The response gave him confidence that the city would hit its target of attracting 35,000 people this year through various talent schemes, the report quoted Chan as saying during a three-day official visit to Beijing.

Hong Kong has put in place at least seven programs to attract skilled workers globally, including those from mainland China. It is fighting to stem a brain drain that is threatening its status as an international financial hub. The city’s working population declined 2.4 percent last year, the biggest drop since 1985, in part due to strict Covid policies and Beijing’s political crackdown.

One example is the Top Talent Pass Scheme, under which Hong Kong has approved 15,000 of the 24,000 applications it received since it started late last year, Chan reportedly said.

The program, which grants two-year work visas, is open to applicants who have made at least HK$2.5 million (US$318,488) in the previous year, and graduates of the top 100 universities globally with a minimum three years’ work experience in the last five.