Employment
Visas are required by the Hong Kong Immigration Department before taking
up any sort of employment in Hong Kong SAR unless you have the right of
abode or right to land in Hong Kong.
The
approach to obtaining an employment visa depends on the applicant's
circumstances and location when applying. In general terms, the
Immigration Department prefer the applicant to apply for an employment
visa before entering Hong Kong.
Should an expatriate be recruited
locally and then subsequently apply for a visa whilst in Hong Kong, this
will effect a change of status application from a Visitor's visa to an
Employment visa. These type of applications are more difficult to
process, and require more supporting evidence of why a local could not be
recruited for the position. If at all possible, it is advisable to
submit your application before entering Hong Kong.
In
a situation whereby an overseas company wishes to transfer an employee
internally to their Hong Kong office, these type of applications can
fairly straightforward as long as the employee in question has been
employed by that company for some time. If the applicant has only
been employed by the company overseas for a few months, then a more
argumentative approach to the application is required, and again more
supporting evidence of why the position could not be filled locally would
be necessary.
Broadly
speaking, if an individual is qualified and experienced, and they submit
their application in line with Immigration's requirements, then they have
a very good chance of being granted an Employment visa. In all cases
the documentation required by the Immigration department should be
submitted in the correct format, and in a timely manner to ensure the best
results.
Please
contact us to discuss you requirements in more
detail, or to arrange a free preliminary assessment of your application.