Is it Ever Possible to Swap a Foreign Domestic Helper Visa into a Regular Employment Visa in Hong Kong?
Posted by The Visa Geeza / in Employment Visas, Your Question Answered / 13 responses
Can you swap a Foreign Domestic Helper visa into a Regular employment visa? This is a reasonable question that has an obvious answer although not for the reasons you might typically expect. In 20 years of practising Hong Kong visa and immigration consultancy, the only successful change of status application from FDH to residence visa that I have ever experienced, naturally enough, is from FDH to dependant visa where there has been a legal marriage.
QUESTION
“I have an Indonesian furniture retail and design store in Aberdeen. I was wondering if I could apply for a work visa for an existing domestic helper to come and work in my business. My shop is specialized in Indonesian furniture, both standard design and also bespoke.
She is Indonesian and has immense knowledge and skills in this field, having been educated to Bachelor level in design and with 7 years of experience working for a producer in Bali. Our store is an interactive and educative shop where we educate the local community on design possibilities and ways to get excellent value for money in buying furniture from Indonesia.
I have advertised locally extensively for a shop assistant but no great response. I got only one response and have had to hire her despite the person not being qualified. It has been very hard to recruit.
This FDH is good and has good qualifications. Is it possible to apply for a work visa for my business?”
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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.
Jamela
Good day Geeza I’m a fdh I’m a second wife of My husband is a Pakistani but he is a hk resident and his first wife in Pakistan my main question is he had a Indian shop what kind of visa we can apply so I can work his shop thank you God bless us
The Visa Geeza
Sorry to say, none.
MC
hi im a domestic helper here ,I just want to ask if I can change my Visa as working visa in the company . my contract will end on July .I go to school here and get certificates. can I apply to be as regular worker that related to my schooling and to change my status from helper to a regular employment visa as a worker..please u need some opinion and advise..thank you
The Visa Geeza
This is not practical. Once you declare your status as a FDH in order to secure a FDH visa, then it is very hard to subsequently denote that you’re a Professional as required for a general employment visa
Jimmy
Hey There Sir
i am Brazilian visitor living in HK about 1 Month i have my philippines girlfriend she is working as domestic helper can we marry here in Hk.thank you
The Visa Geeza
You can marry but no immigration privileges will flow.
TMA
Hi IAM domestic helper in hongkong next month my contract is finish but I find already new employer is it possible fdh visa can change to regular employment Visa my new employer they want to hire me
The Visa Geeza
Impossible. Sorry.