The Chief Executive of the Hong Kong SAR, John Lee, delivered a new Policy Address announcing a relaxed threshold under the Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (CIES): where an applicant counts a residential property toward the required investment, the price threshold is lowered from HK$50 million to HK$30 million.
Launched in March 2024, the CIES allows applicants to apply for Hong Kong residence by investing at least HK$30 million in permissible assets. The adjustment lowers the price threshold at which residential property counts toward the investment, and is widely read as a further signal of Hong Kong’s determination to attract ultra-high-net-worth families from around the world.
Implications for Chinese Families
For Chinese families planning cross-border asset allocation and residency arrangements, the relaxed CIES threshold makes the combined Hong Kong package of “asset allocation + residency planning + family office establishment” more flexible. The Institute advises interested families to assess the tax and compliance implications of the overall structure with professional advisers in light of the latest policy details.