China’s National Immigration Administration (NIA) on 6 November 2025 announced 10 policy initiatives designed to make cross-border business travel faster and easier, with Hong Kong positioned as a key beneficiary.
The headline change is the widening of the talent-endorsement system—previously limited to Beijing, Shanghai and the original Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area pilot—to the entire Yangtze River Delta, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei cluster and all 21 free-trade zones. Qualified employers can now secure multiple-entry exit-endorsements for top scientific, cultural, legal and medical talent valid for up to five years, permitting stays of 30 days per visit in Hong Kong or Macao. Companies say the move will slash processing times from several weeks to a matter of days and help them rotate senior staff more flexibly between mainland R & D centres and Hong Kong headquarters.
![China unveils 10 new immigration facilitation measures, expanding talent endorsements to Hong Kong]()
The circular also introduces bespoke measures for the Shenzhen Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone. Mainland researchers working in the zone can obtain a three-year, multiple-entry permit for travel to Hong Kong without having to present separate “talent certificates”. Start-ups are exempt from proving tax records in their first year when filing for cross-border business trips, while key high-tech firms receive priority processing.
For global mobility managers, the package signals Beijing’s determination to knit Hong Kong even more tightly into national innovation strategies. Multinationals operating dual entities on both sides of the boundary will gain predictable travel privileges for expatriates and mainland staff alike, reducing compliance risk. The measures also dovetail with Hong Kong’s own Top Talent Pass and expanded visa-free short-term entry scheme, creating a denser ecosystem of fast-track options for executives, visiting researchers and conference speakers.
Practically, companies should update assignment policies to reflect the longer validity and wider geographic scope of the endorsements, and align internal HR systems to capture endorsement expiry dates. Travel teams are advised to brief employees that each stay in Hong Kong remains capped at 30 days; those needing longer assignments must still apply for an employment visa.
The headline change is the widening of the talent-endorsement system—previously limited to Beijing, Shanghai and the original Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area pilot—to the entire Yangtze River Delta, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei cluster and all 21 free-trade zones. Qualified employers can now secure multiple-entry exit-endorsements for top scientific, cultural, legal and medical talent valid for up to five years, permitting stays of 30 days per visit in Hong Kong or Macao. Companies say the move will slash processing times from several weeks to a matter of days and help them rotate senior staff more flexibly between mainland R & D centres and Hong Kong headquarters.
The circular also introduces bespoke measures for the Shenzhen Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone. Mainland researchers working in the zone can obtain a three-year, multiple-entry permit for travel to Hong Kong without having to present separate “talent certificates”. Start-ups are exempt from proving tax records in their first year when filing for cross-border business trips, while key high-tech firms receive priority processing.
For global mobility managers, the package signals Beijing’s determination to knit Hong Kong even more tightly into national innovation strategies. Multinationals operating dual entities on both sides of the boundary will gain predictable travel privileges for expatriates and mainland staff alike, reducing compliance risk. The measures also dovetail with Hong Kong’s own Top Talent Pass and expanded visa-free short-term entry scheme, creating a denser ecosystem of fast-track options for executives, visiting researchers and conference speakers.
Practically, companies should update assignment policies to reflect the longer validity and wider geographic scope of the endorsements, and align internal HR systems to capture endorsement expiry dates. Travel teams are advised to brief employees that each stay in Hong Kong remains capped at 30 days; those needing longer assignments must still apply for an employment visa.
