Can You Have 2 Hong Kong Employment Visa Applications Pending At the Same Time?
Posted by The Visa Geeza / in Employment Visas, Your Question Answered / 23 responses
This is quite an unusual set of facts and provides a great opportunity to clear up one small, yet key, part of the Hong Kong employment visa applications process.
QUESTION
“We are from Canada. Recently my boyfriend and I were offered a job teaching English with a company in Hong Kong. We gave them the info for our work visa and they submitted the application. Actually, the terms and conditions were less attractive that we thought but we just wanted to get to HK. In the meantime, we kept applying for jobs to find a better offer and found a new company and were subsequently offered jobs. We gave them the appropriate visa info and they submitted an application for a Hong Kong work visa as well.
Will both visas get denied because we have two applications on the go at the same time? Should I tell the first company immediately that we do not want to work for them? Or should I let them both go through and pick up the visa for the second company when we arrive and tell the first company we want out? We are very worried about it. Do you have any suggestions? Will they issue two visas for two different companies and then allow us to activate one?”
More Stuff You May Find Useful or Interesting
Why do some Hong Kong visa applications take months to finalise (if ever?)
The economy at home is very bad – what investment visa options exist for you in Hong Kong?
Is the Travel Pass as good as a Hong Kong employment visa?
The reality for same sex partner visa applicants in Hong Kong
Does your employer control your immigration destiny?
How to apply for a Hong Kong employment visa
| PODCAST ANSWER |  |
Podcast: Play in new window
Please select the social network you want to share this page with:
The Hong Kong Visa Geeza (a.k.a Stephen Barnes) is a co-founder of the Hong Kong Visa Centre and author of the Hong Kong Visa Handbook. A law graduate of the London School of Economics, Stephen has been practicing Hong Kong immigration since 1993 and is widely acknowledged as the leading authority on business immigration matters here for the last 24 years.
Jack
Hi VisaGeeza,
A company I’m about to start working with (is a model agency company) is applying for a 3 months working visa for me.
If I can find a more stable job with a company that can offer a proper working visa, can the new company still apply for the new proper working visa or they go in conflict?
Thank you
The Visa Geeza
You can apply for a full employment visa under GEP even whilst you hold a model visa.
JJ
Hi visa geeza,
Thank you for your advice!
My training visa has been expired and the same employer decided to take me as a permanent staff.
It already has been more than 3 months and my visa application is still pending. (Current employer already mentioned that this is a negative sign and better to look for back up plans)
So, yes i did found an opportunity in another company and they want to go through visa process for me.
However, I have this old visa application keep going on. Is it wise to withdraw the application before they reject my application?
Will it be hard to get a employment after rejection?
Thank you again!
The Visa Geeza
Withdraw the current TV application and seek an EV via the new employer.
Zolanski
Hi,
After 4 years under a working visa I’m currently back in France.
I’m in touch with a HK based company to come back for a 3 months training in HK before being sent full time to France.
Shall I apply for a working holiday visa or a traning visa ? Can I apply for both visas at the same time ?
Thanks a lot for your feedbacks, much appreciated.
The Visa Geeza
if you qualify for the WHV (age 30 or under) this would be the quickest and easiest route. You cannot apply for both at the same time.
Mike
Hello,
I am currently working in Hong Kong on a 2 year visa. I have found some other work on a Sunday. The company have asked me to get a sideline visa before I start this work ? Does this exist as I can’t find it on the government website? Many thanks.
The Visa Geeza
Yes – you need to apply 5/F Immigration Tower Residents section. You need form ID91, a copy of your side employment contract and written consent in writing of your current sponsoring employer stating that they have no objection to you taking up this side employment. Expect the application to take between 4-8 weeks to complete. Go early in the morning to apply with your documents and original passport as there is a fixed quota of cases ImmD take on each day. I;d get in the Q at 8:15 am for the door to open at 8:30 am to be sure they will accept your application on the day you submit.
Mike
Thank you a million times for your reply. Since writing the post, my employer have said that they they will send a letter to the immigration office and I do not need to complete any forms. Is this another way instead of heading down to the immigration department?
The Visa Geeza
Yes, ImmD prefer all communications to be in writing.
Jay
Hi VisaGeezer,
A question, is it possible to hold a working visa from HK and Canada at the same time? (Working for the same company but occasionally need to work in Canada)
Thanks for your help.
The Visa Geeza
The Hong Kong piece is no problem. Can’t speak to Canada but I doubt it would be a problem there either. Best ask a Canadian immigration lawyer.
Jay
Thank you GZA,
The Canadian side don’t mind who you have visas with outside of Mapleland so it is great to hear that the HK govt is fine with it as well. Many thanks and all the best.
Shane
Hi Visa Geeza,
I have been in HK working for 5 yrs now but I quit my job because I had an offer from another company… my current visa was going to expire 1 month before my final day of employment with the current employer so I have successfully extended my visa for 1 month until the final day of employment. during this time my new employer has applied for my new visa…
my question is; once my new visa application is completed can I leave hk (to macau) then return to activate the new visa while the current one is still valid? will the new visa supersede the current one so I could begin working at the new company ?
If possible I would like to start working at the new company before my current visa extension expires
any advice ?
thx
The Visa Geeza
I assume you applied for a change of employer whilst your [extended] limit of stay under your original employment visa was valid. If so, then when your new employment visa permissions are granted, ImmD will avail you an extension of stay together with the permissions to work for your new employer which doesn’t require a trip outside of HK in order to activate it. You can only start working for your new employer once ImmD have approved your new employer application – and not before.