Hong Kong Visas: Employment, Investment & Representative
Move to Hong Kong to work, run your own company or open your employer’s local office. We help you choose the right visa, build a strong case and handle the application from the first assessment to the e-Visa — for you and your family.
Working and doing business in Hong Kong
Hong Kong is open to foreign professionals and entrepreneurs, but a visitor stay is not enough to work here. Visitors may attend meetings and sign contracts, yet they may not take up employment or establish or join in a business. To work in Hong Kong or run your company on the ground, you need a visa issued by the Hong Kong Immigration Department.
Which visa you need depends on your role: whether a Hong Kong company employs you, you own the company yourself, or an overseas employer sends you to its Hong Kong office. Each route has its own requirements, but in every case the Immigration Department looks at the same essentials — your education and experience, whether the role or business is genuine, and what it brings to Hong Kong.
Intergroup helps with three routes: the employment visa, the investment visa and the representative visa. We assess your chances, prepare the business case, arrange the office, local staff and local sponsor where needed, and manage the application until the visa is issued.
visa routes we handle: employment, investment and representative
maximum initial stay, with extensions afterwards
typical overall timeline, including preparation
of continuous residence before applying for permanent residency
Get a visa assessment
Tell us about your role, company and family — we will recommend the right visa and explain what it will take.
+852 5803 1008Types of visas in Hong Kong
Hong Kong has several admission schemes for people who want to live and work in the city. Here is an overview of the main ones — the first three are the routes we handle.
Employment visa
For professionals and managers with a job offer from a Hong Kong employer. Granted under the General Employment Policy (GEP), which has no quota and is open to all sectors.
Investment visa
For entrepreneurs who set up or join in a business in Hong Kong and can show that it makes a real contribution to the local economy.
Representative visa
For managers and specialists sent by an overseas company to open or run its Hong Kong representative office, branch or subsidiary (intra-company transfer).
Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS)
For high earners with an annual income of HK$2.5 million or more and for graduates of leading universities. No job offer is needed in advance.
Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS)
A quota-based points system for highly skilled or talented people. Applicants are selected on their merits, without a prior job offer.
New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme
Residence for investors who place at least HK$30 million in permissible assets in Hong Kong, such as securities, funds and a dedicated government investment portfolio.
ASMTP and IANG
Separate schemes for Chinese residents of the Mainland (ASMTP) and for non-local graduates of Hong Kong universities (IANG).
Dependant visa
For the spouse or partner and unmarried children under 18 of a visa holder. We prepare these applications together with your own.
The General Employment Policy does not apply to Chinese residents of the Mainland, who use the ASMTP instead, or to nationals of Afghanistan, Cuba and North Korea. Every application is decided by the Director of Immigration at his discretion.
The three visas we help with
All three are granted under Hong Kong’s General Employment Policy, but they suit different situations and come with different requirements.
Employment visa
The route for a professional or manager employed by a Hong Kong company — for example, a director appointed to run a Hong Kong company that belongs to someone else. The Hong Kong employer acts as your sponsor.
- Legal basis
- General Employment Policy (GEP)
- Sponsor
- Your Hong Kong employer
- Initial stay
- Up to 3 years, or the contract term if shorter
- Typical timeline
- 6–12 weeks
- Family
- Spouse or partner and children under 18
- Our fee
- US$1,950
What you need
- A confirmed job offer from a Hong Kong company, in a role that matches your qualifications
- A good education — normally a university degree; strong technical qualifications or proven professional experience may be accepted instead
- Relevant work experience, confirmed by employment records or reference letters
- A salary and benefits package in line with the Hong Kong market for the position
- A clear reason why the role has to be performed in Hong Kong and cannot readily be filled by local staff (not required for salaries of HK$2 million a year or more, or for roles on the Talent List)
- An employer that is a genuine, operating business — with business registration, an office, staff and, for a new company, a business plan
Investment visa
The route for an entrepreneur who owns and runs a Hong Kong company. If you are both a shareholder and a director of the business, this is the visa to apply for. The decision rests on how convincingly the business benefits Hong Kong.
- Legal basis
- GEP — Investment as Entrepreneurs
- Sponsor
- A local sponsor — an individual or a company
- Initial stay
- Up to 3 years
- Typical timeline
- 6–14 weeks
- Family
- Spouse or partner and children under 18
- Our fee
- US$2,500
What you need
- A company incorporated in Hong Kong in which you are a shareholder and a director
- A detailed business plan with financial projections for the next 2–3 years
- Proof of sufficient funds to run the business — there is no fixed minimum investment
- Evidence that the business benefits Hong Kong: local jobs, investment, turnover, new technology or skills
- In practice, a real office in Hong Kong and at least one locally hired employee
- A solid education and experience in the industry your business operates in
- A clear reason why you need to manage the company in Hong Kong rather than from abroad
- A local sponsor in Hong Kong — if you do not have one, we can act as your sponsor
Representative visa
The route for a manager or specialist whom an overseas company sends to open or run its Hong Kong presence — a representative office, a branch or a subsidiary. It is processed as an intra-company transfer under the General Employment Policy, with the group’s Hong Kong entity as sponsor.
- Legal basis
- GEP — intra-company transfer
- Sponsor
- Your company’s Hong Kong office or entity
- Initial stay
- Up to 3 years, or the assignment term if shorter
- Typical timeline
- 6–12 weeks
- Family
- Spouse or partner and children under 18
- Our fee
- On request
What you need
- A managerial or professional position in the Hong Kong office
- Usually at least one year of employment with the company abroad — which also removes the need to test the local job market
- A registered Hong Kong presence: a representative office, a branch registered as a non-Hong Kong company, or a subsidiary
- An assignment letter or employment contract with a market-level salary
- Documents of the parent company and a business plan for the Hong Kong operations
- Education and experience that match the role
An office, local staff and a business plan are the core of a convincing application. We can find and lease the office, recruit your first employees and draft the employment contracts under Hong Kong labour law.
Office, staff and substance servicesFind your route
The right visa depends on your relationship with the Hong Kong business. These are the most common situations:
A Hong Kong company hires you as a director or specialist, but you do not own it
Employment visa
You own a Hong Kong company, or are setting one up, and will run it in Hong Kong
Investment visa
An overseas company sends you to open or lead its Hong Kong office
Representative visa
Your spouse or partner and children want to join you
Dependant visas, filed alongside yours
Not sure which applies to you? Send us a few details about your role and company, and we will recommend the route and tell you what it will take.
How the process works
A well-prepared application saves weeks of back-and-forth with the Immigration Department. We take care of every stage.
Assessment
We review your education, experience, company and plans, choose the right visa route and tell you honestly how strong your case is.
Preparing the ground
Where needed, we set up the Hong Kong company, find the office, recruit local staff and arrange a local sponsor — so that the business case is real, not just on paper.
Business plan and documents
We write the business plan, prepare the official forms and collect, translate and certify the supporting documents.
Filing
We submit the application to the Immigration Department and handle all correspondence, including any requests for additional information.
Approval and e-Visa
Once the application is approved, the visa is issued electronically. You travel to Hong Kong and present it on arrival.
Arrival and beyond
We guide you through the identity card registration and keep track of your limit of stay, so that extensions are filed on time.
Documents usually required
The exact list depends on the visa route and your situation. As a rule, an application includes:
- A copy of your passport and a recent passport-size photograph
- Diplomas and academic transcripts
- Proof of work experience: a CV, employment records or reference letters
- Hong Kong company documents: certificate of incorporation, business registration certificate, articles of association, registers of directors and shareholders
- Proof of money flowing into the Hong Kong economy: office lease, staff contracts, Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) records
- A business plan with financial projections — we prepare it together with you
- An employment contract or assignment letter (employment and representative visas)
- Proof of funds, such as bank statements (investment visa)
- Marriage and birth certificates for accompanying family members
Documents in languages other than English or Chinese must be translated, and diplomas and civil-status documents often need notarial certification. We can arrange both.
After approval: what to know
A Hong Kong visa comes with a few rules worth knowing from day one.
Hong Kong identity card
Visa holders aged 11 or over who may stay for more than 180 days must apply for a Hong Kong identity card within 30 days of arrival.
Your visa is tied to your sponsor
A change of employer or of the business you run needs the prior approval of the Immigration Department.
Extensions
Apply before your limit of stay expires. Investors must show that the business is operating — filed tax returns, accounts and MPF contributions — and we can handle the accounting for you.
Family
Dependants stay for the same period as you and may study or work in Hong Kong without a separate permit.
Travel
You can leave and re-enter Hong Kong freely during your permitted stay.
Permanent residency
After seven years of continuous ordinary residence you may apply for permanent residency, which removes any limit on your stay.
Pricing
Fixed fees for preparing and filing the main application. Services that strengthen your case — such as the office and local staff — are priced separately.
Employment visa
Full application preparation and filing
US$1,950
Investment visa
Including the business plan and filing
US$2,500
Representative visa (intra-company transfer)
On request
Local sponsor for an investment visa
If you do not have a sponsor in Hong Kong
On request
Physical office search and lease arrangement
Our service fee; the rent is paid separately
From US$600
Local staff recruitment
1–2 months’ salary
Immigration Department fees are paid separately. Applications for your spouse and children can be prepared together with your own — ask us about the details.
See the full price listGet a visa assessment
Tell us about your role, company and family — we will recommend the right visa and explain what it will take.
Why clients choose Intergroup
An honest assessment first
We tell you upfront how strong your case is and what would make it stronger — we do not file applications we believe will fail.
A complete, convincing file
Business plan, forms and supporting documents prepared to the standard the Immigration Department expects.
Office and staff in one place
We find the office, recruit local employees and draft contracts under Hong Kong labour law — the substance your application needs.
Local sponsor if required
If you do not have a sponsor in Hong Kong for an investment visa, we can act as one.
Your family included
Applications for your spouse or partner and children are prepared and filed alongside yours.
Support after approval
Accounting, tax filings and company secretarial support keep your business in good standing for every extension.
Frequently asked questions
Can I work in Hong Kong on a visitor stay?
No. Visitors may attend meetings, negotiate and sign contracts, but they may not take up employment — paid or unpaid — or establish or join in a business. To work or run your company in Hong Kong, you need an employment, investment or representative visa.
Do I need to be in Hong Kong to apply?
No. The application can be prepared and submitted while you are abroad. Once it is approved, the visa is issued electronically and you travel to Hong Kong with it.
How long does it take?
The Immigration Department aims to decide within about four weeks of receiving all the required documents. In practice, with preparation and possible requests for further information, the whole process usually takes 6–12 weeks for employment and representative visas and 6–14 weeks for investment visas.
Is there a minimum investment for the investment visa?
There is no fixed minimum. You need to show that you have enough funds to run the business and that it contributes to Hong Kong — through investment, local jobs, turnover or new skills. The office rent and local salaries you pay are part of that contribution.
Do I really need an office and local staff?
They are not written into the rules as a formal condition, but in practice the Immigration Department expects a real business presence. An application with a virtual office and no employees is much weaker, which is why we strongly recommend both and can arrange them for you.
Can my family come with me?
Yes. Your spouse or partner and unmarried dependent children under 18 can apply for dependant visas. You need to show that you can support them and provide suitable accommodation. Dependants may study and work in Hong Kong.
Is approval guaranteed?
No one can guarantee a visa: every application is decided by the Director of Immigration at his discretion. What we can do is assess your case honestly, close the gaps before filing and present the application as strongly as possible.
Can a work or investment visa lead to permanent residency?
Yes. Time spent in Hong Kong on these visas counts towards the seven years of continuous ordinary residence after which you may apply for permanent residency.
Plan your move to Hong Kong
Share a few details about yourself and your business. We will recommend the right visa, list exactly what is needed and give you a realistic timeline.