01Quota Application
We submit imported worker quota applications to the Labour Department or Social Welfare Department. This stage has the highest rejection rate, usually due to non-compliant local recruitment processes, miscalculated manpower ratios, or mismatches between company documents and application entities.
Services Included
- Assessment of applicable schemes (Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme / Special Scheme to Import Care Workers for Residential Care Homes / sector-specific schemes)
- Calculation of eligible headcount (local worker to imported worker manpower ratio)
- Statutory local recruitment advertisement placement and maintenance of recruitment records
- Completion and submission of quota applications, with follow-up on approval progress and supplementary document requests
- Responses to departmental enquiries on your behalf until approval notice is received
Required from Employer
- Valid Business Registration Certificate (BR)
- Certificate of Incorporation (CI)
- Operational licences as required (residential care home licence, restaurant licence, contractor qualifications, etc.)
- Details of existing local and imported worker positions, headcount, and employment status
- Proposed imported position titles, headcount, remuneration, and working hours
Local recruitment period: 4 weeks for general scheme positions (6 weeks for waiters and junior cooks in the catering sector); only 14 consecutive calendar days required under the Special Scheme for Residential Care Homes. Manpower ratio: 2:1 for general schemes; 1:1 for private and self-financing care homes under the special scheme, 2:1 for subsidised and contract care homes.
02Recruitment & Interviews
After quota approval, candidate matching is the most time-consuming stage. We partner with Mainland foreign labour enterprises approved by the Ministry of Commerce, who handle recruitment and initial screening in Mainland China, while we coordinate job requirements and interview arrangements from Hong Kong.
Services Included
- Preparation of job descriptions (duties, working hours, remuneration, accommodation arrangements) for Mainland recruitment use
- Screening of resumes and qualification documents against job requirements (e.g. care experience, driving licences)
- Arrangement of online video interviews or in-person interviews, with coordination of schedules and interpretation support
- Assistance with candidate confirmation and issuance of offer letters
- Follow-up on pre-employment matters including medical examinations, background checks, and qualification verification
Key Requirements
- Remuneration must not be lower than the monthly wage median for comparable local positions
- Imported workers must be employed under a standard employment contract, with a maximum contract period of 24 months
- Compliant accommodation must be arranged for imported workers (care home scheme: minimum net floor area of 3.4 square metres per person, maximum 6 beds per dormitory room)
- Relevant certificates and experience must be verified for professional positions such as care workers
03Immigration Visas & Post-Arrival Support
Visa applications have strict deadlines: quota approval notices generally require visa applications to be submitted within six months, after which approval automatically lapses. We work backwards from deadlines to create timelines, avoiding delays caused by supplementary document requests.
Services Included
- Preparation of visa/entry permit application documents (applicant and employer forms, standard employment contract)
- Submission to the Immigration Department, with follow-up on approval progress and responses to supplementary document requests
- Arrangement of mandatory briefing sessions (care home workers must attend within 8 weeks of arrival date)
- Assistance with worker arrival in Hong Kong, airport pickup, and onboarding check-in
- Follow-up on contract renewal, work visas, and return arrangements upon contract completion
Three Commonly Overlooked Points
- Quota approval notices have a deadline for visa submission; approval-in-principle will lapse if this deadline is missed
- Imported care workers under the residential care home scheme must attend the Labour Department briefing; failure to arrange this within the deadline may result in SWD rejecting future applications for one year
- Imported workers may not bring dependants to Hong Kong, and must return to their place of origin upon contract completion
04Full Document Checklist
The table below lists documents required for verification at onboarding. Exact checklists vary by scheme and sector; we will provide a tailored version after you confirm your position requirements.
Employer Side
- Business Registration Certificate (BR), Certificate of Incorporation (CI)
- Industry licences (residential care home for elderly/persons with disabilities licence, restaurant licence, etc.)
- Full list of local full-time employees and MPF records
- List of existing imported workers (if any)
- Details of accommodation to be provided to imported workers (address, area, number of beds)
Worker Side
- Travel document / identity card copy
- Academic and work experience proof (e.g. graduation certificates, employment proof)
- Professional qualification documents (care worker certificates, driving licences, etc.)
- Medical examination report (as required by position)
- "Declaration and Authorisation Form" (Mainland residents must specify the name of the Mainland labour enterprise)
Further reading: official provision summaries and links for each scheme are available on the Policies & Regulations page.
05Frequently Asked Questions
Timeline & Fees
- The full process generally takes several months, depending on scheme and application batch; we will outline timelines for each stage before onboarding
- Government fees are charged as required (e.g. Employees Retraining Levy, Immigration Department visa fees), and we will explain each item clearly
- Service fees and payment terms are explained fully before onboarding in compliance with government regulations, with no hidden charges
Common Misconceptions
- "Having a quota" does not mean "workers will arrive immediately" – matching and visa processing still take time
- The manpower ratio is not fixed at 2:1; private care homes under the special scheme operate on a 1:1 ratio
- Care workers and registered nurses follow two separate pathways (nurses require approval from the Nursing Council of Hong Kong)
PENDING CONTENTWhether to disclose fee ranges, estimated timelines for each stage (actual processing days from our cases), and public client case studies.
