Top talent approved by the Shenzhen government will receive housing subsidies and enjoy other favorable policies, the municipal personnel bureau said on Friday.

Academicians of the Chinese Academy of Science and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, who work in Shenzhen and hold the city’s hukou (permanent residence permits), will each be able to receive up to 2 million yuan (US$292,400) in housing subsidies, according to a new program designed to attract and retain top talent.

The academicians will first receive 600,000 yuan in housing subsidies to buy an apartment, and then they will receive 23,333 yuan each month for the following five years.

According to a report released by the municipal personnel bureau and the labor and social security bureau, the top talent will be categorized by three groups: national and regional-level professionals and reserve professionals. Academicians belong to the first group.

"With an aim to form a talent pool for the city's sustainable development, the government will not only bring in top talent, but also foster specialists of our own," said Lu Tao, vice chief of the municipal personnel bureau.

Apart from the housing subsidies, the government has also offered new incentives for those who have been granted the top talent certificate. The incentives include employment for spouses, education for children and academic research opportunities.

Those who receive national professional awards or make contributions to the core research projects at national, provincial or regional levels can apply to become the city's top talent online. They will be approved by the government after their documents are verified.

According to the new policy released by the city government, State-level talent should be under 60 years old, while regional-level and reserve professionals should be no more than 55 and 40 years old, respectively. Those who are qualified as top talent will not have restrictions based on nationality or hukou.

(Shenzhen Daily December 29, 2008)