Changing Jobs on a Hong Kong Work Visa 2027: Rules, Fees & Timing

If you hold a GEP employment visa, it is tied to your employer, so you must get the Immigration Department's approval before you start a new job. A change of employment takes about four weeks and costs a HK$600 non-refundable application fee plus a HK$1,300 visa issuance fee (HK$600 if 180 days or less remain on your stay). IANG, TTPS and QMAS holders on time limitation only can change jobs without asking, and GEP holders in the new top tier (HK$2 million or more in assessable income) only need to notify Immigration online. Starting work for a new employer before approval is a breach of your conditions of stay.

This guide covers who needs approval, the steps and documents, the fees, what happens to your limit of stay, the gap between jobs and how to resign without putting your visa at risk. For an overview of every route, see our complete guide to Hong Kong work visas.

Is a Hong Kong Work Visa Tied to Your Employer?

It depends on which scheme you came in on. The General Employment Policy (GEP) visa, which most foreign professionals hold, is employer-specific. The Immigration Department's GEP page says holders "shall only take such employment as approved by the Director of Immigration" and "should seek prior approval from the Director of Immigration for any change in employment".

The talent schemes work differently. IANG, TTPS and QMAS visas are granted on "time limitation only", which means you can work for any employer, change jobs or start a business while your stay is valid.

If you're looking for an English-speaking job in Hong Kong, check out ExpatJobBoard.com. We list thousands of jobs that don't require Cantonese or Mandarin.

Source: Immigration Department scheme pages and Guidebook ID(E)991 (April 2026 edition).

Who Needs Immigration Approval to Change Jobs?

You need approval if your visa carries an employment condition, which in practice means a standard GEP or ASMTP visa. Look at your e-Visa or the remark on your landing slip: if it names your employer or says your stay is subject to employment with a specific company, you need approval.

You do not need approval if your stay is on time limitation only. That covers IANG holders, TTPS holders, QMAS holders and the new GEP top tier. The Immigration Department's guidebook says IANG holders are "free to take up and change employment" without prior approval, and the TTPS page uses almost the same words.

The GEP top tier: notify, don't apply

This is the change most guides still miss. GEP holders who have spent at least two years in Hong Kong on GEP and earned assessable salaries income of HK$2 million or more in the previous year of assessment can extend for about five years on time limitation only. Once you are on that basis, a new job only needs an online notification to Immigration, not an application.

If you're close to the threshold, it is worth timing your extension so you qualify. It turns every future job move from a four-week wait into a form.

How Long Does a Change of Employment Take?

The Immigration Department says a change of employment for GEP and ASMTP normally takes about four weeks once it has all the documents and the fee. Immigration law firm Patricia Ho & Associates reports six to eight weeks when the department sends the new employer a questionnaire, which happens more often with small or newly set-up companies.

Plan your notice period around that. In most professional contracts you give one month's notice, so if you apply the week you sign the offer, approval often lands close to your start date. If the new employer wants you sooner, negotiate the start date rather than starting early.

Step by Step: Changing Employers on a GEP Visa

1. Sign a conditional offer. Ask the new employer to make the offer subject to visa approval. This protects you if Immigration refuses.
2. Hand in your resignation. Check your notice clause first. Our resignation letter guide has samples that work for visa holders.
3. Prepare the application with your new employer. The new company is your sponsor. It supplies the employment contract, a job description, company documents (business registration, recent audited accounts or proof of operation) and a sponsor declaration.
4. Submit online. Applications now go through the Immigration Department's online services rather than the old paper forms (the GEP page links to the current service), and the department asks you to be in Hong Kong when you submit an extension of stay.
5. Answer any questions quickly. If Immigration asks for more documents, the clock usually stops until you reply.
6. Pay and download your e-Visa. Once approved, you pay online by card, FPS or e-wallet, then download the new e-Visa.
7. Start the new job. Only now. Keep a copy of the e-Visa for HR.

Documents You and Your New Employer Will Need

Exact lists vary by case, but expect to provide:

• Your passport and current e-Visa or visa label.
• Your HKID card.
• The signed new employment contract showing salary, benefits and job title.
• Your degree certificate and transcripts, plus proof of relevant experience (reference letters help).
• Your CV.
• Company documents from the new employer: business registration certificate, a company profile, recent audited financial statements or tax returns, and organisation chart.
• A justification of why the role can't be readily filled locally, which the employer writes.

The bar is the same as your first GEP application: a relevant degree (or equivalent experience), a genuine vacancy, and pay broadly in line with the market for that role in Hong Kong. A change of employment "may be favourably considered" if you still meet those criteria, but it is not automatic.

How Much Does It Cost to Change Employers?

The old HK$230 fee that many websites still quote is gone. Since 26 February 2025, all specified schemes (including GEP, IANG, TTPS and QMAS) use a two-part fee, according to the Immigration Department's specified schemes fee page.

Source: Immigration Department, specified schemes fee page and fee tables (2026).

A change of employment counts as a change of your conditions of stay. If your limit of stay stays the same, the "relevant period" runs from the day after you pay to the end of your existing stay, which decides whether you pay HK$1,300 or HK$600. Many employers cover the fees; ask, but don't be surprised if a small company expects you to pay.

What Happens to Your Limit of Stay?

An approved change of employment usually keeps your existing limit of stay. It does not reset the clock to a fresh three years. If your stay ends soon, apply for an extension at the same time or straight after.

Extensions can be filed up to three months before your stay expires, and the Immigration Department asks for them at least six weeks before. You must leave Hong Kong by the expiry date even if an extension is still being processed, unless the department tells you otherwise. Missing this is the most common way people end up overstaying by accident.

Your time spent on GEP still counts towards the seven years of continuous ordinary residence you need for permanent residency. Our permanent residency guide explains how gaps between jobs are treated.

Can You Start the New Job Before Approval?

No. Working for an employer that Immigration has not approved is a breach of your conditions of stay. The guidebook calls it "a serious criminal offence" and offenders can be prosecuted and removed from Hong Kong.

The penalties fall on both sides. Under the Immigration Ordinance, employing someone who is not lawfully employable carries a maximum fine of HK$500,000 and up to 10 years in prison, according to the Immigration Department. Any reputable employer will refuse to let you start, and that includes "orientation days", paid training or "just a few days helping out".

Unpaid garden leave from your old employer is fine. You are still employed by them, so you are still covered by your current approval.

Is There a Grace Period Between Jobs?

There is no official grace period for GEP holders. We could not find a number of days on any Immigration Department page, and anyone who quotes one (30 days, 60 days) is guessing.

Technically your limit of stay keeps running after your job ends, but the employment condition it depends on no longer applies. In practice, Immigration expects you to apply for a change of employment promptly or leave. If you have been laid off with no offer yet, call the department on 2824 6111 and ask how they will treat your case; don't assume.

The one fixed exception is the new Technical Professionals Stream for non-degree technicians, where the worker must leave within two months of termination (or by the original limit of stay if earlier), and both sides must notify Immigration within seven days.

If you are between jobs on GEP and your spouse holds a work visa, it can be safer to switch to a dependant visa while you search. See our dependant visa guide for the fees and timing.

Who Tells Immigration That Your Job Has Ended?

For professional visas, Immigration asks that "the applicant or the sponsoring company" notify it of the termination "as soon as possible", online, by post or by fax. The strict seven-day written-notice rule you may have read about applies to foreign domestic helpers, not to GEP holders.

Do it yourself rather than relying on HR. It takes a few minutes, it creates a record, and it shows you are acting in good faith if there is a gap before your next approval.

What Happens to Your Dependants?

Your spouse and children's dependant visas are sponsored by you, not your employer. When your change of employment is approved, their stay normally continues in line with yours. If your own limit of stay is extended, apply to extend theirs too, because it doesn't happen automatically.

Changing Jobs on IANG, TTPS or QMAS

These are the easy cases. You can resign, take a new job and start immediately, as long as your stay is valid. Three things still matter:

• Extensions need evidence. IANG extensions need a job at degree level with market pay, TTPS extensions need proof of employment or a business, and QMAS extensions need you to show you have settled. A long gap or a low-level job can make the next extension harder.
• IANG is not open-ended. Recent graduates get 24 months without needing a job, but the first extension follows a 3-3 year pattern only if you are working. Our IANG visa guide has the full rules.
• Keep records. Payslips, contracts and tax returns are what Immigration asks for at extension time.

Common Mistakes When Changing Jobs

• Resigning before an offer is signed. You lose the employment your visa depends on.
• Accepting a start date inside the four-week window. Push it back or ask for a conditional start.
• Joining a tiny start-up without checking its paperwork. New companies with no accounts get more questions and longer waits.
• Taking a big title change at a lower salary. If the new pay is well below market for the role, approval can be refused.
• Freelancing on the side. GEP covers one approved job. Paid side work for anyone else needs separate approval.
• Forgetting MPF. If you have been in Hong Kong more than 13 months, your new employer must enrol you in MPF within 60 days, according to the MPFA. Check it happens, or read our MPF guide.

FAQs: Changing Jobs on a Hong Kong Work Visa

Do I need a new visa if I change jobs in Hong Kong?

On a standard GEP visa, yes: you need Immigration's approval for the new employment, which results in a new e-Visa. On IANG, TTPS, QMAS or a dependant visa you don't need anything before starting, because those are on time limitation only.

How long does a change of employment take?

About four weeks after Immigration has all documents and the fee. Allow six to eight weeks if the new employer is small, newly set up or gets a questionnaire.

How much does it cost to change employers on a GEP visa?

HK$600 for the application plus HK$1,300 for the visa if more than 180 days of stay remain, so HK$1,900 in most cases. If 180 days or less remain, the visa fee is HK$600.

Can I start working before my change of employment is approved?

No. It breaches your conditions of stay and the employer faces fines of up to HK$500,000 and prison. Wait for the approval and e-Visa.

Is there a grace period after I resign or get laid off?

There is no published grace period for GEP holders. Your stay does not vanish overnight, but you are expected to apply for a new job approval or leave promptly. Contact Immigration if you are unsure.

Does changing jobs reset my limit of stay?

Usually not. The approval keeps your existing limit of stay, so you still need to apply for an extension before it runs out.

Can IANG holders change jobs freely?

Yes. IANG is on time limitation only, so you can change employers without approval. You will need to show a degree-level job when you apply for the next extension.

Can TTPS holders switch employers or start a business?

Yes. TTPS holders are free to change jobs or set up a business during their stay. At extension you need to prove you are employed or running a business.

Who has to tell Immigration that my job ended?

Either you or your employer should notify Immigration as soon as possible. Doing it yourself online is quickest and gives you a record.

Will my dependants' visas be affected?

Not by the change itself, since you sponsor them. If your own stay is extended, apply to extend theirs too.

Can I do freelance work on a GEP visa?

Not without separate approval. A GEP visa covers the approved job only, so paid work for anyone else is a breach of your conditions.

What is the GEP top tier?

It is a five-year extension on time limitation only for GEP holders with two or more years on GEP and HK$2 million or more in assessable income. Holders only notify Immigration of job changes online.

Key Takeaways

• A standard GEP visa is tied to your employer: you need approval before starting a new job.
• A change of employment takes about four weeks and costs HK$1,900 in most cases (HK$600 application plus HK$1,300 visa).
• IANG, TTPS, QMAS and dependant visa holders can change jobs without approval.
• GEP top-tier holders (two years on GEP and HK$2 million or more in income) only notify Immigration online.
• An approved change keeps your existing limit of stay; apply to extend separately.
• There is no official grace period between jobs on GEP, so line up the offer before you resign.
• Working before approval risks prosecution, and employers face fines of up to HK$500,000.

Find Your Next Job in Hong Kong

Lining up an offer before you resign is the safest way to change jobs on a work visa. Browse English-speaking roles on ExpatJobBoard.com and start the approval clock as soon as you sign.