Limited Time Offer – Save HKD 2,000 on Company Formation Registration Fees in Hong Kong

Good News! Sleek will help jumpstart your new business by covering the new HK government Business Registration Fee. Terms & Conditions apply

Days

Hours

Mins

Secs

Resources

For employers & employees: Work visas in Hong Kong

5 minute read


Hong Kong is an excellent destination to work. You may be eligible for a work visa in Hong Kong if you possess the right combination of skills, experience and qualifications. The Hong Kong government takes interest in work visa applications that look promising enough to contribute to the local economy and society.

Before applying for a Hong Kong work visa, it is crucial to get an offer letter from a company based in Hong Kong. According to the Hong Kong Immigration Department, you should not work in Hong Kong before obtaining a work permit but that does not mean you cannot travel to Hong Kong without obtaining a work visa. You can travel to Hong Kong as a visitor to look for job opportunities. While living in Hong Kong, you can apply for a work visa.

Hong Kong issues work permits under several schemes, depending on the suitability and eligibility as follows:

  • General Employment Policy (GEP)
  • Investment as Entrepreneurs
  • Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals (ASMTP)
  • Technology Talent Admission Scheme
  • Capital Investment Entrant Scheme
  • Training
  • Foreign domestic helpers
  • Imported workers

Among the schemes, our clients usually fall under the GEP or Investment as Entrepreneurs.

Eligibility requirements – GEP

You can apply for a work permit in Hong Kong under GEP if:

  • You have a good education qualification, with a relevant degree and experience in the field.
  • You have a clean criminal record
  • You have a job offer
  • The remuneration package offered including income, all benefits, medical and accommodation, is at par with the market level for professionals in Hong Kong.
  • The job vacancy is genuine and the employer presents evidence that the vacancy could not be filled by a local candidate due to unavailability of the required skills.

For employees

An employee must present the following documents for application:

  • Completed application form with a recent photo
  • Copy of Passport with a validity of at least 6 months
  • Proof of academic record such as graduation certificate
  • Proof of relevant work experience

For employers

An employer must present the following documents for application:

  • Completed application form
  • Copy of the business registration certificate
  • Proof of financial standing of the company
  • Copy of the employment contract or letter of appointment including information about the post, remuneration, benefits and employment duration.
  • Documents with details of the company background, such as business activities, operation, products or services, staffing (for company set up more than 1 year)
  • Detailed business plan, with details of estimated capital injection, business activities, expected turnover, proposed creation of local jobs etc. (for company set up within 12 months)

The application process – GEP

  • All necessary documents must be submitted to the Immigration Department in Hong Kong.
  • The Hong Kong Government usually grants work visa for 2 years, which is renewable as long as the person is employed with the same company.
  • The employee must obtain dependent visas for all family members keen to accompany them in Hong Kong.
  • The existing work visa is non-transferable if the employee switches to another job, a new visa must be applied for in that case from the Immigration Department.
  • An employee residing and working in Hong Kong for 7 years can apply for permanent residency.
  • The Immigration Department normally takes 4 weeks to process visa applications and on reviewing the application, they may request additional documents and details to support the application. Hence, the time taken to obtain the visa (if approved) would usually be longer.

Submission of visa application

  • You can submit your visa application to the Immigration Department. You may also do so through the nearest Chinese mission.
  • Visa applications must be mailed or handed personally. The immigration department does not accept visa applications via email or fax.
  • Visa application may be filed through a local sponsor or prospective employer.
  • The processing of work visa application starts after the submission of all relevant documents.
  • Payment of fees should only be made upon collection of visa.

Extension of work visa – GEP

You should apply for an extension of your work visa within four weeks before you complete the approved limit of stay. It is important to present proof of income for salaries tax. You should keep a copy of the latest tax return on salary tax received from the Inland Revenue Department. If you are the company’s sole director and shareholder, you must submit profits tax return. Apart from this, the support of the employer is critical to the extension.

Eligibility requirements – Investment as Entrepreneurs

As you can tell by the name, this scheme is applicable to entrepreneurs who think favourably of HK and having the intention to set up a business in Hong Kong.  Significant amount of investment into the company, in terms of hardware and/or software has to be provided to prove that the applicant can make substantial contribution to the economy of Hong Kong, like:

  • The business supports overall economic development of Hong Kong
  • The amount of capital investment into the company
  • The number of jobs that can be created locally
  • Introduction of new technology or skills

As an owner of business, if you wish to apply for visa under this scheme, do talk to us to find out more.

Ready to grow your business?

Our expert team is here to help you. Explore our incorporation services or contact our team to get personalised advice today.

Start a business in less than 3 hours with us. Talk to our experts today.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Our jam-packed newsletter covers monthly compliance updates, upcoming events and exclusive offers

Other articles that might interest you

Related content

Need help? Let’s have a chat!

NEED TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE?

We'd love to help. Share your contact details and we'll call you back!

WhatsApp Us

Conditions Apply

Before participating in this promotion, you must carefully read and agree to abide by the following terms and conditions.

  1. Eligible Users: To enjoy this offer, customers must register a new company with the specified package (Incorporation with HK Registered Address & company secretary), and purchase tax, audit, or accounting services. Customers will receive a fee waiver of HKD 2,000. This offer is only valid for new incorporation clients once per company and is not available for Incorporation-only clients.
  2. Promotion Period: This promotion is valid until May 31, 2023. Sleek reserves the right to end this promotion at any time without prior notice to customers.
  3. Fees and Payment: Customers must pay the full registration and tax/audit/accounting service fees according to Sleek’s standard payment terms. The HKD 2,000 waiver of government business registration fees will be applied as a discount on the customer’s invoice.
  4. Confidentiality: Sleek shall treat all information provided by the customer as confidential and shall not disclose such information to any third party, except as required by law or with the customer’s consent.
  5. Limitation of Liability: To the extent permitted by law, Sleek shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, or consequential loss or damage arising out of this promotion.
  6. Disclaimer: To the extent permitted by law, Sleek shall not be responsible for any loss or damage arising from the customer’s use of this promotion. Sleek does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, reliability, timeliness, suitability, or availability of the website and its content. Sleek reserves the right to change the website and its content at any time without prior notice to customers.
  7. Cancellation of Orders: If customers wish to cancel an order, they must contact Sleek’s customer service department within 24 hours of submitting the order. Orders cannot be cancelled if they have already been processed.
  8. Links to Third-Party Websites: Sleek’s website may contain links to third-party websites that are not under Sleek’s control. Sleek is not responsible for the content, privacy policies, or practices of third-party websites and does not endorse or recommend them. Customers should carefully read the terms and conditions and privacy policies of any third-party website before using it.
  9.  Accuracy of Registration Information: Customers warrant that all registration information provided is accurate, complete, and up-to-date. If a customer’s registration information changes, the customer should update their account information promptly. Sleek shall not be liable for any loss or damage arising from the customer’s provision of inaccurate or incomplete registration information.
whatsapp icon

Chat with us on WhatsApp from your mobile

qr_code_whatsapp
30 day moneyback guarantee

30 Days Money Back Guarantee

Our refund policy:

We care about you – within 30 days from your purchase, if you’re unhappy with our services, we’ll refund our fee. Email or call us, and we’ll process the refund within five working days.

What it doesn’t cover:

We will not be able to refund Government fees once the application has been submitted, nor any third-party processing fees.

When it applies:

We cannot guarantee any specific legal outcomes when you use our services. For instance, a company registration might be filed correctly but still get rejected by the Company Registry for reasons beyond our control. We can only refund our fees for issues we are directly responsible for. In the case that you purchase a service and later change your mind, we can’t issue a refund.

Our customer support team is at your disposal for any questions or issue you may face.

Need help?

Our sales team is available from Mon - Fri 9am to 7pm (Hong Kong Time)

Let's get in touch

Book a time with our experts to guide you in finding the best solution.