In a late-evening press release on 3 November, the Hong Kong SAR Government welcomed a string of mainland measures aimed at smoother cross-border movement of high-skilled workers. Chief among them is the expansion of the ‘talent exit endorsement’—a multiple-entry permit that allows designated mainland professionals to visit Hong Kong for up to 30 days per trip without a separate visa. Coverage will extend on 5 November from the Greater Bay Area, Beijing and Shanghai to five additional provinces (Tianjin, Hebei, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui) as well as all free-trade zones.
The mainland will also introduce facial-recognition e-gates at five busy Shenzhen checkpoints and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Port, enabling travellers to clear immigration without presenting a physical permit. Hong Kong officials said the upgrades will help the city cement its role as an international talent hub and reduce wait times that have frustrated frequent commuters since border-reopening.
![Hong Kong Hails Mainland’s Roll-Out of Talent Exit Endorsement and Biometric E-Gate Upgrades]()
For employers running dual-office structures in Hong Kong and mainland tech parks, the broader endorsement footprint means more mainland-based engineers and researchers can attend client meetings or R&D sessions in Hong Kong at short notice. The SAR’s Immigration Department is coordinating with mainland counterparts to ensure that biometric data collected in Shenzhen is recognised at Hong Kong control points, promising truly ‘one-stop’ clearance by mid-2026.
Mobility managers should update relocation policies to reference the new endorsement geography and advise employees to register for facial-recognition e-channels ahead of peak Lunar New Year travel.
The mainland will also introduce facial-recognition e-gates at five busy Shenzhen checkpoints and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Port, enabling travellers to clear immigration without presenting a physical permit. Hong Kong officials said the upgrades will help the city cement its role as an international talent hub and reduce wait times that have frustrated frequent commuters since border-reopening.
For employers running dual-office structures in Hong Kong and mainland tech parks, the broader endorsement footprint means more mainland-based engineers and researchers can attend client meetings or R&D sessions in Hong Kong at short notice. The SAR’s Immigration Department is coordinating with mainland counterparts to ensure that biometric data collected in Shenzhen is recognised at Hong Kong control points, promising truly ‘one-stop’ clearance by mid-2026.
Mobility managers should update relocation policies to reference the new endorsement geography and advise employees to register for facial-recognition e-channels ahead of peak Lunar New Year travel.
