Hong Kong Visa & Immigration Topics

Considerably Heightened Diligence by ImmD on All Types of Hong Kong Visa Applications

Posted by The Visa Geeza / in Employment Visas, Family Visas, Investment Visas, Long Stay & PR, Musing, Refusals & Appeals, Sherpa, Visitor Visas / 2 responses

Hong Kong Visa Applications Face Increasingly Rigorous Immigration Scrutiny Updated November 8, 2026. Practice Update 2026 – This content must be read in light of changes to ImmD practice since it was first published. Historically, Hong Kong visa applications, as examined by the Hong Kong Visa Geeza in Considerably Heightened Diligence by ImmD on All […]

General Employment Policy vs Admission Scheme For Mainland Talents & Professionals (GEP vs ASMTP)

Posted by The Visa Geeza / in Employment Visas, Musing, Special Programmes / 12 responses

How Does The Admission Scheme For Mainland Talents and Professionals (ASMTP) Differ From GEP? Over 13 years ago, on June 6th, 2013 I was interviewed by five law students from the Chinese University of Hong Kong about my experiences practicing immigration here over the last 20 years. More than 13 years on, in 2026 as I […]

Must The Employing Company Sponsor Of My Hong Kong Work Visa Application Be Profitable?

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

Hong Kong Work Visa Application? How important is sponsor-profitability, especially for start up businesses less than 12 months old? Practice Update 2026 – This content must be read in light of changes to ImmD practice since it was first published. Hong Kong Work Visa Application? Historically, as examined by the Hong Kong Visa Geeza in […]

Podcast: Play in new window

Share Equity Compensation Suffice Instead of Cash Salary For A Hong Kong Employment Visa?

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

Share Equity Compensation Suffice Instead of Cash Salary? Will equity compensation suffice instead of cash? To what extent can salary be replaced with performance-based equity compensation in case of a Hong Kong employment visa? No one has asked me this type of question about compensation for employees for about 17 years now so I’m grateful […]

Podcast: Play in new window

PRACTICE UPDATE: The GEP Work Visa Policy | A New Era of Skills-Based Immigration

Posted by The Visa Geeza / in Employment Visas, Feature Article, Musing, VG Front Page / No responses

GEP Work Visa | The General Employment Policy  Enters a New Era of Skills-Based Immigration The Evolving GEP Work Visa Assessment Regime, Technical Professionals Stream and Employer Sponsorship Requirements GEP Work Visa: For more than three decades, the General Employment Policy (GEP work visa) has been one of the principal mechanisms through which Hong Kong […]

Will My Hong Kong Employment Visa be Compromised If I Leave My Job Due to Intolerable Working Conditions?

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

Hong Kong Employment Visa Lost If You Have A Terrible Boss & Want To Leave? What’s The Risk To Your Hong Kong Employment Visa? Should you be worried that your employment visa status in Hong Kong might be undermined if you choose to leave the employ of an unsavoury employer? Practice Update 2026 – This […]

Podcast: Play in new window

Can I Set Up A Hong Kong Company, Employ My Business Partner & Sponsor An Employment Visa For Him?

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

Sponsor An Employment Visa For a Business Partner-Friend? Is ever a good idea or actually even possible for sponsor an employment visa for a related party? Practice Update 2026 – This content must be read in light of changes to ImmD practice since it was first published. Historically, as examined by the Hong Kong Visa […]

Podcast: Play in new window

Lame Excuses Won’t Cut It If You’re Caught Working In Hong Kong Without An Employment Visa

Posted by The Visa Geeza / in Employment Visas, Feature Article, Investment Visas, Musing, Refusals & Appeals, Special Programmes, Visitor Visas / 2 responses

Caught Working In Hong Kong Without An Employment Visa? If you are working in Hong Kong (paid, unpaid, or temporarily transferred in) without lawful authorization to work, you are committing a breach of condition of stay under the Immigration Ordinance. You face a fine of up to HK$50,000 and up to 2 years’ imprisonment, as […]

Can I Sponsor Myself For Freelance Work ‘On-the-Side’ Whilst Working For My Current Hong Kong Employment Visa Sponsor?

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

Employment Visa Holder Working ‘On-the-Side’ in Hong Kong This is joining in a side business albeit in another name…and a solution for certain types of Hong Kong Employment Visa holders thinking about freelancing in Hong Kong PRACTICE UPDATE: How the content must now be read in light of current ImmD policy: The advice regarding securing ImmD permission […]

Podcast: Play in new window

How Hard Is It To Transfer From A Hong Kong Working Holiday Visa To A Full Employment Visa?

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

Transfer From a Hong Kong Working Holiday Visa To A GEP Work Visa? You know how it is… you arrive in Hong Kong for a year of fun and adventure and then you want to stay… This article deals with the transfer from a Hong Kong Working Holiday Visa to a full Employment Visa.   Practice Update […]

Podcast: Play in new window