February 2025.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Meeting 6 Assessment Criteria Guarantee Approval?

Conclusion: Not necessarily. Applications meeting more assessment criteria will be given priority consideration, but the Director of Immigration has absolute discretion to approve or reject any application without giving reasons.

Do You Need a Hong Kong Employer’s Job Offer Before Applying for QMAS?

Conclusion: No. The scheme aims to attract highly skilled talents or quality migrants to settle in Hong Kong, and an applicant need not have secured a local employer’s job offer before applying or being permitted to settle in Hong Kong.

How Long Is the Initial Stay After a General Points Test Approval?

Conclusion: The initial stay is generally 36 months. Upon expiry an extension must be applied for; an approved extension generally continues on a “3 + 2” year pattern, and is not subject to other conditions of stay.

Is the Application Fee Refunded If the Application Is Rejected?

Conclusion: No. Regardless of the outcome, the application fee paid is not refunded under any circumstances.

What Is the Eligibility for the Achievement-based Points Test?

Conclusion: One of two outstanding-achievement criteria must be met. Having received an outstanding achievement award (such as an Olympic medal, a Nobel Prize, or a national/international award), or having work recognised by peers and having made a major contribution to the development of the field (such as a lifetime achievement award in the industry); those who do not meet the criteria have their application rejected immediately.

May Dependants Come to Hong Kong with the Applicant?

Conclusion: Yes. An applicant may bring a spouse and unmarried dependent children under the age of 18 to Hong Kong; a dependant’s limit of stay is generally tied to that of the sponsor, and he/she may work and study in Hong Kong without restriction.

Official Sources

• Quality Migrant Admission Scheme – Immigration Department
• Quality Migrant Admission Scheme: Assessment Mechanism – Immigration Department
• Quality Migrant Admission Scheme FAQs – Immigration Department
• Quality Migrant Admission Scheme Application Guide ID(C)982 (07/2026) – Immigration Department
• Quality Migrant Admission Scheme Application Guide Forms Page – Immigration Department
• Quality Migrant Admission Scheme: Self-assessment Tool – Immigration Department
• Aggregate List of Eligible Universities (QMAS, PDF) – Immigration Department
• “STEM” Subjects Reference List (PDF) – Immigration Department
• Hong Kong Talent List: Immigration Facilitation
• New Fee Framework for Visa Applications under Specified Schemes – Immigration Department
• List of Third-party Credential Verification Organisations (PDF) – Immigration Department

This article is a compilation of policy information and does not constitute legal advice; the policy is subject to the latest announcements of official departments such as the Immigration Department.