Professionals and talented persons play different but complementary roles that enhance the economic development of Hong Kong. Talented persons focus more on innovation and research whereas professionals help to attend to a firm's immediate requirements. The Admission of Mainland Professionals Scheme was introduced on June 1, 2001. The scheme is sector specific with the objective of attracting qualified Mainland professionals to work in Hong Kong in order to meet local manpower needs and enhance the HKSAR's competitiveness in the globalised market. A candidate for the scheme must be a qualified professional with skills or knowledge of value to Hong Kong but not readily available, or in short supply, locally. Initially, only those engaged in the information technology (IT) and financial services sectors are eligible to apply. To cope with the changing needs of the knowledge-based economy and local enterprises, the Government is reviewing the scheme to see if other sectors should be covered.

    Since the inception of the scheme, a total of 268 applications have been approved — 158 for persons engaged in IT and 110 for persons in the financial services sector.