Are you starting or joining a company in Hong Kong? Here’s what you will need to consider.

The difference between investment and employment visas for new entities is that you will need to be a holder of company shares (the number of shares is different for each case).

What you will need to show:

• You must possess the necessary skills, qualifications and experience to benefit the company.
• The company must demonstrate that the new entity is potentially viable and the parent or overseas company or individual is capable of supporting the new venture (Bear in mind that being a major shareholder doesn’t give you an automatic right to live and work in Hong Kong).
•  You must demonstrate that there is a need or niche for the business and that it will potentially benefit other Hong Kong locals.
•  You must show to the immigration officer that there is a significant contribution to Hong Kong.
• An essential part of these applications is to provide Hong Kong immigration with a detailed business plan and cash flow forecast for the first year at least.