"Frankly, excellent is an understatement in describing the quality of this service." Babak Akhlaghi, General Legal Counsel. National Panasonic Corporation of Japan
"No other provider would give free and accurate advice!" Daniel W, UK Citizen Living in HK
"We recommend the Hong Kong Visa Centre to anyone who needs help and support to understand the options for married same-sex couples." Alex P, Switzerland
"Seven months ago, when we first talked on Skype, I emphasized the issue of trust. I can say today that you honored 100% of what you said that day." Gustavo Cavaliere, Managing Director. Blue Dragonfly Corp
"Having dealt with other immigration providers in South East Asia you're leagues ahead of the rest in all attributes needed to run a successful visa company; they could learn much from you." Neil Jolly, Managing Director. Classic Equine Ltd
"Knowledgeable, diligent, honest, responsive, accurate and hard working are only among a few of the characteristics describing the professionals at the Hong Kong Visa Centre." Babak Akhlaghi, General Legal Counsel. National Panasonic Corporation of Japan
"All in all, an excellent experience. I wish every service business worked as efficiently." Hari Iyer, Managing Director. IBS Consultants Ltd
"It was free and I got a quick response!" Tom P, UK
“I cannot recommend Stephen Barnes and the Hong Kong Visa Centre highly enough.” Daniel White, Psychologist. Hong Kong
"Your knowledge and understanding of the process meant that you were able to reassure me every step of the way." Alice McKay, Managing Director. Golden Path Education Ltd
"Here is a company evidently in the business of helping people like me, giving away important visa information for free! I immediately called their office and the rest is history!" Richelle Oblena, Director. Phoenix Alliance Ltd
"The information in your Visa Handbook was a key factor in my having a successful work visa application. I owe you a debt of gratitude." Adam G, Hong Kong
"Frankly, excellent is an understatement in describing the quality of this service." Babak Akhlaghi, General Legal Counsel. National Panasonic Corporation of Japan
"No other provider would give free and accurate advice!" Daniel W, UK Citizen Living in HK
"We recommend the Hong Kong Visa Centre to anyone who needs help and support to understand the options for married same-sex couples." Alex P, Switzerland
"Seven months ago, when we first talked on Skype, I emphasized the issue of trust. I can say today that you honored 100% of what you said that day." Gustavo Cavaliere, Managing Director. Blue Dragonfly Corp
"Having dealt with other immigration providers in South East Asia you're leagues ahead of the rest in all attributes needed to run a successful visa company; they could learn much from you." Neil Jolly, Managing Director. Classic Equine Ltd
"Knowledgeable, diligent, honest, responsive, accurate and hard working are only among a few of the characteristics describing the professionals at the Hong Kong Visa Centre." Babak Akhlaghi, General Legal Counsel. National Panasonic Corporation of Japan
"All in all, an excellent experience. I wish every service business worked as efficiently." Hari Iyer, Managing Director. IBS Consultants Ltd
"It was free and I got a quick response!" Tom P, UK
“I cannot recommend Stephen Barnes and the Hong Kong Visa Centre highly enough.” Daniel White, Psychologist. Hong Kong
"Your knowledge and understanding of the process meant that you were able to reassure me every step of the way." Alice McKay, Managing Director. Golden Path Education Ltd
"Here is a company evidently in the business of helping people like me, giving away important visa information for free! I immediately called their office and the rest is history!" Richelle Oblena, Director. Phoenix Alliance Ltd
"The information in your Visa Handbook was a key factor in my having a successful work visa application. I owe you a debt of gratitude." Adam G, Hong Kong
A Suitable Credible Sponsor For Your Hong Kong Work Visa Application? Over the last 20 years or so I have coined a number of phrases in Hong Kong immigration parlance … Suitable credible sponsor for a work visa? In this short piece, I discuss how the Hong Kong Immigration Department assess the bona fides of […]
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One of the first steps in a work visa transfer Hong Kong is ensuring you meet the initial criteria. This usually involves having a solid educational background, typically a bachelor’s degree, along with at least two years of post-graduation experience in a managerial or supervisory role. However, the Hong Kong Immigration Department may also consider technical qualifications and extensive relevant work experience as a substitute for formal education.
Good Character
Maintaining a clean record is crucial when transferring your employment visa. You must be of good character, meaning no security objections or serious criminal records should be present.
Compensation Package
Your new employment offer should meet or exceed market standards. The compensation package must be on par with or better than your previous role to ensure fairness and compliance with local employment laws.
The transfer process typically takes between four to six weeks. It’s crucial not to commence your new role until the transfer has been officially approved. Starting your new job before approval could jeopardize both your status and that of your dependent family members.
Communication with ImmD
The Immigration Department may communicate via various channels, including email, fax, or snail mail, and may request additional information. You are generally expected to respond within 14 days, although flexibility can be provided.
Approval Formalities
Once the work visa transfer Hong Kong is approved, you will be notified and invited to complete the approval formalities. These may vary depending on how you submitted your application but usually involve the issue of a new QR code approval letter (if an extension of stay has been granted at the same time) or a simple letter confirming your approval and the present date of your work visa expiry (usually more than 12 months hence). Occasionally an in-person visit to the Immigration Department is called for.
Implications for Family
One of the most pressing concerns for many professionals is how the work visa transfer Hong Kong process will affect their family members who are holding dependent visas. The good news is that while your change of employer application is ongoing, there is no change in the dependent visa permissions of your accompanying family. However, you will need to inform the Immigration Department about the change in your employment status as it could have implications for the renewal of dependent visas.
Renewal of Dependent Visas
Typically, dependent visas are linked to the employment status of the principal visa holder. Therefore, any change in the employment status, like a job transfer, does not invoke a re-evaluation of the dependent visas. If the main work visa holder gets an extension at the time of the approval, the accompanying family dependant visas are extended too. Best to include the family extension of stay applications together with the main application work visa transfer application if the family visas have less than 90 days remaining
The Twilight Zone
If your current limit of stay is set to expire while your transfer application is being processed, you may find yourself in the “Twilight Zone.” This is a period where your existing visa has expired, but you are allowed to remain in Hong Kong while waiting for the new visa approval. During this period, your family members on dependent visas are also allowed to stay in Hong Kong but technically are not permitted to engage in work or education activities until their, like the main applicant’s, visa and extension of stay is approved. Rarely do ImmD prosecute for breach of conditions of stay in these circumstances but technically all bets are off until the new limits of stay are approved.
Last Words …
Transferring an employment visa in Hong Kong is a detailed and often complex process that requires careful planning, timely communication, and strict adherence to Immigration Department guidelines. The process becomes even more intricate when family members on dependent visas are involved. However, you can navigate these complexities more effectively by understanding the nuances and requirements of the visa transfer process.
For more information, you can consult Hong Kong Visa Sherpa which offers a comprehensive D-I-Y guide on the visa Hong Kong work visa transfer process.
By being well-informed and prepared, you can make your employment visa transfer in Hong Kong a seamless experience, allowing you to continue your professional journey in this dynamic city while ensuring that your family’s stay remains uninterrupted.
What To Do If You’ve Lost Your Job And Have An Expiring Hong Kong Employment Visa? Do You Have To Leave? What About Your Eligibility For PR? Introduction Experiencing an expiring Hong Kong employment visa after being made redundant can be a stressful situation. Hong Kong’s visa and immigration processes can range from being […]
