The latest data released by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government showed that the population of Hong Kong increased to 7.518 million in mid-2026, an increase of nearly 20,000 people compared to the same period in 2025. The analysis of Hong Kong society suggests that Hong Kong‘s talent-attracting measures have worked well, counteracting the natural decrease in population.
According to Hong Kong’s Wenhui Web site reported on the 19th, data from the Hong Kong Statistics Department showed that from the middle of last year to the middle of this year, Hong Kong recorded 39,800 net immigration of residents (i.e., the number of immigrants exceeded the number of exodus), and of this nearly 40,000 net immigration population, 23,000 people migrated to Hong Kong from the Mainland. Moreover, from the middle of last year to the middle of this years, 50,010 Hong Kong residents died, and 29,700 Hong Kong residents were born, recording a natural decrease of 20,400 people (i.e., deaths exceeded births).
Liang Jianzhang, founder of the Hong Kong Creation Fund, said that low fertility rates are a structural challenge for Hong Kong society as a whole. “How to provide more comprehensive support for young families is a task that we must face together.” Liang Jianzhang said that children themselves are the largest consumer group and are the most investment-worthy “new infrastructure”. Investing in children and families not only directly drives demand, but can also boost confidence in long-term investment. He called for society to take positive action, including providing more flexible work arrangements, increasing childcare subsidies and public care investments, and advancing education system reform.
Despite the recorded natural decrease of 20,400 people, Hong Kong increased by nearly 20,000 people in the middle of this year compared to the same period in 2025. A Hong Kong Government spokesman said this shows that various measures to attract talent and import labor continue to attract people from around the world to Hong Kong, counteracting the effects of the natural decrease in population. According to the data of the Hong Kong Government Immigration Department, applications for various talent entry programmes have never ceased in recent years. Among them, the “High-end Talent Passport Programme” alone received more than 35,000 applications last year, with about 31,000 applications approved. In the first 7 months of this year, the programme received more than 22,000 applications, representing 63.5% of the entire year last year. Hong Kong has become the first choice for the long-term development of many overseas talents. The Director of the Hong Kong Immigration Department, Guo Junfeng, recently revealed that from 2023 to the first half of this year, the Immigration Department has introduced 138 active and retired athletes through the “Excellent Talent Immigration Programme”. He said that, apart from low tax regime, factors such as good law enforcement, convenient transportation and excellent educational standards are all key factors for international talent selection to take root in Hong Kong for the long term.
Zhang Peigang, Member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council and spokesperson for Human Resources for the Civil Development Coalition, said that as times change, the policy of attracting talent needs to be adjusted accordingly. For example, child education is a topic of general concern for newcomers to Hong Kong. Therefore, when allocating degrees, the Hong Kong Government needs to consider how to balance the needs of the children of newcomers and local residents. At the same time, the Hong Kong Government must make suitable arrangements related to clothing, food, accommodation and travel, especially in areas such as housing and healthcare, to retain talent.