Hong Kong, a strategic location for business, research, and development in the heart of Asia, has been a gateway for people and institutions to set a larger footprint in the region. Known for being a world-class financial hub with institutional mechanisms that foster ease of business and value creation, it has since been home to one of the most vibrant tech ecosystems in the world and has become a hotbed for career opportunities open to international talent.

Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), committed to building up Hong Kong as an innovation and technology (I&T) hub, is instrumental to the dynamism of the tech and startup scene in Hong Kong. The organisation is taking charge of accelerating the ecosystem’s growth through the thousands of tech job opportunities available.

Catalysing innovation and technology

Attracting a diverse pool of global talent, Hong Kong I&T Career Expo 2023 organized by HKSTP  will be offering over 2,700 job opportunities from over 250 companies, of which over 70% welcome foreign talent, making it one of the largest events of its kind in the region. This initiative is part of the Talent Game On 2K23 program, which features a range of hybrid “virtual + physical” events, bringing thousands of tech and non-tech jobs to the fore. 

Various career development opportunities await participating professionals in both tech and non-tech fields at this year’s Career Expo, an all-in-one virtual I&T job-matching platform for employers and job seekers around the globe to connect with each other from March 18 to April 17, 2023.

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The Career Expo has key opportunities in the fields of Software & Communications, Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics, FinTech, BioTech, Robotics and Automation, and  Advance Materials / Electronics & Sensors. These career prospects are open to people of diverse educational backgrounds, from diplomas, and college degrees to post-docs. Participants can look forward to experiencing an all-in-one I&T career platform, one-click job applications, instant video chat and private messaging between employers and talents, and inspirational sharing by tech gurus. 

Benefits of working in Hong Kong’s innovation and tech industry

Companies in the I&T sectors are actively looking for talented individuals to join their teams and help drive innovation and growth. Jonathan Cheung, co-founder and co-CEO of Inovo Robotics, a tech startup at HKSTP that makes collaborative robots at low costs that make it easy for small and medium businesses to integrate them into existing workforce processes and streamline tasks, sits down with e27 to provide insights on the Hong Kong business community’s reception towards foreign talents and the career progression opportunities in the city.

“Hong Kong has a long-standing history of being an international city and community, its businesses and relations are international and it is normal to conduct business with new ideas from foreign companies. There are many new networks, business opportunities, collaborators, investors and corporates that we have connected with in this vibrant community, which has propelled our growth in terms of business and bolstered our position in the wider market. For young talent, there is a lot of opportunity to learn quickly, and be involved in cutting-edge projects and industries because there is a vibrant community with thousands of companies in the city.”

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“There is also a lot of balance between work and life with outstanding facilities, clubhouses, and social gatherings within the Hong Kong Science Park. One new initiative is ‘InnoCell’, which is HKSTP’s accommodation feature close to the campus where my overseas staff have ‘landed’ at. It offers very affordable and flexible living with world-class facilities,” Jonathan added. 

With integrated smart living technologies, the InnoCell offers diverse communal and private living spaces to foster personalised experiences and collaboration among its residents. It is open to founders, mainland and overseas employees at HKSTP, and comprises a vibrant community that shares that same passion for innovation.

Anushka Purohit, CEO and co-founder of Breer Limited, a food upcycling startup that collects unsold, uneaten surplus bread, and uses it to brew local craft beer, is part of the HKSTP community. When asked about her perceptions of the opportunities available for international tech talent in Hong Kong, Anushka shared with e27, “The business community in Hong Kong loves overseas talent! It is the perfect way to hire individuals with amazing skills but also a different perspective — something that is crucial for any and every startup. For young talent, there is immense learning potential because the I&T ecosystem here is so well spread out across disciplines – you will find companies focusing on deep technology, but also companies using said technology to further sustainability, transportation, logistics, designing, social media, and so on.”

She also shared some favourable policies for overseas talent, “the Hong Kong Chief Executive in his latest policy arrangement highlighted the extension of the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG) Visa to two years instead of one, a Visa form that I am extremely familiar with given the number of my friends who are in Hong Kong and working today because of it. The Technology Talent Admission Scheme (TechTAS) will also lift the requirement for tech firms to employ additional local employees while bringing in international talent, making the hiring of overseas talent a simpler choice.”

Building a thriving innovation and tech ecosystem through top talent

Over 20 years since its establishment, HKSTP has built the largest I&T base in Hong Kong with 1,200 tech ventures from over 20 countries and regions. It continues to usher in a booming innovation and tech ecosystem by inspiring current and future generations across diverse backgrounds to engage in these fields.

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The Hong Kong government has endeavoured to attract I&T talents. Its Technology Talent Admission Scheme (TechTAS) has speeded up the processing of applications involving the admission of non-local talent to undertake R&D work in Hong Kong. The launch of the Top Talent Pass Scheme also solidified the government’s commitment to attracting talents worldwide and strengthening its position as home to a world-class innovation and tech ecosystem. This effort has also broadened its industries of focus to include areas like 5G communications, greentech, internet of things, and digital entertainment. 

To learn more about the 2023 Hong Kong I&T Career Expo, visit the website. 

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This article is produced by the e27 team, sponsored by HKSTP

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