Companies want greater flexibility for internal transfers and hiring.
Hong Kong’s decision to allow earlier visa renewal applications may reduce the risk of work disruptions for foreign employees, but employers still face compliance challenges and are seeking broader immigration reforms to attract and retain international talent.
The Immigration Department still expects applicants to demonstrate that they continue to meet all the criteria of the relevant immigration scheme,” Aoife Griffen, head of immigration at Lewis Silkin LLP in Hong Kong, told Hong Kong Business.
Hong Kong began allowing employment and dependent visa renewals to be filed up to three months before expiry on 1 March, up from four weeks previously, according to a February report by Ernst & Young Tax Services Ltd.
The change gives employers more time to prepare applications and address any issues before visas expire.
“If complications do arise and the Immigration Department issues requisitions for further information, employers will not be racing against the deadline,” Griffen said via Zoom.
She said companies that employ large numbers of overseas workers are likely to benefit most from the longer renewal period.
However, the longer filing window does not remove compliance requirements. Griffen said employers should use the extra time to check for changes in an employee’s role, salary or sponsoring company that could affect visa renewal approval.
Magdalene Tennant, managing director at Fragomen (Hong Kong) Ltd., said the previous four-week filing window often created pressure for employers.
If a renewal is not approved before expiry, employees may have to stop working, disrupting operations and delaying projects, she said in an emailed response.
Employers should track visa expiries well in advance, Tennant added, rather than relying solely on the extended filing window.
Fion Yeung, director at Randstad Hong Kong Ltd., said companies should notify both managers and employees 90 to 100 days before visa deadlines. “This would give companies about 30 days to collect records and a 60-day buffer before expiry,” she said.
Yeung added that engineering firms could benefit significantly from the change because they frequently manage corporate transfers and employ large numbers of nonlocal professionals.
Employers also want more flexibility for internal role changes amongst foreign staff.
“In today’s economy, careers evolve quickly,” Griffen said. “People move up within companies and change roles internally, so you do not want to encounter immigration hurdles in those situations.”
Yeung said a unified digital immigration platform linking government departments could further streamline corporate visa sponsorship processes.
Tennant added that employers want faster visa processing and a review of rules requiring some applicants to be in Hong Kong before receiving electronic visas.