Working In Hong Kong: Employment Visa, Extension, and Change Of Sponsorship

When you are currently living in Hong Kong as a foreigner or expatriate person, and you would want to take up employment, you may apply for a Hong Kong work visa. The documents that are required for your application include the following:

  • You must submit the completed employment visa application form.
  • You must provide a copy of your passport. Usually it is the passport page that displays your passport photo and personal details.
  • When you are personally in Hong Kong, you would have the latest arrival stamp/extension of stay label/sticker on your passport. Provide a copy of this page as well.
  • You must provide a proof of your overseas residence (that is usually from your country of origin) and copies of your academic qualifications/certificates. In some cases, you may have to also submit proof of your relevant experience to the job description.
  • Assume you would already have a HK ID card. So provide a copy of it.

Your employer must act as your visa sponsor. The employing company must provide the following items:

  • Submit the actual application for employing a professional person (who is an expatriate).
  • Provide a copy of the company’s employment contract or letter of appointment. This document must contain information about your position (i.e. the job description), salaries with personal/employee benefits, and the periods of employment.
  • Provide a copy of the business registration certificate of the company.
  • Provide a copy of proof of financial standing of the company. This may be the latest audited financial report, company profit and loss, or profit tax return.
  • Provide some relevant documents that would detail the background of the company including business activities, mode of operation, product ranges, sources and markets, membership of Chamber of Commerce, and more.
  • For the employing company who has been a newly incorporated company in the past 12 months, provide the detailed business plan including information on source of funding, capital injection, nature of business activities, projected turnover, sales volume, gross and net profit in the future upcoming years, expected creation of local jobs, and more.

Some years down the line, you would be required for employment visa renewal/extension. You as a HK work visa holder may apply for renewal. You will have tofill the renewal application four weeks before your expired date of stay. Your renewal application will only be granted if you stillcan meet the employment visa eligibility criteria by the time of your renewal application. When your work visa renewal is approved, your extension of stay will most usually be grantedfor another two years pattern.

After working in the same company for a certain period of time but before the end of the seventh year, and you are into changing to another job i.e. a new employer, it is considered a change of employment and you will need to apply for a new employment visa which is sponsored by your new employer. An employment visa is tied to a specific employer and cannot be transferred. When your new employment visa is approved, you must forfeit your old visa and collect the new visa from the Hong Kong Immigration Department.