Professionals from the Chinese mainland and overseas gathered at a career fair in Hong Kong on Tuesday, seeking work and entrepreneurship opportunities as well as solutions for settling in the city.

The CareerConnect Expo 2024 is being held concurrently with the inaugural Global Talent Summit Hong Kong at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from Tuesday to Wednesday.

The University of Hong Kong staff members were on hand at the exhibition to answer people’s inquiries about education for their children and even for themselves

About 100 public and private organizations from Hong Kong, Macao and Guangdong province have joined the fair to offer job opportunities and services, according to the event’s organizer Hong Kong Talent Engage — a government office set up to seek out talents.

READ MORE: Top firms to join HK’s inaugural Global Talent Summit

A 24-year-old mainland student surnamed Lin visited the exhibition on Tuesday morning with his classmates to explore job opportunities in IT.

Lin studies at Guangzhou’s Sun Yat-sen University, an eligible higher education institutions under the city’s Top Talent Pass Scheme, which means that he can apply for a permit to work in Hong Kong after graduation.

As a final-year undergraduate, Lin said he want to work in Hong Kong because the IT industry is considered as an emerging sector locally. Hong Kong also hosts numerous international companies, which offer many opportunities, he added.

Yuri Pimentel, a 34-year-old Brazilian, arrived in Hong Kong through the Top Talent Pass program recently. Hong Kong’s blend of international connectivity and Chinese culture convinced him to establish a new life in the city, he said.

Kulsum from India will complete her master’s program in Hong Kong this year. The 24-year-old plans to start her career in Hong Kong’s as its open social environment and friendly people here make it easy to integrate into local society.

Sun Hung Kai Properties, a major real estate developer in Hong Kong, set up a booth at the fair to introduce its consultation services on commercial leasing, housing and shopping for newcomers to Hong Kong

She said she hopes her university and the Hong Kong SAR government can organize more job fairs and provide mentoring or training sessions for foreigners like her.

Anthony Michel, a 42-year-old Frenchman, has been living in Hong Kong for seven years. He attended the exhibition to seek advice about creating an IT startup. Michel said he received advice from institutions such as the Science Park and Cyberport on networking and hiring.

The University of Hong Kong staff members were on hand at the exhibition to answer people’s inquiries about education for their children and even for themselves.

Bennett Yim Chi-kin, the university’s director of Undergraduate Admissions and International Student Exchange, said many professionals recognize the international rankings of universities in Hong Kong. For those who come to Hong Kong, their underage children are regarded as local candidates and their tuition fees will be greatly reduced, which is another way Hong Kong can attract talents, Yim added.

Sun Hung Kai Properties, a major real estate developer in Hong Kong, set up a booth at the fair to introduce its consultation services on commercial leasing, housing and shopping for newcomers to Hong Kong.

READ MORE: The young need to cultivate personal traits for jobs

Gao Xinglin, deputy director of the Talent Development Bureau of Guangzhou Nansha Economic and Technological Development Zone, joined his colleagues at a booth in the exhibition.

He stated that Hong Kong is a highly internationalized city with an open environment and numerous advantageous industries, including finance and shipping. The city has also nurtured a large pool of talents, Gao said.

He said that Guangzhou, particularly Nansha, has a strong demand for international talents in various research institutions. He said he hopes cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area can work together to provide more opportunities and create a freer environment to draw talents worldwide.

Contact the writer at amberwu@chinadailyhk.com