A photo shows the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, a mega sea-crossing project, in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Aug 18, 2022. [Photo/IC]

Promoting cross-border practices in more professional fields and mutual recognition of professional qualifications would be of great importance to increasing the flow of talent in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, according to an official with the human resources authorities in Guangdong province.

"We hope to work with Hong Kong and Macao authorities to expand the effect on rules convergence by relaxing the practice threshold and strengthening cross-border cooperation of social security services," said Yang Hongshan, deputy director of Guangdong Provincial Human Resources and Social Security Department.

Yang made the remarks during a conference on the high-quality development of talent services in the Greater Bay Area, which was held in Guangzhou, the Guangdong provincial capital, on Monday.

There are more than 200,000 Hong Kong and Macao residents working in Guangdong, with over 3,000 professionals having obtained qualifications on the mainland, according to the Guangdong provincial human resources authorities.

Additionally, over 1,500 people from the two special administrative regions have applied for entry examinations for public institutions in the Greater Bay Area, and more than 300,000 people have benefited from pension, unemployment and work-related injury insurance in Guangdong.

"We will introduce more services in employment and entrepreneurship, providing more opportunities and creating better conditions for Hong Kong and Macao residents, especially young people, to grow with the development of the Greater Bay Area," said Yang.

According to Yang, Guangdong has already built a youth innovation and entrepreneurship incubation system, helping incubate nearly 4,000 Hong Kong and Macao-invested projects and create jobs for about 5,500 Hong Kong and Macao residents.

Special internship programs from Hong Kong and Macao will be greatly supported by Guangdong human resources authorities, which will provide more attractive and competitive internship positions for young people from the SARs.

"We will support Hong Kong and Macao education, medical and other scientific research and innovation institutions to set up postdoctoral research platforms in Guangdong, helping recruit and train postdoctoral students," said Yang.

Jointly building a number of world-class technical colleges, training bases and vocational skills training institutions is also highly anticipated.

During the conference, officials from the human resources authorities of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao introduced their latest talent policies, vowing to further facilitate talent exchanges and cooperation in the Greater Bay Area.

Chan Kwok-ki, chief secretary for the administration of the Hong Kong SAR, said a new move allowing multiple-entry endorsement to Hong Kong and Macao for talented individuals working in certain sectors in the Greater Bay Area would help facilitate scientific research and academic exchanges for talent in the area and promote the construction of the GBA.

Starting on Monday, candidates will be able to apply for entry ranging from one to five years, depending on the eligibility category they fall under, according to the National Immigration Administration.