A merit-based, no-quota route for skilled professionals — assessed honestly, prepared properly, coordinated through authorised channels. No investment. No sponsor needed to apply.
Last updated: June 2026 — reviewed against Hong Kong Immigration Department (IMMD) settings, official page as of 16 April 2026.
Free QMAS Assessment — General Points Test (the reformed 12-criteria route) and the Achievement-based route. Open to skilled professionals of all nationalities meeting the criteria.
Get Assessment| Hong Kong Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS) | |
|---|---|
| Governing authority | Immigration Department (IMMD), Government of the Hong Kong SAR |
| Programme type | Merit-based residence & work route (no investment, no sponsor required to apply, not a citizenship route) |
| Quota | No quota — removed and continuing from 2026 onwards |
| Route 1 — General Points Test | True/False questionnaire of 12 criteria across six aspects (age, academic qualifications, language, work experience, annual income, business ownership); meet at least 6 of 12 to apply |
| Route 2 — Achievement-based | Award of exceptional achievement (e.g. Olympic medal, Nobel prize) or peer-acknowledged significant contribution to your field |
| Core prerequisites | Age 18+; able to support self and dependants; clean criminal/immigration record; good language ability; generally a recognised first degree (or, exceptionally, equivalent qualifications + proven experience) |
| Initial stay | 36 months (General Points Test), then typically 3+2; 8 years (Achievement-based) |
| Talent List | 60 shortage professions (updated 1 March 2025) — meeting one gives favourable consideration under the General Points Test |
| Permanent residency | Right of abode possible after not less than 7 years' continuous ordinary residence (conditional) |
| Our coordination fee | [fees confirmed after assessment] |
| As of | June 2026 (IMMD page as of 16 April 2026) |
We assist applicants based in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Doha, Kuwait City, Muscat, Manama, as well as across India and Sri Lanka. QMAS is open to skilled professionals of all nationalities, which makes it a realistic fit for degree-holders and experienced specialists who want a Hong Kong base without needing a job offer first.
Our role is to convert the official rules into a clear, executable plan — and to tell you honestly whether your profile clears the bar before you spend anything.
Yes — QMAS is open in 2026 and running selection exercises on a regular basis, per the Hong Kong Immigration Department, and there is no annual quota. The cap that once limited approvals was removed, and the no-quota policy continues from 2026 onwards, so the number of available places no longer constrains eligible applicants.
Here is the part that matters: "no quota" is not the same as "automatic approval." It means a numerical ceiling is no longer the bottleneck — your own profile is. Applications are still assessed on merit, case by case, against Hong Kong's evolving talent needs. The removal of the cap helps strong files; it does nothing for weak ones. We tell you which you have in the first session. Find out where you stand — free assessment.
Since 1 November 2024, the General Points Test is a True/False questionnaire of 12 assessment criteria across six aspects — age, academic qualifications, language proficiency, work experience, annual income, and business ownership — per the Hong Kong Immigration Department. You must meet at least 6 of the 12 criteria to be eligible to submit an application.
The old system — a maximum of 245 points with an 80-point pass mark — has been retired, so any guidance still quoting "80 out of 245" is out of date. Clearing the 6-of-12 threshold lets you apply; it does not guarantee selection, which remains merit-based with preference to those meeting more criteria. We map your 12 criteria honestly and show you where to strengthen the file. Message us on WhatsApp to talk through your numbers privately.
The Achievement-based Points Test is the second QMAS route, reserved for applicants with an award of exceptional achievement — such as an Olympic medal or a Nobel prize — or a peer-acknowledged significant contribution to their field, per the Hong Kong Immigration Department. It is a narrow, high-bar route, and successful Achievement-based entrants receive an initial stay of 8 years.
For most professionals, this route will not apply — and that is fine, because the General Points Test is the mainstream path. The honest filter is simple: if you would struggle to name an internationally recognised award or a widely acknowledged contribution, the 12-criteria General Points Test is your route. We will not push anyone toward a door they cannot realistically open. Have us confirm your route — free assessment.
Yes. Hong Kong's Talent List covers 60 professions facing local shortages — updated on 1 March 2025 to add nine new roles across financial services, innovation and technology, legal, and aviation and shipping. Meeting a Talent List profession gives immigration facilitation and favourable consideration under the General Points Test, per the Hong Kong Immigration Department.
In plain terms, a Talent List match is a genuine advantage — it signals that Hong Kong actively wants your skill set. It does not replace the 6-of-12 threshold, but it strengthens an otherwise borderline file and can tip a merit decision in your favour. We check your profession against the live list before building any plan around it. Message us on WhatsApp to check your occupation.
Cosmos Immigration provides structured eligibility assessment, documentation preparation and case management for the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme. Applications are prepared and submitted through government-authorised channels and regulated legal practitioners within our professional network; Cosmos coordinates the eligibility assessment, documentation and case management end to end. This is a residence and work route administered directly by the Hong Kong Immigration Department — there is no investment requirement and no sponsor is needed to apply.
Under the General Points Test, QMAS grants an initial 36-month stay, followed by a typical 3+2 extension pattern, per the Hong Kong Immigration Department. High earners — broadly those with annual income at or above around HK$2 million after two or more years — can receive a longer 5-year extension. Achievement-based entrants instead receive an initial 8-year stay.
The nuance worth understanding early: the initial visa gets you in, but each extension still depends on your continued contribution and residence in Hong Kong. We plan the extension and residency story from day one, so the route stays open rather than closing on a technicality at renewal.
All criteria and figures are set by the Hong Kong Immigration Department and are subject to change.
Criteria and figures are set by the relevant governments and are subject to change; verified against official sources as of the date shown.
"No quota" does not mean automatic approval. Removing the cap took away one bottleneck — the numerical limit — but every QMAS application is still assessed on merit, case by case, by Hong Kong Immigration. Meeting the minimum 6-of-12 criteria only allows you to submit; it does not, on its own, secure selection.
What this means for you: the route is genuinely open and the reform is favourable, but the decision rests on the strength of your profile against Hong Kong's evolving talent needs — preference goes to those meeting more of the 12 criteria. We won't promise an outcome that no one can promise. What we do is assess your file honestly, show you exactly where it sits against the criteria, and tell you whether QMAS is worth pursuing now or worth strengthening first.
QMAS is a Hong Kong residence and talent visa, not a second citizenship. Because nothing here grants another nationality, Indian nationals retain Indian citizenship — there is no renunciation issue and no effect on OCI status. Indian degree-holders and high-earning professionals are squarely in scope, and the 2024 language reform — proficiency in two languages, with no mandatory Chinese — removed a barrier that previously held back many Indian applicants.
One reminder on timing: the right of abode (permanent residency) only becomes available after not less than 7 years of continuous ordinary residence in Hong Kong, so QMAS is a long-term route rather than a quick switch of status.
This is general information, not financial, tax, or legal advice. Confirm your own citizenship, OCI and tax position with a qualified professional before making relocation decisions.
← View all skilled & talent visa pathways on the hub page.
No. QMAS is a merit-based route and does not require a job offer or a sponsor to apply, per the Hong Kong Immigration Department. You qualify on your own profile — either by meeting at least 6 of the 12 General Points Test criteria, or through the Achievement-based route. You are free to seek and take up employment once admitted.
Since 1 November 2024, the old maximum 245 points with an 80-point pass mark is retired. The General Points Test is now a True/False questionnaire of 12 criteria across six aspects — age, academic qualifications, language, work experience, annual income, and business ownership — and you must meet at least 6 of the 12 to apply. Any source still quoting 80/245 is out of date.
It can, but it is conditional. A holder who has ordinarily resided in Hong Kong continuously for not less than 7 years may apply for the right of abode — permanent residency — per the Hong Kong Immigration Department. The 7 years must be genuine, continuous ordinary residence, so it depends on actually living and contributing in Hong Kong; it is not automatic.
No. QMAS is a residence and talent visa, not a second citizenship, so it does not require renouncing Indian citizenship and does not affect OCI status. There is no passport-surrender issue, because no other nationality is being acquired. The 2024 language reform — proficiency in two languages, no mandatory Chinese — also removed a barrier for many Indian applicants. This is general information, not legal advice.
No. "No quota" means there is no numerical cap on approvals, not that approval is automatic. Every application is still assessed on merit, case by case, by Hong Kong Immigration, with preference to those meeting more of the 12 criteria. Meeting the minimum 6-of-12 threshold lets you submit; it does not, on its own, guarantee selection.
Cosmos Immigration is a regulated immigration consultancy founded in Dubai in 2014, working through CICC-, MARA- and IAA-registered professionals, with offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Hyderabad and Oakville. For the Hong Kong Quality Migrant Admission Scheme, applications are prepared and submitted through government-authorised channels and regulated practitioners within our professional network, while Cosmos coordinates eligibility assessment, documentation and case management. We are not a government agency and do not provide legal representation outside the jurisdictions in which our professionals are registered. Don't take our word for it — ask us how to verify any credential on the relevant public register. Verify Our Credentials
Cosmos Immigration is a private consultancy, not a government body. Program criteria and figures are set by the Hong Kong Immigration Department and are subject to change; verified against official sources as of the date shown.
Start with a free assessment, not a sales pitch — or message us on WhatsApp. We'll tell you honestly whether QMAS fits — even if the answer is "not yet."
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