Life of Guangzhou - Migrant Scheme Attracts Overseas Talent

Since the Immigration Department's Quality Migrant Admission Scheme's launch in June 2006, attention has focused on Olympic medallists and pianists from the Mainland. In fact, more than a fifth of the successful applicants are from overseas. They bring a wealth of professional skills that contribute to society's more diversified development.

Overseas talents: Soprano Lan Rao and art therapist Jordan Potash have brought their professional skills and experience to Hong Kong.

Art therapist helps local profession grow

Jordan Potash began his career in the US capital of Washington, where he used creative arts to help people express their feelings and overcome emotional difficulties for nearly seven years.

While art therapy as a profession has a 40-year history in the US, it is relatively new in Hong Kong. Jordan relocated here because he saw a need for his skills and experience.

"Life here is so stressed. There is also a certain number of people who don't feel comfortable to talk about their problems due to their cultural values. Through an art-making process they can express their feelings but don't feel embarrassed," he explained.

Flexibility a big draw

Though the need may be great, there is no formal art-therapy training course in Hong Kong. Besides seeing patients through the St John's Cathedral counselling service, Jordan's second mission is to help train local art therapists. He gives lectures at universities during his leisure time, works on a PhD programme in art therapy at the University of Hong Kong and also does volunteer work.

Jordan says the admission scheme allows flexibility, which is attractive to talented overseas professionals.

"Most other places have you get a sponsor, a full-time job or full-time university sponsorships - but nothing that really gives the flexibility of being able to do a little here and a little bit there and then get a full sense of what life is like."

Soprano's teaching dream comes true

The renowned soprano Lan Rao also became a Hong Kong resident through the scheme in July.

When Lan came to Hong Kong from Germany to be a judge in a music competition with over 130,000 participants two years ago, she was moved by Hong Kong people's passion for music.

"I had never imagined that there are so many kids here working so hard to learn music. According to my rough calculation, the proportion of professional singing teachers in the population is tens of times less than that in Germany, which made me think there's a great need for teaching talented youngsters here," Lan said.

Born in China, the gifted soprano was awarded a scholarship and went to study music in Germany when she was 19. She earned a Masters degree at the Music School of Munich and then performed around the world.

Training tomorrow's performers

During two decades of singing for global audiences, Lan dreamed of the day she could return to China, to devote herself to promoting music there. The Quality Migrant Admission Scheme helped her dream come true.

"I have a dream. I want to teach as many people as possible, not only dozens of professional vocalists to win international competitions, but to teach thousands of students and let them know the joys of singing."

Lan became the first "in-house" artist at the University of Hong Kong's School of Professional & Continuing Education. She is mainly responsible for teaching Masters classes and courses for teachers.

School director Enoch Young said Lan helps to train local performing artists to cater for the future needs of the Government's West Kowloon Cultural District.

Up to mid-September, the Immigration Department had received 992 Quality migrant admission applications and approved 238 of them. The department will continue to promote the scheme overseas to attract more talented people to Hong Kong.