Hong Kong is among the top business-friendly districts favoring foreign investors’ participation. This comes from its immigration policy which was aimed at allowing immigrants who were businessmen, entrepreneurs, or skilled professionals.
Here, we discuss the summary of the multiple employment and business-related visa programs that are available in Hong Kong.
Under the regular entry strategies for employment, investment, starting a business, and business/work-related purposes, four major visa schemes that apply to Hong Kong are the following:
- Employment Visa – for foreigners who are employed by a Hong Kong employer or company moving to Hong Kong.
- Investment Visa – is designated for foreigners who would like to begin their own business and settle in Hong Kong.
- Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS) Visa – an entrant scheme that uses a quota system for foreigners who wish to settle in Hong Kong and subsequently engage with business setup and also employment opportunities in the region.
- Permanent Residency Visa – for those who have been staying in Hong Kong for seven consecutive years now and wish to consider Hong Kong as their permanent home .
The only non-quota specific visa schemes featured are the QMAS. In other words, to set apart for the visa application, the approval will be influenced by the applicant’s merits not depend on other factors.
Below this paragraph, there are details of each program referred to in this paragraph.
Content Outline
Employment Visa Scheme
The Employment Visa is designed for those people who will work in a Hong Kong company and stay in Hong Kong. However, there is no official quota system that puts a cap on the number of Employment Visas that can be granted to a company. The Employment Visa can only be processed after the person has obtained an employment with any company in Hong Kong.
- Eligibility: The Employment Visa scheme is open to the following individuals:
- Foreigners who have studied or been trained in Hong Kong institutes of higher learning.
- Foreigners who are graduates from abroad and with special skills, knowledge, or experience which are not easy to find in Hong Kong
- Validity: The Employment Visa is typically issued for a one-year period and can be renewed thereafter, provided the applicant continues to meet the eligibility criteria.
- Quota System: There is no quota system for this category; each application is evaluated on its individual merits.
- Permanent Residence Eligibility: Employment Visa holders are entitled to apply for a Permanent Residence Status in Hong Kong upon at least seven years of stay in the country.
Investment Visa Scheme
The Investment Visa is a type of Employment Visa issued to foreign entrepreneurs who seek to move to Hong Kong to establish their own business. An entrepreneur can acquire an Investment Visa and remain in Hong Kong on an employment basis through his or her own company. The authorities do not specify any minimum investment amount when applying for the Investment Visa.
- Eligibility: Foreign investors who want to invest in a business or start their own business in Hong Kong and have a good education background or have good technical skills and have good professional skills and talents and have good achievements and have experience. The applicant has to demonstrate that the business will bring significant growth in the economy of Hong Kong.
- Validity: The Investment Visa is typically issued for a one-year period and can be renewed thereafter, provided the applicant meets the eligibility criteria.
- Quota System: There is no quota system for this category; each application is assessed on its own merit.
- Permanent Residence Eligibility: Holders of an Investment Visa can apply for permanent residence status after continuously residing in Hong Kong for a minimum of seven years.
Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS)
QMAS is an entrant scheme which is applicable to foreigners who may be interested in pursuing job or business opportunities in Hong Kong. This is a quota-based scheme on the basis of points. Those who are successful in their applications must get work or start a business before the visa expires to be allowed to stay in Hong Kong.
- Eligibility: Qualified foreigners who fulfill the requirements (certain conditions), such as having a successful business standing able to support themselves and their family or relative, having an excellent educational background, falling within the age of 18–51 years, are proficient in Chinese or English, and do not have criminal or adverse immigration records, and who are able to pass a point-based test.
- Validity: Visas granted according to the QMAS are mostly good for one year (this period of time is determined by the authorities) and renewable for one more year.
- Quota System: Yes. An annual rate of 1000 candidates according to the current quota.
- Permanent Residence Eligibility: Those immigrants who have obtained their admission via the QMAS can study for their permanent resident status after living in Hong Kong for at least seven continuous years.
Read Understanding The Hong Kong Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS)
Other Relevant Visa Schemes
Hong Kong Training Visa
The Training Visa is issued to foreign persons who want to visit Hong Kong for the purpose of receiving training from a reputable company in Hong Kong for a period of one year at the most. is to obtain special skills and knowledge which are not available in the person’s country or territory of domicile. This entry arrangement alienates other nationalities and Chinese from mainland China except mainland employees and business associates of established and multinational corporations operating in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong Business Visit Visa
The business visit visa exists only for business executives who require conducting business in Hong Kong. Visitors from more than 170 countries and territories are eligible to visit Hong Kong visa free for varying durations from 7 up to 180 days. The pre-travel visa/entry permit application is required in case you fail to fulfill the criteria for visa waiver or wish to stay longer than the visa waiver period.
Those entering Hong Kong on a business visit visa can engage in various business-related activities: Including the finalization of contracts or tender submissions, overseeing the installation/packaging of goods and/or equipment, participation in exhibitions or trade fairs (excluding direct sales to the public), civil proceedings, product orientation, seeking business opportunities, meeting local clients/suppliers and/or attending short-term business meetings/seminars.
Proof of business visit is required like a letter of invitation from a company in the host country or a confirmation from trade bodies regarding participation in trade fairs. Business visit visa holders are not allowed to undertake paid work, set up in business, or become educationally enrolled in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong Travel Pass
The Travel Pass is not categorized as a work visa but rather used to target foreign business executives who need to travel frequently to Hong Kong for work-related reasons. One of the key benefits is the fast immigration process – Travel Pass holders can use the Hong Kong Resident counters in the airport and the automatic immigration clearance system. Hong Kong allows multiple entries during the validity of the Travel Pass with a maximum permissible duration of stay at two months on each visit.
- Eligibility: Frequent business travelers possessing valid passports and satisfying the criteria for the Hong Kong visit without a visa and entry permit are able to apply for a Travel Pass. This depends on the criteria that the applicant has emphasized that he needs to go to Hong Kong frequently for a short time, and whether he has stayed in Hong Kong during visits three or more times in the past 12 months or has been there for vacation by the other criteria (visits to the Mainland of China and region of Macau).
- Validity: The travel pass has a validity period of 3 years and gives a straight entry to Hong Kong on a visit-premise basis each time visit for up to two months.
- Quota System: No. The score for every application would be regarded individually.
- Permanent Residence Eligibility: This is not eligible.
Permanent Residence
After successfully obtaining the work visa through the employment for professionals scheme and having resided in Hong Kong for seven consecutive years, the foreign national can apply for Hong Kong Permanent Residence which is locally referred to as “Right of Abode”. You have to demonstrate certain requirements for your application to be approved.
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