My present work visa in Hong Kong is similar to the one pictured at the bottom left of this webpage:
http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/topical_8.1.htm
While the visa states that "Change of employer or post or place of work is not permitted", does this mean it is illegal for me to start a private business while still working for the company who has employed me?
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Let me clarify to make sure that I understand correctly. It is legal for me to start the business and be the owner of it.
However, if I do anything that can be or could be construed as working for the business at all, it is against the law.
If I have understood this correctly, it sounds like I can legally own the business, so long as I leave every single operating detail in the hands of other people who are employees. Is that correct?
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Given that this is so, how and when can the status of my visa change?
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How do you intend to change your visa/status?
If you start a company, how many employees do you think you're going to hire? How much capital? What kind of business? If the company you're going to start is big enough and your capitalization is big enough, then you can go through the "investor" kind of visa. You can search/ask around how this is done.
If on the other hand the business you're thinking is like that of your handle "eng teacher", maybe it's not big enough and can't be used to sponsor your working visa down the road. Not too sure too if there's going to be a problem with that with different gov't departments. If that's okay, then anybody could open a business and sponsor his own working visa...I'm sure that kind of loophole is already plugged close.
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Punter,
The company I am starting will require very few employees, and relatively little capital. It has nothing to do with my user handle. I am putting together a website, much of which will be non-commercial. The only business part of it is that I will be offering online advertisements tailored for a particular groups of clients. Thus, I do not think I will be applicable for an investor visa.
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Is there any way to change the visa restrictions aside from remaining in Hong Kong for seven years and applying for permanent residency?
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As mentioned, you can go through the "investor scheme" which apparently you're not in the position to, or you can marry a permanent resident and become a dependent (after which, you can have employment freedom).
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@ hkengteacher
why not apply and find out ?
i followed the same route, had a capital of less then 200K HKD and only 2 employees paying them bare minimum wages one 6000 HKD and another 8000 HKD and for the first year had a turnover of around 17m HKD
but i made a proper business plan and showed the scope of the work and how my presence would be necessary for the future expansion of the business...
most of it was plan on paper only and it worked
BTW it took me 8 months to prepare the business plan (but i am a bit lazy as my wife says).
so don't take advise from any self made immigration consultant here, prepare your documents and go for it..wont lose anything in trying.
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Thanks Syed_Scorpio, I think I will do just that. :-)
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ranny
12 yrs ago
@ hkengteacher
Just checking... How did it go?
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