Annual expenditure on talents: 2.5+ billion yuan ($397 million)

Over the course of five years, more than 2.5 billion yuan ($397 million) annually will be invested to bring talented people to work and live in Zhuhai. Over 1 billion yuan ($159 million) of that amount is budgeted by the city government and the rest is coming from various district financial appropriations.

The Talent Program presents specific scenarios so that enterprises and talents can determine for themselves how much they can qualify for. Top-notch talents such as academicians of Chinese Academies of Science & Engineering who launch startups or innovations in Zhuhai will be granted 2 million yuan ($317,000) and a housing subsidy of 6 million yuan ($952,000). Their projects will be backed individually by policies and funds.

First-, second-, and third-tier high-caliber personnel can each receive an integrated subsidy of 3.3 million yuan ($524,000), 2.3 million yuan ($365,000), and 1.6 million yuan ($254,000) respectively. Likewise, fourth- and fifth-tier talents will secure relative sums that integrate the award, housing cost, privileged housing provident funding, and more.

Zhuhai Talent Program released [Photo by Zhao Zi / Zhuhai Daily]

Innovative entrepreneurial team: 100 million yuan ($15.8 million)

Up to 100 million yuan ($15.8 million) will be presented to each innovative entrepreneurial team fitting into the city's strategic emerging and future industries, and half of the sum will be granted to each of the most promising ones. Meanwhile, high-caliber personnel-headed startups will obtain a maximum 2 million yuan ($317,000) each.

Zhuhai-filed team projects listed in the Guangdong Pearl River Talents Plan will be subsidized at the same level as the province provides, with a maximum of 100 million yuan ($15.8 million).

Furthermore, technically skilled and multi-skilled personnel holding the Chinese Skills Award (the chief honor the Chinese government grants to technical workers) are defined as highly skilled talents. Those titled Zhuhai Craftsman or Zhuhai Chief Technician will be granted a work subsidy of up to 600,000 yuan ($94,911) and corporate award of 300,000 yuan ($47,456) each. Moreover, contestants and their coach teams winning international, national, or provincial contests will be rewarded a maximum 1 million yuan ($158,000). Studio for Skill Master, Technicians Workstation, and those holding similar certifications will also be subsidized.

Bachelor's degree holder: 26,000 yuan ($4,115); master's degree holder: 38,000 yuan ($6,013)

Before they are employed, those holding a full-time bachelor's degree or above can apply for a Zhuhai hukou (household registration status) upon presentation of a diploma and relevant materials within three years of graduation.

Newly recruited fundamental talents will be provided with living and rent allowances for two years. Full-time college grads under age 30 and technicians younger than 40 will be granted 26,000 yuan ($4,115) each, whereas full-time postgraduates under 35 years old and senior technicians under 45 will be given 38,000 yuan ($6,014) each. Zhuhai's subsidies for college graduates and postgraduates are among the best in the country.

To encourage innovation and entrepreneurship among young people, Zhuhai offers housing subsidies of 350,000 ($55,401) to newly recruited technical talents with Senior Professional Titles aged below 45, and 250,000 yuan ($39,572) to those with Sub-Senior ones aged below 40. The government will selectively support projects by overseas and domestic youth entrepreneurs with subsidies ranging from 150,000 ($23,742) to 1 million yuan ($158,278). An allowance of up to 5 million yuan ($791,390) will be granted for outstanding projects.

Meanwhile, Zhuhai will raise the subsidy for youth talents engaged in scientific and technological R&D, and operation and management from 60,000 yuan ($9,497) to 200,000 yuan ($31,655).

The policy also allocates a living subsidy of 250,000 yuan ($39,572) for newly employed full-time PhD-holders under age 40. Those still working at postdoctoral research stations will receive 200,000 yuan (31,655) annually in living allowances, while those who stay on to work in Zhuhai after leaving the station will obtain a housing allowance of 500,000 yuan ($79,152).

China's first: 50 percent of property ownership to be granted

Zhuhai offers a variety of options for newly imported talent, including financial subsidies, residence with joint property rights, talent apartments, and privileged provident fund loans. The city also intends to establish a Zhuhai Comfortable Housing Group and allocate 30,000 talent apartments to satisfy the demand of talents at all levels over the next five years. 

A rent allowance of 6 million yuan ($949,818) will be granted to each of top-notch talents, including Nobel laureates, winners of the State Preeminent Science & Technology Award, the National Medal of Science, and the like; academicians of the Chinese Academies of Sciences & Engineering; and outstanding talent or team leaders with the Thousand Talents Plan.

Meanwhile, 2 million-yuan ($316,606) in rent allowance will be presented to first-tier talents. This includes entries of the long-tenure or high-grade foreign expert projects with the Thousand Talents Plan; young and middle-aged experts with outstanding contributions; prestigious professional technical personnel; masters of Chinese Medicine; chairpersons or presidents, CEOs or CTOs of headquarters of Fortune Global 500 or Top 500 Enterprises of China; founders of Unicorn companies; winners of international or national awards; and the like.

Moreover, rent allowances of 1.4 million yuan ($221,624) will be granted to second-tier talents, including State Council Special Allowance Experts, technological innovation leading personnel, finance talents, high-end elite management personnel, and outstanding youths of the Guangdong Pearl River Talents Plan. And, 1 million yuan ($158,303) will be allocated to third-tier talents, such as national leading figures in intellectual property; highly skilled technicians; main leaders of teams winning the China Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition and other national and provincial awards, and more.

Talent apartments are also available as an alternative. Top-notch talents can choose to live in a 200-sq-m (2,153-sq-ft) apartment and acquire ownership rights once they have worked in the city for eight years. First-, second-, and third-tier talents can apply for apartments of 160 sq m (1,722 sq ft), 120 sq m (1,292 sq ft) and 100 sq m (1,076 sq ft) respectively with joint property rights. They can obtain 50 percent ownership from the government once they have worked in the city for 10 consecutive years, which until now has been unheard of in China.

Fourth- and fifth-tier talents can also apply for housing with joint property rights, talent apartments, or government public rentals based upon their category and level. Generally, preferential housing policies provided to talents by Zhuhai are among the best in the nation.

According to the new policy, high-caliber talents who intend to purchase their first apartment in Zhuhai using their provident fund loan can obtain a commitment four times higher than the municipal limit.

Multifaceted assessment for talent

Accreditation of high-level and excellent young talents will be accomplished through a multi-assessment system that relies on the Zhuhai Talent Classified Catalogue as well as expert recommendation, selection within enterprises, and professional review. The opinions of principle market players are considered to supplement expert recommendations, which formerly was the only means in the original evaluation model.

Also pioneering is the automatic identification of winners of innovation and entrepreneurship competitions, both domestic and international, as high-level talents.

Those who take effective initiative in recommending and attracting talents and promoting policies will be rewarded a maximum 1 million yuan ($158,000), based on the results. Outstanding talents and leading corporate senior executives in various circles, industry associations, social organizations, and overseas talent workstations are all encouraged to play an active role in bringing more talent to the city.

Energetic support for talent development in Hong Kong, Macao

Hong Kong and Macao talented personnel who come to work in the city are offered new incentives in terms of housing, child schooling, and healthcare -- all equal to that of locals.

Newly recruited talent from Hong Kong and Macao with bachelor's degrees or above are also eligible for rent and living allowances. In addition, Hong Kong and Macao employees working in the Guangdong Pilot FTZ Hengqin Area are exempt from work permit requirements and will be subject to the tax policies of the regions from which they come. Holders of vocational qualification certificates in finance, planning, accounting, education, and healthcare will find it both relatively easy and convenient to build a career in the FTZ.

The families of high-level talents are also guaranteed high-quality medical security services and their children will have access to first-class schools in the area. Many other advancements have been made in public services to improve the living experience of beneficiaries.