Hong Kong Visas Made Easy

22

May 2022

What Does the Hong Kong Training Visa Actually Allow and What Do the Immigration Department Expect of the Parties to the Application?

Posted by / in Employment Visas, Your Question Answered / 8 responses

The Hong Kong training visa is an oft-misunderstood animal so I am grateful for this question that allows me to clear up some of the confusion.

SMALL-keep-calm-and-ask-the-visa-geeza

QUESTION

Hi, congrats on the website, it’s very helpful!

I just arrived in Hong Kong and my new potential employer is worried about the following:

(a) That if I finish my 3 month training visa and then just go back home for 2 or 3 weeks but then come back to Hong Kong and look for another job (while on a visitor entry – German passport) then this will reflect badly on his firm’s chances of being granted work visas in the future.

(b) What do the Hong Kong Immigration Department mean by “going back”. Is it OK if I physically go away for a couple of weeks but then come back as a Visitor or on another work/trainee visa?

(c)  Lastly (and separate from the topic above), my new potential employer doesn’t know whether giving me a work visa for 3 months only will be accepted by the Immigration Department if he pays me a minimum amount (e.g HKD 5,000 per month). Is there a minimum at which the Immigration Department would raise some eyebrows? 

Thanks for your help!

More Stuff You May Find Useful or Interesting

Hong Kong working visas – is it possible to build a new business here relying solely on highly specialist foreign national skills and talent?

Can a Hong Kong training visa be used as a stepping stone to any sort of  full employment visa subsequently?

Is 7 weeks a long time for the Hong Kong Immigration Department to finalize a training visa application?

Is it ever possible to extend a Hong Kong training visa?

What are the chances of swapping from a training visa to an employment visa for the same employer once the period of training is over?

PODCAST ANSWER
Play

Please select the social network you want to share this page with:

21

May 2022

Fresh Graduates, Working Holiday Visas & the Chances of a Hong Kong Employment Visa Subsequently

Posted by / in Employment Visas, Feature Article, Your Question Answered / 4 responses

Chances of a Hong Kong employment visa? Is it feasible to come to Hong Kong on a working holiday visa and then swap to an employment visa subsequently?

SMALL-keep-calm-and-ask-the-visa-geeza

Yes but…

QUESTION

Hi. I would like to go work in Hong Kong (I am Australian and have just finished my business degree).

Just wondering if I should arrive in Hong Kong with a 90 day visitor visa or a 1 year working holiday visa to start my job hunt.

I’ve tried searching online with no luck so far.

Your advice would be greatly appreciated.

I would like to work and live in Hong Kong and eventually attain PR as I really like the culture and environment there.

Thank you! 

More Stuff  You May Find Useful or Interesting

Can you undertake freelance work or start your own business on a Hong Kong working holiday visa?

Eligibility criteria for the Hong Kong working holiday visa

I want to live in Hong Kong with my boyfriend – is the working holiday visa a good option?

Hong Kong Travel Pass used to keep an extended family together – quite lawfully!

Hong Kong visa information, help and guidance on your mobile – 100% free!

PODCAST ANSWER
Play

Please select the social network you want to share this page with:

14

May 2022

Hong Kong Work Visa – Is 2 Years Post Graduation Work Experience An Absolute Prerequisite?

Posted by / in Employment Visas, Your Question Answered / No responses

If you are a graduate is it hard and fast that you need at least 2 years post graduation working experience in a managerial or supervisory capacity in order to secure a Hong Kong work visa – or is there some wriggle room in this regard?

SMALL-keep-calm-and-ask-the-visa-geeza
QUESTION

Hi there,

I have heard in one of your podcasts, that one needs to have at least 2 years post-graduate experience.

After my graduation I was on a 1 year working holiday visa in Hong Kong and could claim 0.5 year working experience out of that. I also had lots of working experience before my graduation.

Now my question is:

Is the 2 years working experience a YES/NO criteria in getting a Hong Kong work visa?

Or is there a chance to receive an employment visa with less than 2 years experience if all other factors are positive?

And finally, would I be better off applying for a training visa in this case?

Thank you for your help.

More Stuff You May Find Useful or Interesting

Hong Kong investment visa wrongly applied for – clearing up the confusion and getting the correct visa instead

Is the Hong Kong Immigration Department website actually fit for purpose?

The Visa Geeza on RTHK Radio 3 – January, 2016

Do mainlanders enjoy the same kind of immigration experience as other foreign nationals do in Hong Kong?

10 Must Have resources for a Hong Kong investment visa application

PODCAST ANSWER
Play

Please select the social network you want to share this page with:

12

May 2022

Which is Better – Apply for a Hong Kong Investment Visa Directly or for an Employment Visa First then after Approval Become a Shareholder in Your Own Business?

Posted by / in Employment Visas, Investment Visas, Your Question Answered / No responses

It hardly matters how you skin this cat, ImmD will approach it in exactly the same way… as a new business situation.

SMALL-keep-calm-and-ask-the-visa-geeza

QUESTION

I plan to start a business with three other partners. Two of these are Hong Kong permanent residents and one of them is in the same situation as myself: recently unemployed and staying on an employee work visa.

My question is, as far as maximizing the chances of getting and retaining a visa to work in Hong Kong, would it be beneficial to apply as employees and wait until visas are granted before becoming partners in the company, or to run them as Hong Kong investment visa applications?

I have taken into consideration that:

1. I trust my permanent resident partners, and

2. Both myself and my colleague likely have better cases for employee work visa renewals (i.e. unique skill sets and experience and not a lot of cash).

Thank you very much for your help in these regards.

More Stuff You May Find Useful or Interesting

The seven responsibilities of a Hong Kong employment visa sponsor

Business Review – the sword of damocles for successful Hong Kong investment visa applicants

The anatomy of a ‘slam dunk’ Hong Kong investment visa approval taking just 7 weeks to approval

Do you have a business plan template I can use in my Hong Kong investment visa application?

How to ensure you’re not breaking the law by operating a business in Hong Kong as a Visitor

Are there any advantages to being an existing Hong  Kong resident when you make an application for a Hong Kong investment visa?

PODCAST ANSWER
Play

Please select the social network you want to share this page with:

06

May 2022

Does Time Spent Outside of Hong Kong Working For A Hong Kong Employer Break Continuity of Residence for PR Purposes After 7 Years?

Posted by / in Employment Visas, Long Stay & PR, Your Question Answered / No responses

Time spent outside of Hong Kong working for a Hong Kong employer?

SMALL-keep-calm-and-ask-the-visa-geeza

This question has come up before but the questioner has assumed that his training visa will be extended subsequently so… 

QUESTION

I am married and have two kids aged 8 and 5.

I have recently taken up employment in Hong Kong with a Hong Kong company.

My company has initially sponsored a 9 months employment/training visa for me, as eventually they would like me to work abroad in their overseas subsidiaries.

Given the short term nature of my initial stay in Hong Kong, I haven’t moved my family here and staying alone.

I have got an HK ID and have also opened an HK bank account where my company will pay my salary every month.

Here is my question.

Will the time spent outside HK working on international assignments for my HK based employer, count towards the minimum stay requirement for HK permanent residence?

More Stuff You May Find Useful or Interesting

Will a short period of time away from Hong Kong break my continuity of residence for my eventual right of right of abode application

What does the Hong Kong training visa actually allow and what is expected of the parties?

I lived in Hong Kong for 11 years then left for 7 – can I still qualify for the right of abode?

I have an investment visa to run a company based in Hong Kong but choose to live elsewhere – can I still qualify for PR after 7 years?

Will the 2 years I spent studying in China break my continuity of residence for my right of abode application?

PODCAST ANSWER
Play

Please select the social network you want to share this page with:

04

May 2022

Hong Kong Employment Visa Holder – Join in a Side Business or Change Visa Category to a Full Investment Visa – Which is Better?

Posted by / in Employment Visas, Investment Visas, Your Question Answered / 2 responses

 This question raises quite a number of issues surrounding a decision to go into business for yourself in Hong Kong whilst presently holding an employment visa sponsored by a third party employer (and it’s only the immigration parts which I am qualified to address).

QUESTION

Hello Stephen,

I have an employment visa for the remaining two years (post which I will complete 7 years and apply for PR).

Currently, I wish to open a company in Hong Kong, which may or may not be the sponsor to my own visa, as I am happy to retain the current employment or give it up.

My current employer is flexible and has no conflict no matter what way I choose.

For my own company setup, can you please inform:

(1) Is there a way to work for both companies without having to go through ‘Change of sponsorship‘ or ‘Investment visa‘ process. I prefer to be on the employment visa by my current employer while still being able to contribute to my own company.

(2) In case if above is not workable and I cannot work for my own company, is a proprietorship structure fine if I need an entity to book revenues resulting from my own business activities? Can such a company have offshore/zero employees except for a company secretary?

(3) In case, I choose a limited liability company and seek a change of sponsorship of my employment visa under my new company, can they reduce my existing visa to 1 year (from 2 years which is the case now), if the new company is subject to a Business Review. Have such cases happened?

(4) Given that I have no visa concerns or conflict/flexibility concerns regarding my current employer,  would you recommend a Hong Kong incorporated company or a BVI company for basic revenue booking needs?

More Stuff You May Find Interesting or Useful

How can I go from being a sponsored Hong Kong employment visa holder to working in my own business as I wait out the 7 years to permanent residency here?

Business investment visas – a leg up for start-ups in Hong Kong

Hong Kong immigration advice for free – why a counter intuitive business model is proving so successful

The immigration issues associated with starting a business in Hong Kong

Are such facilities as virtual offices, incubators, serviced offices & co-working spaces deemed ‘suitable business premises’ for the purposes of a Hong Kong business investment visa application?

PODCAST ANSWER
Play

Please select the social network you want to share this page with:

15

Apr 2022

Please Help Me Help You By Asking Hong Kong Immigration Questions I Can Actually Answer!

Posted by / in Employment Visas, Family Visas, Investment Visas, Long Stay & PR, Refusals & Appeals, Special Programmes, Visitor Visas, Your Question Answered / 54 responses

IMPORTANT: Please note that we have no competency in Foreign Domestic Helper visas. Any such questions are best directed at an FDH agency who have significant experience in those types of visas.

I receive 70-100 questions a week on this Blog and most of these are very succinct, allowing me to quickly drill down on the key issues and deliver value by augmenting the extensive content on both this Blog and also our D-I-Y immigration guide, the Hong Kong Visa Handbook.

But sometimes, I receive questions that just leave me stumped.

Not that I don’t have an answer, it’s just that the questions are so broad, all-encompassing and devoid of meaningful detail that it is impossible for me to address them without spending hours setting the scene, working to assumptions and, most critically, covering ground that is already well traveled elsewhere on our websites.

Questions such as these which came in last week:

I m interested for HK immigration.  I have been living in Zhuhai for last 10+ years. I’m Indian , wife is Chinese, son 7 years Chinese passport and daughter 10 months HK passport.  My education is from India – BBA, MBA , PhD ( doctorate ). Kindly send me detailed policies, procedures, your fee structure to obtain HK resident permit. Good day.

and

I have got some questions regarding Immigration. I am based in UK on Student visa, I arrived here in 2010 and completed my Masters in Marketing & Innovation. I have got 7 years professional experience in Airlines Industry as sales / Marketing / Customer services expert and currently working with the leading Airlines in London,UK. I got married and my wife is graduated in Education as well as in Fashion designing. I have been visited around 14 countries for visit as well as for my official training. Kindly mention that can I apply Immigration from UK as I am on Student Visa. Second thing if I can apply what will be the process how long does it takes to get it done and third what will be the charges for all this process and fourth what type of documents,I required for me and my wife.

Here’s the problem with these 2 questions:

Red Question

The questioner is interested in immigrating to Hong Kong. Lots of people are and they all need a visa rationale for being here.

I have no clue as to why he wants to come to Hong Kong so I have no idea what kind of visa might be suitable for him.

Does he want to work, join in or establish a business, study, invest capital or take a punt as a Quality Migrant?

Is he seeking some kind of leverage from the fact that his daughter is a HKSAR passport holder (making her a permanent resident?)

I can guess, of course, but that just takes me down the path of assumption which is not productive nor, in fact, is it required as the Hong Kong Visa Handbook sets out the various immigration categories quite clearly, allowing detailed self-assessment prior to reaching out to me to fill in the gaps.

This is why I spent 12 months writing, producing and publishing the Hong Kong Visa Handbook in the first place.

The problem is further compounded by the fact that there appear to be 3 travel documents in play: Indian, Chinese and HKSAR.

Lots of complexity here.

Finally, is the request for detailed policies and procedures (along with our service fee information).

Again, without understanding this questioner’s circumstances, visa rationale for Hong Kong or the immigration background that led to one of their children acquiring a HKSAR passport, it is impossible for me to even conceive of a solution for them, let alone price it.

Green Question 

Do you see a theme emerging here? I have no idea what nationality this questioner is, nor what he wants to do when he comes to Hong Kong.

He wants me to lay out the process for all suitable visa types along with the documents for the same.

Where am I supposed to begin answering a question like this?

I want to help, I really do.

At the Hong Kong Visa Centre we are very transparent about our desire to provide knowledge, information and detailed insight into the Hong Kong visa process so that visa applicants can make informed decisions about their immigration objectives for Hong Kong.

We also are wide open to discourse, provide a 100% free Your Questions Answered service where I PodCast responses to your questions within 48 hours and, as any of our clients or people who know me will attest, I am happy to chat with anyone who has a Hong Kong visa problem or query and is looking for answers.

But please, for me to help you, I need detail.

This means an investment of time on your part, setting out the scene for me and reviewing our extensive immigration content on this Blog and also on the Hong Kong Visa Handbook.

Then when you’re ready, lay out your question and I’ll PodCast you a complete answer.

It only takes me 5-10 minutes to do this and affords other people in the future access to these Q&As, allowing me to add to the public Hong Kong immigration knowledge base which is building steadily over time.

If you pose your question in the very general manner of the 2 examples given above, you are effectively asking me to spend hours and hours composing a response.

This is time I simply do not have and anticipates me repeating the detailed material already covered in the Hong Kong Visa Handbook.

So, please.

Help me help you by asking Hong Kong  immigration questions I can actually answer!

More Stuff You Might Find Useful or Interesting

But Stephen, how do you make any money when you give all your Hong Kong visa and immigration expertise away for free?

Why internet forums are a cr@p source of Hong Kong visa and immigration advice

100% Hong Kong visa application success rate? Take it all with a pinch of salt

Paying for visa help? The Who’s-Who of the Hong Kong visa and immigration services industry

The Hong Kong Visa Centre irresistible offer

Please select the social network you want to share this page with: