I have been working in HK for over 5 years with a work visa, but was recently retrenched. Naturally my ex-employer informed the immigration dept and now I am just in HK on a tourist visa.
I intend to stay in HK and continue working and living here. However I have not found a new job yet but am worried that once I find a new job the 'clock' in terms of the 7-years required for HK permanent residency.
Can anybody advise how I can avoid this gap in my employment 'resetting the clock' ? Or how long is acceptable to find a new job before it does reset ? Thanks so much
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I don't think it does reset.
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Heather,
You have until your visa expires to find yourself another job, in which case all you need to do is apply to the Immigration Department for variation to your employment contract (i.e. a new employer/sponsor), If your visa has expired and you left HK and then re-entered as a tourist, your time in HKG will no longer be continuous and you will have to start the time all over again, which seems like a shame after you've been here for so long.
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Heather,
As far as I know you can leave for a short period of time and return on a visitors visa and the clock does not reset all you have to do is prove that you have lived in Hong Kong for 7 years if you left and you where still paying or contributing to accomodation etc you would still be classed as living here. best thing to do is check on the website. good luck
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mdap
18 yrs ago
has your actual work visa been cancelled?
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Technically, the "clock" will be reset once an employment visa has expired and has not been renewed/extended. There is no grace period after the expiry of an employment visa. However, exception may be given under special circumstances but if the gap between jobs is more than a few months, then it is unlikely that the Immigration Department will reconsider.
We advise you to write to the Immigration Department immediately to ask for a tolerance period to enable you to seek new employment in Hong Kong and to avoid the "clock" from being reset.
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