BAOSHAN District yesterday announced it will offer a housing subsidy of up to 2 million yuan (US$300,000) each for “top professionals” from either home or abroad.

To get such a subsidy, one would need to be a super talented individual — such as having won a Nobel prize or one of China’s top scientific and technological awards.

If you are a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences or Chinese Academy of Engineering, you are also in with a chance, according to the Baoshan government.

Overseas experts under the central government’s “global experts recruitment programs” will also be considered, along with those who have made “outstanding contributions.”

Eighty percent of the housing subsidy will be covered by district government and the rest will be paid by the employers.

Baoshan’s efforts to lure the brightest and the best comes amid a citywide trend to attract global talent, needed to achieve the city government’s ambition to make Shanghai a national science and innovation hub.

Xuhui, Yangpu and the Pudong New Area have all announced policies to entice highly skilled people.

Baoshan’s housing subsidies boost policies already released by the northern district to support professionals working there as well as to lure more of them to the traditional iron-steel base that is planning an economic transformation.

“Baoshan is striving to become a maritime Silk Road gateway with its cruise industry and needs the support from professionals from across the world,” said Wang Hong, who is the Party secretary for the district.

The “second level” of talent that the district is seeking includes leading scientists from national labs or winners of other major scientific awards who can receive a 1 million yuan housing subsidy.

Those on the next level down — leaders of provincial level science labs or those with the title of “chief technicians” can be subsidized by 200,000 yuan.

Others who can benefit from subsidies include district-level professionals and outstanding young talent in Baoshan, the government announced.