Employment, Payroll & Mobility in Hong Kong

Essentials guide · Source-checked research88% of statements checked against a source43 checked against an official source0 checked against a secondary sourceChecked 2026-10-196 held back until checked against an official source1 topic includes AI-written statements, not source-checkedNot yet professionally reviewed

• The statutory minimum wage is HK$43.1 per hour from 1 May 2026.

  Employees covered by the Minimum Wage Ordinance.Labour Department, HKSAR Government · checked 2026-10-19

• Employers and employees must each contribute 5% of relevant income to the Mandatory Provident Fund, with monthly relevant income levels of HK$7,100 (minimum, below which only the employer contributes) and HK$30,000 (maximum, capping each side at HK$1,500).

  Relevant employees; contributions are generally due by the 10th day of the following month.Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (MPFA) · checked 2026-10-19

• From 18 January 2026 an employee is under a continuous contract after four weeks with the same employer if they work at least 17 hours in each week, or 68 hours over a four-week period.

  Employment Ordinance (Cap. 57); previously 18 hours a week. Most statutory benefits depend on continuous contract status.Labour Department, HKSAR Government · checked 2026-10-19

• Severance payment requires at least 24 months under a continuous contract and long service payment requires at least 5 years.

  Employment Ordinance; eligibility also depends on the reason for termination.Labour Department, HKSAR Government · checked 2026-10-19

• Employers can no longer offset severance or long service payments against employer MPF contributions for employments terminated on or after 1 May 2025.

  The abolition is not retrospective; transitional rules apply to service before that date.Labour Department, HKSAR Government · checked 2026-10-19

• Under the General Employment Policy, a foreign professional needs a confirmed job offer for a post that cannot be readily taken up by the local workforce, with a remuneration package broadly commensurate with the market level, and the initial stay is normally 36 months.

  Excludes Chinese residents of the Mainland (who use a separate scheme) and nationals of Afghanistan, Cuba and North Korea. Approval is discretionary.Immigration Department, HKSAR Government · checked 2026-10-19

• The New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme requires net assets of at least HK$30 million and investment of at least HK$30 million in permissible assets, including HK$3 million in the CIES Investment Portfolio.

  Individual investors seeking residence; not a corporate licence.Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK), HKSAR Government · checked 2026-10-19

Read the full guide: People, employment and immigration