Working in Hong Kong
This guide answers the questions people who work, or want to work, in Hong Kong in ordinary employment ask most, from choosing a work visa to pay, leave, MPF and tax. Checked against official pages on 26 October 2026; where sources disagree or we found a gap, we say so plainly.
Sources checked ·
How can I get permission to work in Hong Kong, and which route fits me?#
Which route fits depends mainly on whether you already have a Hong Kong job offer. With an offer: the General Employment Policy (GEP) for non-Mainland applicants, or the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals (ASMTP) for Mainland residents. Without one: the Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) or the points-based Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS). Eligible companies with a quota can sponsor research staff under the Technology Talent Admission Scheme (TechTAS).
Whether a visitor may work, and the working holiday scheme, are answered in the Visiting and staying guide. The Studying guide owns student work and the graduate route, IANG. ImmD's pages give its stay differently: the IANG page (29 April 2026) says 24 months, the overview page (22 July 2026) says one year.
What are the rules of the General Employment Policy and the Mainland scheme?#
ImmD says the GEP needs a confirmed job offer for a genuine vacancy that cannot readily be filled locally, normally a relevant first degree, no security objection or serious-crime record, and pay broadly at market level for professionals. There is no fixed minimum salary. The first stay is normally 36 months (or the contract length if shorter), and processing normally takes four weeks after all documents. Mainland Chinese residents and nationals of Afghanistan, Cuba and North Korea are not covered.
The ASMTP is the Mainland-resident equivalent: no quota or sector restriction, the same criteria, an initial stay of up to 36 months and normally four weeks' processing. Overseas Chinese nationals with PRC passports who have lived overseas apply under the GEP instead.
How does the Top Talent Pass Scheme work?#
The TTPS needs no job offer. ImmD lists three categories. A: annual income of HK$2.5 million or more in the previous year (initial stay 36 months). B: a degree from an eligible university plus at least three years' work experience in the past five years (24 months). C: a degree from an eligible university in the past five years and less than three years' experience (24 months). Category C is not open to non-local students who earned an undergraduate degree in a full-time, locally accredited Hong Kong programme.
Categories A and B have no quota. Category C has an annual quota of 10,000, first come, first served. ImmD's list of eligible universities was updated on 1 January 2026 to 200 institutions.
How do the points-based scheme and the technology scheme work?#
QMAS is points-based and needs no local job offer. The General Points Test has 12 assessment criteria; ImmD's page does not state the passing threshold. The Achievement-based Points Test has two criteria, one of which must be met. Approvals come from selection exercises, so meeting the threshold does not guarantee approval. The normal stay is 36 months (General Points Test) or eight years (Achievement-based), and general extensions normally follow a 3+2 pattern.
TechTAS lets eligible companies with a quota from the Innovation and Technology Commission (valid 24 months) sponsor non-local research-and-development staff. Since 24 December 2025 the quota and visa applications can run in parallel, and the requirement to work in 14 designated technology areas is lifted.
Can I bring my partner and children, and can they work?#
ImmD says spouses and civil or same-sex partners recognised under its rules, and unmarried children under 18, of people admitted under the GEP, ASMTP, TechTAS, IANG, TTPS or QMAS can be sponsored if the relationship is genuine. The sponsor must support them well above subsistence level and provide suitable accommodation.
These dependants are not prohibited from working or studying, and TTPS holders' dependants may work or study. Their stay is linked to the sponsor's, and an extension is applied for within three months before expiry. Dependants of students need permission to work; the Studying guide covers student rules.
Can I change employer, and how do I extend my stay?#
ImmD says GEP professionals on an employment condition need the Director of Immigration's prior approval before changing employers, and ASMTP holders also need prior approval. Top-tier GEP professionals on time limitation only just notify ImmD online. TTPS holders may take up and change employment, or start or join a business, without prior approval.
A GEP extension is applied for within three months before expiry and at least six weeks before it, and takes about two to three weeks. The top tier (at least two years as a GEP professional and assessable income of at least HK$2 million in the previous tax year) normally gets a five-year extension. TTPS extensions are online with proof of stable employment income or a business, normally up to three years or the contract length.
What must my employer tell me or put in writing before I start?#
The Labour Department says that before work starts the employer must tell the employee the wages (rate, overtime rate and allowances), the wage period, the notice needed to end the contract and any end-of-year payment, and must give a copy of a written contract. A contract may be oral. Any term that cuts a right given by the Employment Ordinance is void.
Wages fall due at the end of each wage period and must be paid as soon as practicable and no later than seven days after it, with interest on late wages. Wilful non-payment carries a fine of up to HK$350,000 and three years' prison. The Domestic helpers guide owns the rules for foreign domestic helpers.
What is a continuous contract, and why does it matter?#
The Labour Department says that since 18 January 2026 an employee has a continuous contract after four weeks or more with the same employer, working at least 17 hours in each week, or, for a week under 17 hours, 68 hours or more in the four-week period made of that week and the three before it. For earlier periods the old 18-hour test still applies. In a dispute the employer must prove the contract is not continuous.
Rest days, paid annual leave, sickness allowance, severance payment and long service payment need a continuous contract. Every employee has basic protection whatever the hours, including wages, limits on deductions and statutory holidays. The Ordinance does not cover, for example, a family member living in the employer's dwelling.
What is the minimum wage, and what can my employer deduct?#
The Statutory Minimum Wage is HK$43.1 an hour from 1 May 2026, up from HK$42.1. The Labour Department says it covers employees paid monthly, daily or hourly, casual and part-time, with or without a continuous contract; its Concise Guide lists a few exceptions. Hours worked include time at the workplace even without work, and travel for the job (not commuting from home).
An employer may deduct wages only for reasons the Ordinance lists, such as damage or loss through the employee's neglect (at most HK$300 per case and a quarter of the wage period's pay). Deductions other than for absence and maintenance orders may not exceed half the wages without the Commissioner for Labour's written approval. An illegal deduction carries up to HK$100,000 and one year's prison.
How many rest days and statutory holidays do I get?#
On a continuous contract you are entitled to at least one rest day of at least 24 hours in every seven days. The employer appoints rest days and may not make you work on one except for a breakdown or unforeseen emergency, and must then give a substitute day within 30 days. Pay on a rest day is left to agreement. For working-hour limits, see the last section.
Every employee, whatever the length of service, gets the statutory holidays: 15 a year from 2026, 16 from 2028 and 17 from 2030. Holiday pay needs a continuous contract of at least three months before the holiday. This list differs from the government's general holidays. The Typhoons, rainstorms and public holidays guide owns that list and the weather rules.
How much annual leave and sick pay do I get?#
Paid annual leave starts after each 12 months on a continuous contract: 7 days in years 1 and 2, rising by one day a year to 14 days at 9 or more years. Pay in lieu during employment is allowed only for the part above 10 days. On termination, untaken leave is paid (pro rata after three months in a leave year, except on summary dismissal).
Sickness allowance is four-fifths of average daily wages, for sick leave of at least four consecutive days backed by a medical certificate. Paid sickness days accrue at two a month in the first 12 months and four a month after, up to 120 days. It is not payable if employees' compensation is payable for the same absence.
How much maternity and paternity leave do I get?#
A pregnant employee on a continuous contract who has given notice is entitled to 14 weeks' maternity leave. It is paid at four-fifths of average daily wages if she has been on a continuous contract for at least 40 weeks before the scheduled leave. Pay for weeks 11 to 14 is capped at HK$80,000, and the employer may claim it back from the Government.
A male employee on a continuous contract is entitled to 5 days' paternity leave per confinement of his spouse or partner (not necessarily married), paid at four-fifths of average daily wages after at least 40 weeks. He should notify the employer at least three months before the due date.
How much notice must be given, and when is dismissal unlawful?#
Either side gives the notice the contract sets (not less than 7 days) or, if the contract is silent, at least one month, or pay in lieu. In probation no notice is needed in the first month and at least 7 days after. Summary dismissal is lawful only for wilful disobedience of a lawful order, misconduct, fraud or dishonesty, or habitual neglect.
An employee with at least 24 months on a continuous contract who is dismissed without a valid reason (conduct, capability, redundancy or genuine operational need, a statutory requirement, or other substantial reason) can serve written notice within three months and sue in the Labour Tribunal within nine months. Dismissal is also unlawful during paid sick leave and for confirmed pregnancy, among other grounds.
What severance or long service payment can I get, and what changed on 1 May 2025?#
Severance payment needs at least 24 months, and long service payment at least 5 years, on a continuous contract. Severance covers redundancy, lay-off or a fixed term not renewed; long service payment covers dismissal other than for serious misconduct or redundancy, and some other cases. The amount is two-thirds of the last full month's wages, with that two-thirds capped at HK$15,000, times reckonable years of service, to a maximum of HK$390,000. An employee cannot receive both.
For employees in the MPF system, from 1 May 2025 an employer can no longer use its mandatory MPF contributions to offset either payment when employment ends on or after that date. For employees hired before then, the payment is split at 1 May 2025 and the earlier part can still be offset.
Who must join MPF, and how much do I and my employer pay?#
The MPFA says MPF is compulsory for a regular employee aged 18 to 64 employed for a continuous 60 days or more, full- or part-time, unless exempt. An employee is exempt if a member of a retirement scheme outside Hong Kong, or if the employment visa lets the person stay 13 months or less.
Employer and employee each pay 5% of the employee's relevant income. For monthly pay it is limited between HK$7,100 (below it the employee pays nothing, but the employer still pays) and HK$30,000 (above it each side pays a flat HK$1,500). For daily-paid staff the limits are HK$280 and HK$1,000 a day. A new employee pays nothing for the first 30 days; the employer's contribution counts from day one.
Who chooses my MPF scheme, and how do I take the money out?#
The employer must enrol you within 60 days of starting. You may suggest a scheme, but the employer decides. On leaving a job you can move your balance to the new employer's scheme or to a personal account in any scheme; with no instruction within three months of the termination notice it moves automatically to a personal account in the same scheme.
Before 65, early withdrawal is allowed on permanent departure from Hong Kong (by statutory declaration, with proof of the right to live abroad; once only; trustees generally pay within 30 days of receiving all documents), on early retirement at 60 or older, total incapacity, terminal illness, or a balance of no more than HK$5,000 with no contribution for 12 months.
How is salaries tax charged, when do I file, and what are the allowances?#
Salaries Tax is charged on income arising in or derived from Hong Kong from an office or employment, including all income for services rendered in Hong Kong. The tax year runs from 1 April to 31 March. IRD issued about 2.77 million 2025/26 returns on 4 May 2026; the deadline is one month (4 June) for most paper filers, with one extra month (to 4 July) for electronic filing.
IRD's table gives a basic allowance of HK$132,000 for 2025/26 and HK$145,000 from 2026/27, and a married person's allowance rising from HK$264,000 to HK$290,000. For 2025/26 final salaries tax is reduced by 100%, capped at HK$3,000 per case, but not for provisional tax. Deductions are capped at HK$18,000 for mandatory MPF contributions.
What if I am hurt at work?#
The Employees' Compensation Ordinance covers full-time and part-time employees (not casual employees, outworkers or family members living with the employer). The Labour Department says an employer is generally liable for injury by accident arising out of and in the course of employment, even if the employee was at fault.
Tell the employer as soon as possible, orally or in writing. The employer must report to the Commissioner for Labour within 14 days (7 days if the employee dies). During temporary incapacity the employer pays four-fifths of the difference between earnings at the time of the accident and earnings during the incapacity, plus medical expenses. A court claim must be made within 24 months of the accident. Every employer must hold insurance.
Where do I go if my employer does not pay me or breaks my contract?#
The Labour Relations Division of the Labour Department gives free, voluntary conciliation of employment disputes. The officer cannot decide who is right; if there is no settlement, the claim may go to the Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board or the Labour Tribunal.
The Board hears claims by up to 10 claimants, only after conciliation, with no lawyers. Its limit differs between Labour Department documents. The department's web page and its December 2025 Employment Ordinance guide say HK$15,000 per claimant. Its undated leaflet 'A Simple Guide to the Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board' says HK$8,000 and that the Board cannot hear claims more than 12 months old; the other documents do not mention that 12-month rule. Claims above the Board's limit go to the Labour Tribunal.
May my employer hold my pay when I leave Hong Kong, and what if it goes insolvent?#
IRD says a person leaving Hong Kong for more than a month must tell it in writing at least one month before leaving. On holding pay, two IRD texts differ. The 2025-26 Brief Guide says the employer may not make any payment for one month from that notice without the Commissioner's written consent. IRD's undated employer web page says to withhold all amounts due until the employee obtains IRD's letter of release.
If an employer is insolvent, the Labour Department's Protection of Wages on Insolvency Fund can pay up to HK$80,000 for wage arrears, HK$45,000 wages in lieu of notice and HK$26,000 for untaken annual leave and statutory holidays. Applications are barred after six months from the last day of service or termination.
What counts as discrimination or sexual harassment at work, and how do I complain?#
The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) says four ordinances bar discrimination in employment on the grounds of sex, marital status, pregnancy, disability, family status and race: the Sex Discrimination Ordinance (Cap. 480), Disability Discrimination Ordinance (Cap. 487), Family Status Discrimination Ordinance (Cap. 527) and Race Discrimination Ordinance (Cap. 602).
Sexual harassment in employment is unlawful under the Sex Discrimination Ordinance, including between 'workplace participants' sharing a workplace (employers, employees, contract workers, interns and volunteers) even without an employment relationship. A complaint to the EOC should be made within 12 months of the incident and a District Court claim within 24 months. Complaints go by letter, online form, fax or in person; telephone and general email are for enquiries only.
How do I check an employment agency and spot a job scam?#
An employment agency must hold a licence or certificate of exemption. The Labour Department says it may charge a job seeker at most 10% of the first month's wages on successful placement, and nothing else; operating without a licence or overcharging carries up to HK$350,000 and three years' prison. Ask for a receipt and check the licence through the Employment Agencies Portal.
The Labour Department says employees normally pay nothing to take up a job, and warns of fake ads asking for registration, training or audition fees, or ID, bank or card details. The Police list six features of online job scams, including very high pay for no qualifications, hiring on the spot, and payment demanded before starting.
Who can I call or ask?#
Labour Department: the general hotline is 2717 1771, handled by 1823. Its Labour Relations Division handles employment disputes. If staff ask you for referral fees, the department says to refuse and report to the ICAC.
Equal Opportunities Commission: enquiry line 2511 8211 (Monday to Friday 8:45 am to 5:45 pm, except public holidays); Anti-Sexual Harassment Hotline 2106 2222.
Anti-Scam Helpline 18222, run all day by the Anti-Deception Coordination Centre.
Hong Kong Talent Engage, an office under the Labour and Welfare Bureau, offers a Talent Admission Scheme Matching Tool, a job search, essential guides, Cantonese classes and partners for accommodation, education and banking. Free interpreters are covered in the Help in your language guide.
What could we not confirm?#
Partly confirmed only. Working hours: a Labour Department policy study (data to about 2012) says there is no general statutory limit on hours or overtime pay; no current page we read repeats it. MPF levels: HK$7,100 and HK$30,000 have not changed for 12 to 13 years; the MPFA said on 8 March 2026 it was reviewing them, and we found no new levels. Labour Tribunal: book by the 24-hour line 2625 0056 or on the Judiciary website; the page's filing fees (HK$20 to HK$50) are dated December 2017.
No official page we read gives the date of the next minimum wage review, or says whether pay slips are required. None says whether age discrimination is covered. We did not open ImmD's fee table, so visa fees are not stated.