Visa programmes offered in other countries have seen varying results.
Before Thailand’s Long-Term Resident visa was introduced, the Thailand Elite project – costing holders between US$17,400 to US$58,000 – was set up to attract foreign talent. According to Fulcrum, the project attracted only about 15,000 visa holders in its 18-year run.
Meanwhile, the Top Talent Pass Scheme in Hong Kong, a programme for those earning more than 2.5 million Hong Kong dollars (US$320,600) a year and for those graduating from the world’s top 100 universities, has fared better.
The scheme saw 49,000 applications approved just five months after its launch in Dec 2022, exceeding the initial target of 35,000. However, nearly 95 per cent of applicants were from mainland China.
Meanwhile, Singapore’s ONE Pass program has received “very positive responses” since its announcement last August,…
