Hong Kong
Working Visa

Home / Visa services / Employment visa

According to the Immigration Department, foreigners must possess valid Hong Kong Working visas (also known as Hong Kong employment visas) before undertaking any form of employment, whether paid or unpaid, short-term or long-term, unless they have been awarded a right of abode, a right of land, or an unconditional stay in Hong Kong.

An employment Visa in Hong Kong is a unique Working Visa or Work Permit for Hong Kong that allows foreign nationals and professionals to enter and reside in Hong Kong., as well as legal work here for the duration of the Employment Visa, which is issued by the Immigration Department of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Following the current immigration policy, the Immigration Department of HKSAR gives an unlimited number of Working Visas to foreign professionals each year, so long as they meet all of the requirements outlined below.

Requirements and
Eligibility

Processing
Time

Documents
Required

Requirements and eligibility for Hong Kong
Working Visa

A Hong Kong Working visa applicant must generally meet the following requirements to be considered by Immigration:
  • The applicant must have secured employment or a job offer before submitting a visa application.
  • The applicant for a working visa must not have a history of serious offenses/crimes or security concerns.
  • To qualify for a visa in Hong Kong, a candidate must possess qualifications and relevant work experience that are not readily available in Hong Kong
  • The applicant for an employment visa must also possess a valid employment agreement or contract that specifies the job title, job description, compensation, and contract duration.
  • A person should be placed in a management-level position with market-comparable compensation.
  • The sponsoring organization must be financially sound and healthy.
  • The sponsoring organization must have local personnel and a permanent office location.
  • The employing company must also demonstrate that local candidates cannot fill the position or role being filled.

Processing time for Hong Kong
Working Visa

A Hong Kong Working visa applicant must generally meet the following requirements to be considered by Immigration:
  • To qualify for a visa in Hong Kong, a candidate must possess qualifications and relevant work experience that are not readily available in Hong Kong
  • The applicant for an employment visa must also possess a valid employment agreement or contract that specifies the job title, job description, compensation, and contract duration.
  • A person should be placed in a management-level position with market-comparable compensation.
  • The sponsoring organization must be financially sound and healthy.
  • The sponsoring organization must have local personnel and a permanent office location.
  • The applicant must have secured employment or a job offer before submitting a visa application.
  • The applicant for a working visa must not have a history of serious offenses/crimes or security concerns.
  • The employing company must also demonstrate that local candidates cannot fill the position or role being filled.

Documents required for Hong Kong
Working Visa

A Hong Kong Working visa applicant must generally meet the following requirements to be considered by Immigration:
  • The applicant must have secured employment or a job offer before submitting a visa application.
  • The applicant for a working visa must not have a history of serious offenses/crimes or security concerns.
  • To qualify for a visa in Hong Kong, a candidate must possess qualifications and relevant work experience that are not readily available in Hong Kong
  • The applicant for an employment visa must also possess a valid employment agreement or contract that specifies the job title, job description, compensation, and contract duration.
  • A person should be placed in a management-level position with market-comparable compensation.
  • The sponsoring organization must be financially sound and healthy.
  • The sponsoring organization must have local personnel and a permanent office location.
  • The employing company must also demonstrate that local candidates cannot fill the position or role being filled.

Employment visa
renewal in Hong Kong

When the applicant’s employment visa expires, they may apply for a renewal of the Hong Kong employment visa if they continue to work for the same employer. Under normal circumstances, a three-year extension will be granted.

Even if the applicant’s Hong Kong employment visa has yet to expire, they must apply for a change of sponsorship if they resign and find a new job.

Those with a work permit can request its renewal by submitting the necessary paperwork at least four weeks before their current stay limit expires. The renewal application will only be considered if the applicant continues to satisfy the work permit eligibility criteria outlined in the previous section. Suppose your application to renew your Hong Kong employment visa is successful. In that case, the extension of your stay will typically be granted for a period ranging from two to three years, or it will be proportionate to the length of your employment contract, whichever is shorter.

The holder of a valid employment visa in Hong Kong who wishes to continue their career in Hong Kong may submit an extension or application for renewal of employment visa in Hong Kong, provided that their employment conditions in Hong Kong are also maintained. Typically, the first issued working visa will be valid for 24 months (two years). Applicants are advised to apply for a working visa renewal in Hong Kong four weeks before the current visa expires.

Upon approval of an extension or renewal of a Hong Kong working visa, you will typically be issued a 3-year visa extension visa, which can be obtained through your current employer.
Please note that the Hong Kong employment visa will automatically expire by the passport’s validity period. It is essential to verify the passport’s expiration date before applying for a Hong Kong working visa renewal. If your passport is still valid, you may submit a renewal for a Hong Kong working visa at the appropriate embassy in Hong Kong.

Frequently Asked Questions

In this situation, you must apply for an Employment Visa for your employee. Your application may be considered favorably if you can provide details with proof, such as the applicant’s educational background (who must have at least a bachelor’s degree), experience achievements relevant to the post, a confirmed job offer that is relevant to their academic qualifications or work experience that the local workforce cannot readily fill; and a remuneration package that is broadly commensurate with the prevailing market level for professional positions.

In addition, evidence of the applicant’s employment contract, the Business Registration documentation of the sponsoring firm, and financial standing will be requested. Different case backgrounds would require other supporting documents for proof to keep the applicant from staying and working in Hong Kong.

  • Our visa consultants can help directly interact with the Hong Kong government officer. Our Hong Kong visa agents and experts are highly knowledgeable about the employment visa requirements and the corresponding steps in preparing and presenting the client’s case to the Immigration Department. We offer a free first consultation to evaluate your case in advance and let you know how high the success rate is and the papers you should prepare. This consultation is part of our commitment to providing excellent customer service.
  • HkPro Business Solution is a Visa Agency in Hong Kong. Our company’s visa consultants can help you handle your employment visa applications from start to finish.
  • We are an experienced immigration agency that assists professionals in obtaining a Hong Kong employment visa.

The standard processing period for a Hong Kong working visa application is four to six weeks after submission. A two-year Hong Kong working visa will be issued if the application is approved. The applicant will subsequently be permitted to apply for a Hong Kong resident identification card.

The applicant must apply for and be granted a working visa before entering Hong Kong to begin employment.

Not all types of employment can allow foreign professionals to apply for the Working Visa for Hong Kong, such as:

  • Foreign professionals are offered a permanent role; however, it is on a pure commission-based salary.
  • Part-time employment.
  • Freelancers

The Employment visa under General Employment Policy (GEP) does not directly apply to Chinese residents of Mainland China – they may apply to work under the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionalism (ASMTP). If you need our consultancy advice on using ASMTP, please get in touch with one of our visa consultants via email or direct messaging from this webpage.

No, a work visa cannot be transferred to a different company or sponsoring organization after submitting the first application. If you are planning to switch jobs, you must apply for a change of sponsorship before beginning work for a new company. It violates the law for you to work for another company while still finishing this procedure.

Additional information for working
visa application in Hong Kong

Before beginning work in Hong Kong, the applicant must apply for and be granted an employment visa.

A change of status application from a visiting visa to an employment visa will be affected if an individual arrives in Hong Kong before submitting an employment visa application or is recruited locally and then applies for an employment visa while in Hong Kong. This visa application is significantly more challenging to process, and the applicant must explain why they did not apply for a working visa before entering the country. Therefore, applying for a working visa before entry is prudent.

When an overseas firm wants to transfer an employee to their office in Hong Kong, the application process can be straightforward if the overseas company has been employing the person for some time and the Hong Kong office already has a working relationship with the employee. Imagine that the applicant has only spent a short time working for the company in another country. If this is the case, the application will likely be handled as a “new” rather than an “internal transfer” application. This means that extra justification will be required as to why a candidate from the local area cannot fill the post.

A person allowed to enter Hong Kong as a Visitor may only engage in the following business-related activities: concluding contracts or submitting tenders, participating in trade fairs (except selling goods or providing services directly to the general public), and attending short-term seminars or other business meetings.

Employment Visas are required for foreign workers to enter Hong Kong. The hiring company is required to pay the employee a fixed monthly salary. The Hong Kong Immigration Department will not accept employment visa applications for commission-only, part-time, or freelance work. The offered position should be managerial or supervisory in nature.

Another consideration for an employment visa application is the hiring company’s history. The longer the company’s history and size, the fewer questions about the employment visa application will be asked. For a company that has been in operation for less than 18 months and has fewer than four local employees, the Immigration Department will require a detailed business plan. Also needed will be the personal information of all shareholders, including all ultimate beneficiaries.