Hong Kong is a vibrant hub for varieties of professionals around the world. It is like a bridge that connects talents and employers with different background, and it has a lot of offer. Therefore, Hong Kong has different kinds of visas for all the professionals around the globe to prosper beyond Asia. If you are planning on getting employed in this active city, or as an employer aiming at recruiting foreign employees, it is wise to stay inform about the clue of Hong Kong work visa rules and regulations. This article will help you to add so many new knowledges about Hong Kong work visa that you have not known yet.
Types of Hong Kong Work Visa
There are total 7 types of visa for professionals to work in Hong Kong. They are; Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS), General Employment Policy (GEP), Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals (ASMTP), Technology Talent Admission Scheme (TechTAS), Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG), Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS) and Admission Scheme for the Second Generation of Chinese Hong Kong Permanent Residents (ASSG). All of the work visa should be clearly understood not only by the talents who have plan to work in Hong Kong but also the employer who are going to hire them.
1.Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS)
The TTPS aims to bring talented individuals with strong work experience and academic qualifications to explore opportunities in Hong Kong. These include high-earning professionals and graduates from top universities worldwide.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants to the HKSAR under the TTPS do not need a job offer. They can receive a 24-month stay with time limitations, provided they meet immigration requirements. Applicants can apply under one of these categories:
- Individuals with an annual income of HK$2.5 million or more in the previous year.
- Degree graduates from eligible universities with at least three years of work experience in the past five years.
- Recent degree graduates from eligible universities within the past five years with less than three years of work experience, subject to an annual quota. Category C is not applicable to non-local students who obtained their undergraduate degree in a full-time, locally-accredited program in Hong Kong.
Application Process
Applications for a Visa under the TTPS ideally can take about 4 to 6 weeks to be completed provided all requested documents are submitted. Immigration Department cannot begin processing until they have all required documentations and information.
2.General Employment Policy (GEP)
To apply GEP, there are two forms that needs to filled by applicant and employing company. Applicant need to fill the ID 990A and employing company have to fill ID 990B
Eligibility Criteria
An application has high chance to get the visa if
- there is no security objection and no known record of serious crime in respect of the applicant;
- the applicant has a good education background, normally a first degree in the relevant field, but in special circumstances, good technical qualifications, proven professional abilities and/or relevant experience and achievements supported by documentary evidence may also be accepted;
- there is a genuine job vacancy;
- the applicant has a confirmed offer of employment and is employed in a job relevant to his academic qualifications or work experience that cannot be readily taken up by the local work force; and
- the remuneration package including income, accommodation, medical and other fringe benefits is broadly commensurate with the prevailing market level for professionals in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).
Application Process
It normally takes four to six weeks to process visa/entry permit applications for employment upon receipt of all the required documents. The Immigration Department will not be able to start processing the application unless all the required documents and information have been received.
3.Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals (ASMTP)
Chinese residents of the Mainland of China (the Mainland) who possess special skills, knowledge or experience of value to and not readily available in the HKSAR may apply to come to work under the ASMTP. ASMTP is quota-free and non-sector specific.
Eligibility Criteria
To be approved for an entry permit under the ASMTP, the applicant must:
- Have no security or serious crime issues.
- Possess a good educational background, usually a first degree, or relevant technical skills and experience.
- Have a genuine job offer that matches their qualifications and can’t be filled locally.
- Receive a salary and benefits package that meets the market standards in Hong Kong.
Application Process
It usually takes 4 to 6 weeks to process the file after submitting application with the required documents.
4.Technology Talent Admission Scheme (TechTAS)
TechTAS allows eligible companies to quickly hire non-local tech talent for R&D work in Hong Kong. Companies must apply for a quota from the Innovation and Technology Commission, which is valid for 24 months. With a quota, companies can sponsor tech professionals for a visa.
Eligibility Criteria
To apply for a TechTAS visa in Hong Kong, the following criteria should be met:
- No security concerns or criminal record for the applicant.
- The employer has a valid ITC-approved quota.
- Full-time employment in Hong Kong by the applicant.
- The job involves R&D in fields like AI, biotech, cybersecurity, etc.
- The applicant holds a STEM degree from a top 100 university.
- Offered salary meets market standards in Hong Kong.
- The job matches the quota details provided by ITC.
- The applicant and employer are credible.
Application Process
It normally takes two to four weeks to process applications for employment visa/entry permit under TechTAS upon receipt of all the required documents.
5.Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG)
Non-local graduates who have earned an undergraduate or higher degree in a full-time, accredited program in Hong Kong can apply to work in Hong Kong under the IANG. Graduates from programs in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, jointly established by Mainland and Hong Kong universities, can also apply to work in Hong Kong under the IANG.
Eligibility Criteria
- Non-local graduates
- GBA (Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area) campus graduates
Application Process
In general, applications submitted under the IANG by non-local recent graduates / GBA campus recent graduates take about two weeks to process upon receipt of all the required documents. For non-local non-recent graduates / GBA campus non-recent graduates, it takes four weeks upon receipt of all the required documents. However, the processing time will depend on the circumstances of individual applications and the number of applications received at a particular time.
6. Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS)
The Quality Migrant Admission Scheme, (QMAS) is another plan aimed at inviting competent individuals to the Hong Kong region.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be of at least 18 years of age.
- Again, the candidate must have had good education and preferably should have acquired a first degree from a recognized University.
- Must be able to read and understand written Chinese(Cantonese/ Putonghua), or English language.
- Must be able to demonstrate he or she is financially sound to support the family, or himself or herself.
Application Process
Applicants must pass either the General Points Test or the Achievement-Based Points Test. It evaluates age, academic qualifications, work experience, language proficiency, and family background. After successfully passing the test, applicants will receive an initial stay of 24 months without employment restrictions.
7. Admission Scheme for the Second Generation of Chinese Hong Kong Permanent Residents (ASSG)
Persons who are the second generation of emigrated Chinese Hong Kong permanent residents from overseas may apply to return to work in the HKSAR under the Scheme.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants under the Scheme will have to meet, apart from normal immigration requirements, the following criteria –
- aged between 18 and 40 at the time of application;
- born overseas (i.e. not in the Mainland, the HKSAR, the Macao SAR or Taiwan);
- have at least one parent who is holder of a valid Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card at the time of application and was a Chinese national Note 2 who had settled overseas at the time of the applicant’s birth;
- have a good education background, normally a first degree, but in special circumstances, good technical qualifications, proven professional abilities and/or relevant experience and achievements supported by documentary evidence may also be accepted; Note 3
- proficient in written and spoken Chinese (Putonghua or Cantonese) or English; and
- have sufficient financial means and are able to meet the living expenses for their (including their dependants, if any) maintenance and accommodation in the HKSAR without recourse to public funds.
Application Process
You can apply to stay or work in Hong Kong by Submitting proof of your relationship to the Hong Kong permanent resident, academic qualifications, and other required documents.
How to Get Work Visa in Hong Kong:
In order to fill out the work visa application correctly, both applicant and employer must have knowledge on the present rules and regulations of Hong Kong. Whether it is the General Employment Policy Visa or Foreign Domestic Worker Visa, it helps to have an understanding of its prerequisites and the recent changes. Fastlane HR has been helping top professionals to get the visa which is best suited for them over 10 years now. Besides, the visa success rate is 100%. Get the Hong Kong work visa in a smoothest way by contacting the Fastlane HR today.