Meeting the criteria

Individuals applying to live and work in Hong Kong are sometimes surprised by the time and detail the process requires.

What they perhaps forget is that even a city ranked regularly as one of the world's freest economies must maintain reasonable controls over the number of inbound arrivals seeking work, and ensure each case is assessed on its merits.

'You hear all sorts of different stories about the ease or difficulty of the resident-visa application process,' says Dowson Yun, director of Lloyden Consultancy, a firm specialising in immigration services. 'But the fact is that no two situations are exactly the same.'

Misunderstandings arise when people assume that all professionals apply for the same type of visa. In reality, an individual's background, experience and special qualifications - plus the size and needs of the local 'hiring entity' - determine different categories.

For example, the applicant can be classified as an employee or business owner. There are no guarantees, but for a small business or start-up, being an owner can be more straightforward. Options also exist under the Capital Investment Scheme - often referred to as the HK$10 million scheme - and the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme.

Knowing which route to take is not just a matter of reading the rules and completing a checklist. It is also important to understand the local context and avoid incorrect assumptions.