A Guide to Visa Types and Work Permits in Hong Kong

Jump right in:

• Work permits & employment-based visas
• Work visa application process
• Family visa
• Self-employment visas
• How to apply for a visa?
• Residency permits temporary & permanent

Work permits & employment based visas

Getting a job that allows you to move to Hong Kong is usually the trickiest part of getting a Hong Kong visa. However, once you have that settled, the bureaucratic side of getting a work permit or employment visa in Hong Kong is not too complicated.

Types of work visas in Hong Kong

• General Employment Policy (GEP) visa: The GEP visa is open to foreigners with skills Hong Kong needs. No quota, and a degree or strong experience is required.

• Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS): QMAS lets skilled individuals move to Hong Kong without a job offer. Applicants must be qualified, self-sufficient, and pass a points-based assessment.

• **Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS):**This permit is for outstanding professionals and graduates from top universities to obtain a work permit without a job offer.

Work visa application process

If you move to Hong Kong for job-related reasons, you usually need to apply for a work visa under the General Employment Policy (GEP) as it is the most common scheme for foreigners to apply under.

General Employment Policy (GEP) Visa

A visa under the GEP scheme is usually issued only for 2-3 years. In order to be eligible, you must already have a confirmed job offer as you need someone to sponsor you.

Required documents

In your visa application, you have to include a statement by your potential employer describing the open position. When assessing your application, the Immigration Department is likely to rule in your favor if you meet the following requirements:

• You have a graduate degree as well as the necessary professional experience for the position.
• Your salary and other working conditions are comparable to local standards.
• You will contribute to the local economy in general.

When filling the application your employer would have to provide the following documents:

• company background
• business registration
• financial standing: Proof of the company's financial standing, such as audited financial reports.
• employment contract: The company's completed application form (ID 990B) and the employment contract.
• the company also need to prove that they have found no local to fill this particular position.

The last criterion is usually the most difficult to prove, especially if you are recruited directly by a Hong Kong company. Nevertheless, for most applications, the immigration authorities accept the proof they receive.

Some documentation you personally need to submit for this are:

• application form: Completed form (ID 990A).
• passport
• photograph
• proof of overseas residence
• academic & professional qualifications
• work experience: detailed CV and proof of relevant work experience

Once you have been approved for a work visa under the GEP scheme, you are allowed to bring your spouse as well as unmarried dependent children under the age of 18. For this purpose, you should be able to prove that your marriage is genuine. You must also be able to support your family financially and guarantee them a certain standard of living and suitable accommodation. Your spouse may also get a job there without an extra work permit.

Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS) visa

This visa is a merit-based, points-based system designed to attract highly skilled talent without the requirement of a prior job offer. Steps to get this visa:

Step 1: Make sure you qualify, you need to

• be 18–50 years old
• have enough money to support yourself and any dependents (spouse/children under 18) without public assistance
• have a clean criminal and immigration record
• be fluent in English or Chinese (Putonghua or Cantonese)
• hold a good degree (usually a bachelor’s from a recognized university)

Step 2: Pass the points test you can choose one of two routes:

• General Points Test: Points for age, education, work experience, language skills, family background, and special talents. You need at least 80 points out of 245, but the higher your score, the better.
• Achievement-based Points Test: For people with top-level awards (Olympics, Nobel, etc.). If you qualify, you’re in.

Step 3: Apply

• Fill out the main form (ID 981) and dependent form (ID 997) if needed.

• Gather documents:
  * passport(s) * photo(s) * proof of funds * degree certificates * job references * language test scores * marriage/birth certificate * police clearance

• Submit everything online at GovHK or mail it to the Immigration Department.

Step 4: Selection & Approval-in-Principle

• Your application goes into a quarterly selection, ranked by points and Hong Kong’s current needs.
• If shortlisted, you’ll get an Approval-in-Principle letter and be invited for an in-person interview in Hong Kong.

Step 5: Interview & Final Visa

• Go to Hong Kong for your interview and bring original documents for verification.
• If all checks out, you’ll get your QMAS visa as an e-Visa after paying the final fee.

The whole process usually takes 6–12 months, depending on your paperwork and the selection schedule.

Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) visa

The Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) is a new, fast-track visa for high earners and top university graduates. This visa requires no job offer. To apply, you must

• Have a clean record
• cannot be a national from Afghanistan, Cuba, or North Korea

There are three main categories for this visa:

Required documents for applicants include:

• passport
• recent photograph
• degree certificates
• proof of degree qualifications
• proof of work experience
• proof of income (if category A)

Required documents for dependents:

• passport
• recent photograph
• proof of relationship to the applicant

How to Apply: Apply on the GovHK website. Processing takes about 4 weeks with all documents ready.

Why TTPS is great option:

• No job offer required
• You have the freedom to work, switch jobs, or run a business
• You can bring your spouse and kids (under 18), who can also work and study in Hong Kong

Family visa

Professionals that move to Hong Kong for work are allowed to bring dependents along with them. Qualifying dependents are:

• Spouses (same or opposite sex)
• Children under 18 years old

The application will be favoured if:

• There is reasonable proof of genuine relationship between the applicant and the sponsor.
• There is no record to the detriment of the applicant.
• The sponsor is able to support the applicant financially and provide accommodation for them.

When applying for a dependent visa, the applicant has to present the following documents:

• filled out application form (ID 997)
• a recent photograph
• photocopy of their passport
• photocopy of proof of the applicant’s relationship with the sponsor (marriage or birth certificate)

If the applicant has to present a photocopy of Hong Kong, Macao, or Taiwan ID if he holds one.

The sponsor of the dependent has to present:

• filled out application form (ID 997, part B)
• photocopy of their passport
• photocopy of their Hong Kong ID
• photocopy of proof of the sponsors financial situation (bank statements, tax receipts, etc.) *n photocopy of proof of applicant’s housing situation (rental receipts)

Other Visa Options

If you have obtained a degree in Hong Kong, you fall under the so-called Immigration Arrangements for Non-Local Graduates. With this program, you can apply to stay in the city within six months of your graduation. Then your stay will be extended for up to one year and you can look for local employment. You can also change jobs while in Hong Kong, but there are important factors to consider.

Additionally, there are other employment schemes for citizens from the Mainland China, foreign domestic helpers, and low-skilled workers. Special visa categories for training and working holidays may be of interest to younger expats. [See below for details on how to apply for any of these visas](how-to apply-for-a-visa)

Self-employed visas

There is no specific “self-employment visa” or a freelancer's visa for Hong Kong; however, individuals can apply for an entry for an Investment as Entrepreneurs visa. The main requirement to obtain one is proof that your business makes a substantial contribution to the economy. This visa does not include residents from

• mainland China
• nationals of Afghanistan
• nationals of North Korea

The process of getting a self-employment visa

For your application, you have to fulfil the usual criteria of having good educational and professional qualifications. Additionally, you should not have a police record with any serious crimes. As with the standard work visa, you require a sponsor to set up a business in Hong Kong. Your sponsor can be a company or an individual who fits the following requirements:

• at least 18 years of age
• a Hong Kong resident
• acquainted with you

Required documents

In order to support your visa application for a business in Hong Kong, you also have to hand in a number of documents that might include:

• a recent passport photograph
• your passport
• proof of academic qualifications and professional experience
• detailed three-year business plan
• business registration
• background information on business activities
• substantial economic contribution (jobs creation or introduction of new technology/skills.).
• proof of financial sufficiency

You can download the application forms for you (ID 999A) and your sponsor (ID 999B) from the Immigration Department

You can also enter the country under the Capital Investment Entrant Scheme. The eligibility criteria for this visa includes high investments (of at least 30 million HKD (approx. 3,860,000 USD) in personal net assets (which you are willing to invest in Hong Kong) before the visa is granted. Applying for a self-employment visa costs 1,900 HKD (approx. 244 USD) for the application and issuance. You may also need to pay an extra 3,000 HKD (approx. 385 USD) for business registration and other consultation services. [See below for details on how to apply for the visa](how-to apply-for-a-visa)

How to Apply for a visa

Fill out the appropriate application form and attach all the required documents. If your documents are in a language other than English or Chinese, you need to provide a translation. Also, please remember that you need a valid travel document from your home country in order to obtain a visa for Hong Kong.

You can submit your visa application either directly to the Hong Kong Immigration Department , or through the Hong Kong consulate in your country or alternatively the China Visa Application Center. If you are a foreign national and live on the Chinese Mainland, you can submit your visa application online to the Hong Kong Immigration Department or in person to the Immigration Division of the Office of the Hong Kong Government in Beijing.

Visa applications have to be mailed or handed in personally. Alternatively, you can file your application through a local sponsor, such as your prospective employer. Your application can take up to six weeks to process.

Hong Kong visa costs

Residency permits temporary and permanent

If you’re wondering how to apply for a temporary residence permit or eventually become a permanent resident in Hong Kong, the process for both involves obtaining a Hong Kong ID card.

Temporary residence Hong Kong ID

Once your visa is approved, you can apply for a Hong Kong Identity Card. For non-permanent residents who are permitted to stay over 180 days (such as GEP visa holders), the card’s validity typically matches the duration of your visa. You must register in person at any Registration of Persons Office within 30 days of arrival. The Hong Kong ID card is issued free of charge.

Your personal information is stored on the card’s chip. While it mainly serves as an identification document, it can also be used for fast-lane immigration clearance at Hong Kong’s borders and, if you wish, even as a library card for Hong Kong’s public libraries.

Residence for dependents

Dependents that wish to join permanent resident family members in Hong Kong have to meet the same eligibility requirements as the ones joining temporary residents. The application process is also the same. The main difference is that permanent residents are also allowed to bring their parents (over 60 years old) with them as well.

Permanent residence Hong Kong ID

If you are planning on staying in Hong Kong indefinitely, the Permanent Residence Hong Kong ID card is for you. It is a variation of the Hong Kong ID that grants you the so-called “right to abode” that gives you permanent resident’s benefits. That means you have the right to vote in local elections and permission to remain in the country indefinitely without being deported.

The main requirement to obtain the permanent visa in Hong Kong is to have lived in the territories for a continuous period of at least seven years. When applying for permanent residence in Hong Kong, you need to show proof of intention to make Hong Kong your permanent home and have a clean tax record and proof of sufficient income.

How to apply?

You can apply for the card at the Hong Kong Immigration Department by post or online. However you choose to apply, you must be in the country when submitting your Hong Kong permanent resident ID application, otherwise your request for permanent residency will not be processed. The permanent resident application is cost free.