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Many expats move to Hong Kong each year to pursue new career opportunities. If you’re planning to join them, you’ll find that there are several work visa options.
General Employment Policy visas in Hong Kong
Well-qualified and experienced professionals who want to work in Hong Kong typically apply for General Employment Policy (GEP) visas. These visas have no quota restrictions and aren’t industry-specific. To apply, you must have a confirmed offer of employment and an employer sponsor.
Under the GEP, your initial stay is 36 months or the length of your employment contract, whichever is shorter. The visa is then typically renewed on a 3+2-year pattern. GEP holders can apply to renew their visa up to 90 days before it expires.
These work permits are relatively straightforward to obtain if you can demonstrate a high level of education or possess a specialised skill set that adds value to Hong Kong’s economy and isn’t readily available locally. Employers generally want candidates with strong qualifications and professional experience, as well as skills that are hard to find in the local labour market. The offered salary must also be competitive with local standards.
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Technology Talent Admission Scheme visas for Hong Kong
Technology specialists in a frontier discipline like quantum computing or cybersecurity may find their route into Hong Kong through the Technology Talent Admission Scheme (TechTAS) visa. Eligible companies that urgently need technology talent can fast-track visa applications for a wide range of R&D roles.
The Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC) sets quotas for TechTAS, which eligible companies have 24 months to fulfil. Companies can submit quota requests and visa applications simultaneously. Once the paperwork is complete, the Immigration Department normally handles these applications within two weeks. At the quota stage, companies must show the ITC that the skills they require are in short supply locally. Non-local talent is admitted only where there is a real gap.
Expats who enter Hong Kong through TechTAS can also bring their dependants. It is a family-friendly route for technology professionals.
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Top Talent Pass Scheme visas in Hong Kong
High-achieving professionals are the target of the Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS). If you have a distinguished educational background or remarkable career achievements, this scheme could be the one for you. The TTPS has three main categories:
- Category A is for professionals who earned a high income, above a set annual threshold, in the year before applying.
- Category B is for graduates of a qualifying top-ranked university (Hong Kong updates the eligible list each year) who have at least three years’ work experience in the past five years.
- Category C is for recent graduates of those universities (within the past five years) who have less than three years’ work experience. It is capped by an annual quota.
You do not need a job offer to apply for the TTPS. The initial stay is 24 months for Categories B and C, and 36 months for Category A. TTPS holders can submit renewal applications up to 90 days before their visa expires.
Successful applicants can switch jobs or sectors freely and bring a spouse or partner and unmarried dependent children under 18. Those dependants may usually work in Hong Kong too.
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Quality Migrant Admission Scheme visas in Hong Kong
Talented individuals are the focus of the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS). Unlike other work visas, the QMAS does not require applicants to have a prearranged job offer, and successful applicants can bring their dependants.
Before assessment, you must be at least 18, hold a recognised university degree, have enough funds to support yourself and any dependants, and have a clean criminal and immigration record. QMAS applicants then go through one of two assessment routes:
- General Points Test (GPT): You are checked against 12 criteria grouped into six aspects (age, academic qualifications, language proficiency, work experience, annual income, and business ownership), and you need to meet at least six of them.
- Achievement-based Points Test (APT): This route is for applicants with exceptional achievements, such as international award winners. It is all-or-nothing, and the bar is high.
The QMAS currently runs without an annual quota, so all applicants who qualify can be approved. Immigration authorities can also directly invite top-tier global talent to apply through the Proactive Talent Invitation route.
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Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG) visas in Hong Kong
International students who have studied at Hong Kong universities are encouraged by the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG) scheme to stay in the city and join the workforce after graduation. To be eligible, you must have completed an undergraduate or higher qualification through a full-time, locally accredited programme at a Hong Kong institution.
If you apply within six months of your graduation, you don’t need a confirmed job offer and can stay in Hong Kong for up to 24 months while you look for work. If you are a returning graduate applying after that six-month window, you will need an employment contract.
You can extend your stay once you have secured employment or established a business. From there, IANG can be renewed on a 2+2+3-year pattern, and you can apply for permanent residency after seven years of continuous residence.
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Working Holiday Scheme visas in Hong Kong
Working Holiday Scheme (WHS) visas allow expats from certain countries aged between 18 and 30 to work in Hong Kong for up to 12 months. There are annual quotas for each participating country, among them the UK, New Zealand, Australia, and France. Quotas differ by country. Australia has the largest at 5,000 visas, followed by Japan at 1,500, the UK at 1,000, and New Zealand at 400. These quotas are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, so applying early is wise.
WHS participants can take up any temporary employment. Popular roles include hospitality and tourism, retail, education (such as language tutoring), administrative support, and food and beverage services.
Depending on your nationality, you may be required to change employers after three, six, or 12 months. Most participants are also permitted to study in Hong Kong.
To be granted a WHS visa, you must show sufficient funds in your bank account to support yourself while in Hong Kong and provide proof of valid medical insurance. Insurance requirements vary by country, but most applicants need cover for medical care, hospitalisation, repatriation, and personal liability. You’ll also need to hold a return air ticket or demonstrate that you have the financial means to purchase one.
WHS visas are usually valid for 12 months and cannot be extended. If you want to stay longer, you’ll have to use one of the other routes, like the GEP, TTPS, QMAS, a student visa, or IANG.
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Visa regulations are subject to change at short notice, and you should contact your respective embassy or consulate for the latest details.