Most people who are not Hong Kong permanent residents need an employment visa or entry permit before they can take up paid work in Hong Kong. Under the General Employment Policy (GEP), ImmD looks at whether the job cannot readily be filled locally, whether the applicant has relevant skills and experience, and whether the employer is a bona fide business that can support the role. BizAion does not replace an immigration adviser. This guide explains employer-side basics and points you to ImmD. Company setup, company secretary, MPF and employer tax forms are separate services we can help with once the employment relationship is clear.
When this page helps (and when it does not)
- Helps: a Hong Kong company (or one you are forming) that wants to hire a non-resident professional and needs a plain map of employer duties next to ImmD.
- Does not replace: filing the visa for you, guaranteeing approval, or quoting ImmD fees — those change on ImmD’s site.
- Related BizAion work: keeping the employer company compliant (secretary, BR, accounting) and employer tax/MPF filings after the person starts — see hiring your first employee.
Who usually needs permission
- Persons without the right to land or remain in Hong Kong generally need prior permission to take employment.
- Visitors must not take up employment without changing status through ImmD.
- Always check the current ImmD page for nationality and the exact scheme (GEP, Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals, and others).
What ImmD typically expects from the employer
- A genuine job offer: duties, remuneration and duration that match the business.
- Evidence the company exists and operates (incorporation documents, business registration, organisation chart, financials as requested).
- An explanation why the role is not readily filled by a local candidate.
- Support letters and forms listed in ImmD’s guidebook for entry for employment as professionals.
Document lists and processing times change — use the official ImmD employment and GEP pages in Sources. We can help assemble the company pack; your immigration adviser or ImmD channel owns the visa forms.
After approval: employer duties BizAion can support
- Employees’ compensation insurance before day one; MPF enrolment; wages and rest-day rules under the Employment Ordinance.
- IR56E / BIR56A employer returns — see employer’s return guide.
- Clean statutory registers and on-time company secretary filings help show a real, compliant employer — useful context for banks and counterparties. ImmD still decides visas on its own criteria.
- No visa fee or success rate is published on this page.
Related service: Hong Kong Company Formation. BizAion is an accounting and corporate-services firm — not an immigration practice. We keep your Hong Kong company and employer filings in order while you work with ImmD or a qualified immigration adviser on the visa itself. Free consultation; no visa fee or success rate on this page.
Frequently asked questions
Can BizAion file my employment visa for me?
We are not an immigration practice. We can prepare company and employer documents that ImmD or your immigration adviser may ask for, and we run company secretary / accounting once the person is employed. For the visa application itself, use ImmD channels or a qualified immigration adviser.
Is there a published government fee on this page?
No. ImmD sets and updates its own fees. Check the current ImmD employment visa pages rather than any third-party blog figure.
Does incorporating a Hong Kong company automatically get me a visa?
No. Company incorporation and an employment or investment visa are separate decisions. Owning or directing a company does not by itself grant the right to work.
Should I hire before the visa is approved?
Do not let someone without permission take up employment. Sequence the ImmD process with your immigration adviser; use our hiring guide for employer duties that start when employment legally begins.
How does this connect to MPF and IR56?
Those duties generally start with lawful employment. See the hiring-first-employee and employer’s-return guides; they are downstream of a valid right to work.
Sources (official)
This guide is general information, not professional advice. Government fees and deadlines can change, so check the official sources linked above.