Effective 30 January 2026, every holder of Hong Kong’s flagship Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) must complete an “Exclusive Survey for Top Talent Pass Holders” and attach the acknowledgement receipt when applying to extend their two-year visa, global advisory firm KPMG reports. (kpmg.com)
The Immigration Department has not published the questionnaire, but HR consultants familiar with the pilot say it captures salary range, job function, sector, employer size, housing situation and children’s schooling arrangements. Officials want better data to prove the scheme’s economic contributions ahead of its three-year review in December 2026. More than 59,000 TTPS visas have been approved since launch, with 44,000 holders already in Hong Kong, according to the Labour & Welfare Bureau.
Practically, the new requirement adds only a few minutes to the online extension workflow, yet missing the receipt will render an application “technically incomplete”, delaying processing. Employers that sponsor multiple TTPS staff are advised to build the survey step into their internal visa-tracking checklists and remind assignees at least 60 days before expiry to avoid last-minute scramble.
![New compliance step for Top Talent Pass holders: mandatory online survey before visa extension]()
VisaHQ, a specialist visa and passport services platform, can help TTPS holders and their employers navigate these new steps by providing automated reminders, document checklists, and direct liaison with Hong Kong Immigration. Its Hong Kong portal (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/) offers up-to-date guidance on survey receipts, extension timelines, and ancillary services such as dependent passes.
Policy-wise, the move signals a shift from pure talent attraction to retention and outcomes measurement. Authorities have struggled to quantify how many TTPS arrivals actually take up long-term employment or set up businesses. If the survey reveals large attrition or under-employment, officials could tighten eligibility (for example by raising the HK$2.5 million salary threshold or shortening the approved university list) when the scheme’s pilot phase ends.
For global mobility managers, early compliance will keep extension timelines predictable; failure may lead to overstays, employment disruption and loss of visa-linked benefits such as dependent schooling rights. Companies should brief recruiters so that job offers to TTPS holders reference the new obligation.
The Immigration Department has not published the questionnaire, but HR consultants familiar with the pilot say it captures salary range, job function, sector, employer size, housing situation and children’s schooling arrangements. Officials want better data to prove the scheme’s economic contributions ahead of its three-year review in December 2026. More than 59,000 TTPS visas have been approved since launch, with 44,000 holders already in Hong Kong, according to the Labour & Welfare Bureau.
Practically, the new requirement adds only a few minutes to the online extension workflow, yet missing the receipt will render an application “technically incomplete”, delaying processing. Employers that sponsor multiple TTPS staff are advised to build the survey step into their internal visa-tracking checklists and remind assignees at least 60 days before expiry to avoid last-minute scramble.
VisaHQ, a specialist visa and passport services platform, can help TTPS holders and their employers navigate these new steps by providing automated reminders, document checklists, and direct liaison with Hong Kong Immigration. Its Hong Kong portal (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/) offers up-to-date guidance on survey receipts, extension timelines, and ancillary services such as dependent passes.
Policy-wise, the move signals a shift from pure talent attraction to retention and outcomes measurement. Authorities have struggled to quantify how many TTPS arrivals actually take up long-term employment or set up businesses. If the survey reveals large attrition or under-employment, officials could tighten eligibility (for example by raising the HK$2.5 million salary threshold or shortening the approved university list) when the scheme’s pilot phase ends.
For global mobility managers, early compliance will keep extension timelines predictable; failure may lead to overstays, employment disruption and loss of visa-linked benefits such as dependent schooling rights. Companies should brief recruiters so that job offers to TTPS holders reference the new obligation.
