Hong Kong is undergoing a quiet but consequential transformation — from a city of temporary postings to one where ambitious people choose to plant roots. Work visas to foreign nationals have more than doubled in five years, drawing not just bankers but founders, educators, and technologists who see in the city a rare convergence: Asia's economic ascent, world-class infrastructure, and a quality of life that rewards staying. What was once a waystation is becoming, for many, a destination.
Hong Kong attracts global talent beyond finance with record work visas
Founders and professionals who choose to build their lives here
Mark
What changed between Lowden's first stint and his return?
Mimi
The opportunities expanded. When he left in 2023, Hong Kong was still primarily a finance hub. Now there's real growth in tech, education, events, recruitment. The city itself is pushing harder into innovation and the Greater Bay Area integration.
Mark
Why would someone choose Hong Kong over Singapore or Shanghai for a long-term move?
Mimi
Connectivity is part of it—direct flights to everywhere you need. But it's also the combination. You get the financial infrastructure, the manufacturing access through the Greater Bay Area, strong IP protection, and a genuinely livable city with good schools and outdoor space. It's not just a job; it's a place to raise a family.
Mark
The rental prices jumped 5 to 8 percent. Isn't that a warning sign?
Mimi
It could be. But the survey data suggests people are willing to absorb that cost because they're planning to stay eight years or more. They're not treating it as temporary. That changes the calculation.
Mark
What does the shift from three-year packages to permanent settlement mean for Hong Kong?
Mimi
It means the city is becoming less transient. You get deeper roots, more investment in community, people learning Cantonese, kids in local schools. It's a different kind of expatriate—one who's building something, not just passing through.
Mark
Is this sustainable? Can Hong Kong keep attracting talent at this rate?
Mimi
That depends on whether the opportunities keep growing and whether the city can manage the infrastructure strain. The numbers are doubling, which is significant. But the survey shows people are committed, not just chasing a trend.
O Pulso
- Work visas issued to foreign nationals surged to 31,278 last year — more than double the figure from five years prior — signaling a structural shift in who is choosing Hong Kong and why.
- The influx is reshaping the city's physical landscape: non-Chinese tenants rose 30 percent year-over-year, rental prices climbed up to 8 percent in premium neighborhoods, and Grade-A office space on Hong Kong Island jumped 4.8 percent in just five months.
- Finance remains a powerful draw as Asia-Pacific capital markets boom, but medical technology founders, fintech entrepreneurs, and education professionals are arriving alongside the bankers, broadening the city's talent base.
- Hong Kong's position within the Greater Bay Area gives innovators rare access — engineering ideas can move toward manufacturable products quickly, backed by capital, IP protection, and proximity to mainland China's vast market.
- A survey of 450 wealthy expats found 74 percent intend to stay at least eight years and 67 percent want to retire there — driven not only by career prospects but by security, healthcare, low taxes, multilingual schools, and a lifestyle that blends urban density with natural escape.
Hong Kong is undergoing a quiet but consequential transformation — from a city of temporary postings to one where ambitious people choose to plant roots. Work visas to foreign nationals have more than doubled in five years, drawing not just bankers but founders, educators, and technologists who see in the city a rare convergence: Asia's economic ascent, world-class infrastructure, and a quality of life that rewards staying. What was once a waystation is becoming, for many, a destination.
Greg Lowden left Hong Kong in 2023, then returned the following year with no plans to leave again. The British communications executive, now regional head for Asia and the Middle East at HSBC, speaks of the city as a place that offers both professional momentum and the kind of life worth staying for. His story has become increasingly common.
Last year, Hong Kong issued 31,278 work visas to foreign nationals — more than double the figure from five years earlier. The arrivals are no longer drawn exclusively from finance. Professionals in education, technology, events management, and recruitment are coming alongside the bankers, and the pressure on the city's rental and office markets reflects it. New non-Chinese tenants rose 30 percent year-over-year, pushing rents up between 5 and 8 percent in desirable neighborhoods.
The city's appeal is rooted in geography as much as policy. Asia is accelerating as the world's economic center of gravity, and Hong Kong sits at its crossroads. Eight out of ten fund management companies now base their Asia operations there. For executives managing multiple markets, the ability to reach almost any regional destination by direct flight is not a convenience — it is a competitive advantage.
Beyond finance, the city is becoming a serious hub for innovation. Harry Chen, founder of a medical technology firm, chose Hong Kong as his global innovation base partly because of its integration into the Greater Bay Area — the world's leading industrial zone — where engineering concepts can move toward manufacturable products with unusual speed. Access to capital, IP protection, research talent, and the mainland Chinese market complete the picture.
Florian Lang, a fintech founder and co-chair of the AI & Fintech Committee of the French Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, sees a generational shift underway. The people arriving now are not on three-year packages — they are founders and professionals building lives. A July survey of 450 wealthy expats confirmed the trend: 74 percent plan to stay at least eight years, and 67 percent want to retire in the city. Security, healthcare, low taxes, and multilingual education draw them in; the lifestyle — compact, walkable, and surprisingly close to nature — keeps them.
Hong Kong now ranks seventh in the Global Relocation Index 2026, evaluated across 192 countries and regions. The ranking reflects something the numbers alone cannot fully capture: a city in the process of becoming, for many people, home.
Greg Lowden left Hong Kong in 2023, but he came back last year with no intention of leaving again. The British communications executive, now regional head for Asia and the Middle East at HSBC, had spent two years in the city before and found it worth returning to. "For me, Hong Kong offers a winning combination – great work prospects and the best outdoor running trails visible from my office," he told Xinhua. His story is no longer unusual. Hong Kong is drawing a different kind of expatriate now—not the three-year contract worker, but the person building a life.
The numbers tell the story. Last year, Hong Kong issued 31,278 work visas to foreign nationals, more than double the figure from five years earlier. These are not all finance people anymore. Professionals in education, events management, recruitment, and technology are arriving alongside the bankers. The influx is visible in the rental market: new non-Chinese tenants increased 30 percent year-over-year, pushing rental prices up between 5 and 8 percent in sought-after neighborhoods. Premium Grade-A office space on Hong Kong Island rose 4.8 percent in the first five months alone.
The city's appeal rests on a particular convergence of factors. Asia is accelerating as the growth center of the global economy, and Hong Kong sits at the nexus. Ben Bennett, chief investment strategist for Asia at Legal & General, notes that the finance industry in particular is expanding across the region. His firm, along with Standard Chartered and UBS, is hiring more staff in Hong Kong as Asia-Pacific capital markets and wealth management boom. For executives overseeing multiple markets, the advantage is simple: you can reach almost everywhere you need to go with a direct flight. Eight out of ten fund management companies now base their Asia operations in Hong Kong, up from two out of ten a year earlier.
But the story extends beyond finance. Harry Chen, founder of a medical technology firm, chose Hong Kong as his company's global innovation hub for reasons that go deeper than office space. As part of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area—the world's leading industrial powerhouse—Hong Kong can transform engineering concepts into manufacturable products in a relatively short timeframe. Add to that access to capital, the Chinese mainland market, strong intellectual property protection, and a large pool of research talent, and the city becomes something more than a financial center. It becomes a place where ideas can become real.
Florian Lang, founder of a fintech firm and co-chair of the AI & Fintech Committee of the French Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, sees a shift in who is arriving. "The French community here will keep growing not with expats on three-year packages, but with founders and professionals who choose to build their lives here," he said. Government-led delegations from southern French cities are visiting with increasing frequency, seeking business and cultural exchanges. The pattern suggests something deeper than a temporary assignment.
A July survey by St. James's Place of 450 wealthy expats living in Hong Kong revealed the staying power: 74 percent said they plan to remain for at least eight years, while 67 percent want to retire in the city. The reasons go beyond career. Security, healthcare, education, and low taxes matter. So does the lifestyle. Lang credits the city's compact layout, which blends dynamic business districts with easy access to nature. "I run and play pickleball more than I ever did in Europe," he said. Bennett, who welcomed a baby boy in July, is drawn to Hong Kong's education system, where children can learn Cantonese, Mandarin, and English simultaneously. The public schools are strong, and international curricula offer flexibility.
Hong Kong now ranks seventh in the Global Relocation Index 2026, a ranking of 192 countries and regions evaluated on financial conditions, livability, safety, and opportunity. The city has moved beyond its identity as a financial waystation. It is becoming a place where people choose to stay.
Citações Notáveis
The French community here will keep growing not with expats on three-year packages, but with founders and professionals who choose to build their lives here.— Florian Lang, fintech founder and co-chair of the AI & Fintech Committee of the French Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong
For me, Hong Kong offers a winning combination – great work prospects and the best outdoor running trails visible from my office.— Greg Lowden, regional head of communications for Asia and the Middle East at HSBC
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Economy & Finance