Hong Kong
Rely on Lerio for accurate interpretations of complex employment laws in Hong Kong.
Hiring in Hong Kong at a glance
$ / HKD
40 hours / week
13 holidays / year
The most common payment frequency is monthly.
By law employees can also be paid bimonthly or weekly.
Cantonese
7M
$6300 / month
1 April to 31 March
Employment Tax
The individual income tax ranges from 0% to 17% based on income, see table below.
- Mandatory provident fund (MPF): 5%
- Less than HK$ 7,100: relevant income x 5%
- HK$ 7,100 to HK$ 30,000: relevant income x 5%
- more than HK$ 30,000: $1,500
- Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF): 5%
Income Tax
| Taxable Salary | Tax Rate (%) | ||
| $1 - $50 000 | 2% | ||
| $50 001 - $100 000 | 6% | ||
| $100 001 - $150 000 | 10% | ||
| $150 001 - $200 000 | 14% | ||
| $200 001 + | 17% |
Employer of Record
in Hong Kong
In the capacity of the official employer, an Employer of Record assumes the responsibility of maintaining compliance with Australian employment legislation. This encompasses duties such as payroll management, taxation, and the execution of employment agreements in line with labour regulations.
Employer of
Record Process
- Company
- Full legal name of prospective employee
- Employee contact details
- Employee nationality and residency status
- Proposed start date
- Right to work status
- Job title
- Working hours
- Job description and deliverables
- Salary information
- Benefit information
- Intellectual property and confidentiality agreement
- Terms of termination (e.g. notice period)
- Probation period
- EMployee bank details
- All other company-specific requirements (e.g. non-compete, intellectual property clauses, etc.)
Finds their perfect hire and provides Lerio with all the information required to prepare an employment agreement. For Australia, that includes:
- Lerio
Prepares the employment agreement and shares with the prospective employee for signing. Requests all additional documents such as identity documents, proof of right to work in Australia, tax information, etc.
- Employee
Signs employment agreement and submits required documents.
Umbrella Process
- Employee
Now no longer a prospective employee but simply an official employee, who ensures to keep Lerio updated on any personal information changes.
- Lerio
Onboards employee to payroll and benefit programs to get started ensuring that salaries are paid every month and benefits are administered. Tax contributions and benefit fees are paid and payslips are provided to the employee.
Lerio provides an invoice and statement to the company for each month.
- Company
Receives monthly invoice, reviews and processes. Provides information on whether anything has changed in their relationship with the employee, the employee’s role or the company that will have an effect on the upcoming payroll run.
Employee Benefits
- Pension
- Workers compensation insurance
Non-mandatory
Employee Benefits
- Medical Insurance
- Life insurance
- Work commuter reimbursement
- Housing subsidy
- 13th salary
Employee Rights
- Fair and just dismissal process
- Rights to join and belong to a labour union
- Protection from age discrimination
- A safe and healthy work environment free from risk
- Payment to family in the case of death, including reimbursement of funeral and medical expense
- Long service pay upon termination if employed by the company for more than 5 years
- Protection of personal information
Leave
7 days per year, after a year and at least 7 consecutive days must be allowed.
- 1 year: 7 days
- 2 years: 7 days
- 3 years: 8 days
- 4 years: 9 days
- 5 years: 10 days
- 6 years: 11 days
- 7 years: 12 days
- 8 years: 13 days
- 9 years: 14 years
1 – 4 days: Unpaid
5 + days: 80% of standard payment
Sick leave is accrued at 2 days per month for the first year of employment and then 4 days per month after that. Capped at 120 days.
14 weeks at 80% of standard salary. This is paid by the employer and can be claimed back from the government for weeks 11 – 14, capped at $80 000
2 weeks have to be taken prior to delivery date.
5 days at 80% of standard salary paid by the company. Leave can be taken anywhere from 4 weeks prior to due date until 14 weeks after birth. Entitlement requires having been employed for 40 weeks prior.
30 days once probation is completed and 7 days during probation.
Probation
No statutory requirement but probations are usually 3 months.
What is a work permit in Hong-Kong?
Work permits are official documents from a country’s government that qualifies an individual to legally work and live in the country. However, this is a broad term and many countries require more than one official document and may use different terms to refer to these documents. Essentially all terms are referencing documents that prove someone has been given the legal right to work and live in the country.
In Hong-Kong, the “work permit” required to legally live and work legally is referred to simply as a work visa and this is the only document needed.
Who needs a work permit in Hong-Kong?
Hong-Kong generally requires everyone who is not a citizen or a permanent resident to go through a process of obtaining a work permit. However, there are different processes and requirements for citizens of Mainland China living in China, Taiwan, Macao and citizens of Mainland China living outside of China.
How long does it take to get a work permit in Hong-Kong?
Top Talent Pass Scheme: 4 weeks
General Employment Policy (GEP): 4 weeks
Technology Talent Admission Scheme (TechTAS) : 2 weeks
Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS): Varies as applications are largely case-by-case
Types of work visas in Hong-Kong
Top Talent Pass Scheme
Top Talent Pass Scheme is for highly skilled individuals with extensive work experience and strong academic backgrounds from across the globe. These individuals comprise high-earning professionals and graduates from renowned international universities.
Eligibility
- Category A
- Annual income of HK$2.5 million or above in the 12 months before the application
- Category B
- Graduates from eligible universities with three years of experience in the last five years
- Category C
- There is a quota for graduates from eligible universities who do not have three years of experience in the last 12 months
General Employment Policy (GEP)
General Employment Policy (GEP) is available to individuals with skills and qualifications that aren’t readily available in the current Hong Kong workforce.
Eligibility
- Clear criminal record
- Specialised education, professional experience or achievements
- Confirmed offer of employment
- The offer of employment is for a role that matches the experience and qualifications
- The salary offered is in line with the average in that field for similar experience and qualifications
Technology Talent Admission Scheme (TechTAS)
Technology Talent Admission Scheme (TechTAS) is a visa that allows companies that have been approved by the Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC) to hire foreign nationals and fast-track their entry. Companies are allocated a quota for hiring. It’s specifically intended for employees who will work on research and development.
Eligibility
- Clear criminal record
- Company’s quota hasn’t been reached
- Full-time employment agreement
- Employee will work primarily in R&D in advanced communication technologies, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, cybersecurity, data analytics, digital entertainment, financial technologies, green technology, integrated circuit design, IOT, material science, microelectronics, quantum technology or robotics
- Relevant STEM degree from an university that was rated in the top 100 in any of the following publications in their most recent ranking
- the applicant is a degree-holder in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) from a well-recognised university, which is among the top 100 universities for STEM-related subjects in the latest publication of any of the following world university ranking tables:
- If employee has a masters degree, no work experience is required
- If employee has a bachelors degree, at least one year of experience is required
- If employee doesn’t reach the education requirements, proven relevant technical skills in specialised fields, relevant experience and achievement.
- Salary offered is market-related in Hong Kong
- The job description matches the employee’s experience and qualifications
Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS)
The Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS) allows skilled professionals to obtain the right to work and live in Hong Kong without having secured employment before moving.
Eligibility
- Must be over 18
- Ability to support themselves and dependents without relying on public assistance
- Clear criminal record
- Proficient in spoken and written English or Chinese (Putonghua or Cantonese)
- Qualified professional with either education from a high ranking university or proven professional experience, skills and achievements.
- Pass either one of these points based tests:
Other visas
In addition there are other visas specifically for residents of mainland China and second generation Chinese, investors and graduates.
Application process in Hong Kong
Collect documentation and coordinate
- Collect the documents the employee needs to collect
- Collect the documents the employer needs to collect
- Coordinate whether the employee and company will upload their own documents separately or if one or the other will do this
- Complete assessments, where applicable
Apply for the visa
- Applications can be submitted online. This link is relevant to all visa types.
- Upload documents from employer and employee
Payment
- Once the application is approved, notification will come via email
- The email will also contain a link to pay the visa fees. Payment can either be made through this link or ImmD Mobile App or in-person at an immigration office.
Download visa
- As soon as the payment is done, the e-Visa will be issued. This can be downloaded on the website or through the ImmD Mobile App.
- The e-Visa can be used to travel to Hong Kong
Travel and start
Visa-specific application details
General Employment Policy (GEP)
What documents are required to apply for a work permit in Hong-Kong?
Each visa may have their own unique document requirements. The list below is a general list. Ensure to see the links at the end for visa-specific requirements.
From applicant:
- Application for Entry for Employment as Professionals
- The applicant’s recent photograph
- Passport copy and if in Hong Kong, copy of the page that shows entry date
- Proof of qualifications and experience
From employer:
- Application for Employing Professionals in Hong Kong (ID 990B)
- Employment contract showing job description, salary, benefits and employment period
- Business registration certificate
- Proof of financial standing
- Company background, e.g. business activity, operating model, product range, suppliers and markets, etc.
- Detailed business plan showing source of income, estimated capital injections, expected turnover, sales volume, gross and net profit forecast
In these case, employers don’t need to submit all of these documents.
Visa-specific document requirements:
General Employment Policy (GEP)
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