Hong Kong, a vibrant cosmopolitan city with excellent quality of life, education system, medical conditions and business opportunities, attracts many talented people who wish to acquire Hong Kong Permanent Residency status in order to integrate into this city of opportunities.
In this article, we will explain how you can step by step on the road to successfully obtaining Hong Kong permanent residence status.
01
Step 1: Apply for Hong Kong status
The first step in applying for permanent residence in Hong Kong is to successfully obtain Hong Kong status through the Talent Entry Scheme (TES) set up by the Hong Kong government to qualify for living, residing, working and studying in Hong Kong.
Currently, common talent admission schemes include:
① High-end Talent Pass Scheme: for top talents with high income or high academic qualifications.
② Quality Migrant Admission Scheme: for highly skilled or talented persons with good academic qualifications or significant achievements.
③ Admission of Mainland Talents and Professionals Scheme: for Mainlanders with professional skills required by Hong Kong.
④ Arrangement for Non-local Graduates to Remain in Hong Kong/Return to Hong Kong for Employment: for non-local students who have completed their studies in Hong Kong.
⑤ New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme: for high net worth individuals who have invested in Hong Kong from HK$30 million.
Upon successful completion of any of the above schemes, the applicant will be granted a stay visa for a period of 2 to 3 years after first entry, which is an important step towards permanent resident status in Hong Kong.
02
Step 2: Visa Renewal
Before the expiry of the visa (whether it is a first approved visa or a subsequent stay visa), the applicant is required to submit an application for visa renewal to the Hong Kong Immigration Department.
It is worth noting that the specific conditions and requirements for visa renewal vary for different talent admission schemes.
? High-end Talent Pass Scheme
2+3+3, need to prove that they are employed by a local company in Hong Kong or have set up a business in Hong Kong;
2+6, having resided in Hong Kong for two years and having an assessable income of HK$2 million or above for salaries tax in the preceding year of assessment (Top Talent Mode, same below).
? Quality Migrant Admission Scheme
3+3+2, need to prove that they are employed by a local company in Hong Kong or have set up a business in Hong Kong;
3+5, Top Talent Mode.
? Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals
2+3+3, employment by a local company in Hong Kong with proof from the employer is required. If the applicant loses his/her job or changes his/her job before the visa renewal, he/she is also required to report to the Immigration Department in time;
2+6, Top Talent Mode.
? Arrangement for non-local graduates to stay in Hong Kong/return to Hong Kong for employment
2+3+3, need to be employed by a local company in Hong Kong/start a company to start business in Hong Kong upon visa renewal;
2+6, Top Talent Mode.
? New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme:
2+3+3, regular submission of investment reports and proof of residence required.
03
Step 3, Apply for Permanent Residence
Under the condition of meeting the requirement of ordinarily residing in Hong Kong for not less than seven years, one can apply for a Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card (HKPIC). Generally speaking, if the renewal process goes smoothly, the subsequent application for permanent residence will not encounter too many obstacles.
What is “ordinary residence”?
According to the regulations of the Hong Kong Immigration Department, any individual who resides in Hong Kong lawfully, voluntarily and for the purpose of settlement is considered to be ordinarily resident in Hong Kong, irrespective of the length of his/her residence. Even if an individual leaves Hong Kong temporarily, his/her ordinary residence status will still be recognized as long as he/she meets certain conditions.
In assessing the ordinary residence requirement, the Hong Kong Immigration Department takes into account the following key factors:
① The reason, duration and frequency of absence from Hong Kong;
① Whether the person has habitual residence in Hong Kong;
③ Whether the principal members of the family (e.g. spouse and children) are residing in Hong Kong;
(iii) Whether major family members (e.g. spouse and children) reside in Hong Kong; (iv) Whether employed by a company or organization in Hong Kong;
⑤ Whether he/she has sufficient income to support his/her personal and family life;
(vi) Whether the applicant has filed tax returns legally and on time in Hong Kong.
These are the three key steps to apply for Hong Kong Permanent Residency, if you are interested in this or need to know more about the details of the application, please feel free to contact Nebula International, we will provide you with customized solutions.
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