Hong Kong working permit

HK Work Permit Services
Shenzhen hotline: 86-755-82147392 Email：info@citilinkia.com

The most common way a Western executive will work in Hong Kong is through an internal company transfer. Arranging a Hong Kong work visa not a formality. The Hong Kong Immigration Department will still want to know why an expat is being granted a Hong Kong visa in at the expense of offering a local resident employment. Whether you are being transferred to Hong Kong or are an overseas hire, the employer will have to submit a Hong Kong work visa application and supporting documents, including the CV of the person being transferred. They may also need to show a copy of the local job advertisement and the CVs of the local candidates who were rejected for the advertised position.

Should you be transferring to, or joining a company that is already established in Hong Kong please see our Orientation page for assistance in making your Hong Kong work visa application.

Hong Kong Work Visa

When granted a visa, place the sticker in your passport so it can be validated on entry to Hong Kong
Companies opening an office in Hong Kong and those already trading here attract many foreign workers. Hence, the Immigration authorities tend to exercise some discretion in awarding approvals for a Hong Kong work visa. Many visitors holding a foreign passport can enjoy a Visa-free visit of 14 to 180 days, but visitors are not allowed by law to take up employment (paid or unpaid), to establish or join in any business, or to enter school as a student.All non-Hong Kong residents wanting to work in Hong Kong will require a Hong Kong work visa. Whilst there are no documented qualifying criteria, when considering an application, the Immigration 

Department will usually examine several key areas:

Higher level educational background: a graduate degree and above would be preferable.
Relevant experience that is deemed to be in short supply in Hong Kong.
Reasonable salary level; a guide of US$40,000 per year is considered reasonable.
How beneficial the individual is to Hong Kong’s economy, trade and industry.
That a local or resident worker could not fill the position.
How the expatriate can benefit the local workforce (e.g. training).
Don’t work in Hong Kong without a working visa!

If an individual is not permitted to work in Hong Kong (by virtue of being a permanent resident, for example), the employer has to apply for a work permit for the individual. If the employer gives employment without first obtaining a working visa for that individual, the employer commits an offense and may be liable to a maximum fine of HK$350,000 and three years’ imprisonment. If the worker arrives as a Visitor (even with an application for a work visa pending) they are still a visitor. If they start work, the Visitor is breaching their conditions of stay. Working (paid or unpaid) in Hong Kong without approval from the Immigration Department, where such approval is required may result in the offender being liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for 2 years.

From the submission of a Hong Kong visa the application can take 6-8 weeks to process. If Immigration needs to make further inquiries it may take longer. Those inquiries may be about you or the sponsoring company, if for example they are newly incorporated or have a high proportion of their workforce as sponsored workers. Once your Hong Kong visa is granted, Immigration will send you a sticker to put into your passport which needs to be validated on entry to Hong Kong. It is that validation that activates your Hong Kong visa. If you are already in Hong Kong you will need to take a ferry to Macau for the day so you can re-enter Hong Kong and validate your Hong Kong visa.

A Hong Kong work visa is typically granted for a period of 6-12 months. Extensions are typically given in 2-year increments up to the point where the worker has accrued seven consecutive years of employment. The worker can then apply for Permanent Residency (a Permanent ID Card), which means you no longer need to be sponsored for a Hong Kong visa.

If a worker leaves the employment of their sponsor, the new employer will re-sponsor the worker whilst they are working out their notice. This usually takes 2-3 weeks. If Immigration needs to make further inquiries it may take longer.

Hong Kong Dependent Visa

Whilst workers are sponsored by their employer, dependents are sponsored by the worker. A worker can sponsor their spouse and their children, up to the age of 18 for a Hong Kong Dependent visa. As holders of a Hong Kong Dependent visa, spouses are currently allowed to take up work when sponsored by their legal spouse, although these arrangements are changeable.

Please see our Orientation page for assistance in applying for Hong Kong dependents visa for your married spouse and children.

Unmarried spouses may not be recognized as legal spouses by the Hong Kong Immigration Department. In these circumstances the spouse should consider obtaining a visa independently of their partner in another category, (e.g. quality migrant scheme, capital investor or student) or applying for a Prolonged Visitor Visa.

Contact Us
For further queries, please do not hesitate to contact ATAHK at anytime, anywhere by simply calling China hotline at 86-755-82148419, 86-755-82143512, or emailing to info@citilinkia.com