Qs about Setting up a company

[Aprilrain]

Morning!
After being told by quite a few companies that they are not willing to grand me the sponsorship, I have decided to try another path. I've been told that I can set up my own business here in HK, apply for a work permit, and then work for other companies as a consultant. Hence companies won't worry about the sponsorship process and I have a visa!

Is that true? Has anyone here done that before? Does anyone know the process of setting up my own business? Is it difficult? What materials do I need to provide?

Thanks!
April

[Emigra]

It really depends on each applicant's situation, what the immigration department will want from you. The investment visa application is not straight forward.

The visa you are talking about is an investment visa and can take around 12 weeks to process.

Best to send me a pm with your email and I can evaluate your case for free.

[Boris]

Yes, this way is possible and the way I have done it for my business.
1) You must have a business to transfer and it will NOT be a a strong case if you are just setting up a company in HK UNLESS you have wads of cash to put into the new business to show viability. Oh and a viable business plan !!
2) You need a place to register the company at ( address ) which is easy in a virtual office scenario at many of the serviced office arrangements in HK
HOWEVER -- You may, quite possibly be required to prove the lease details and a VIRTUAL Office package is not sufficient for a work visa.

3) If you can satisfy 1 & 2 above then what I did was contact with Invest HK who then got me a choice of accountants to act as Company Sec ( a legal requirement for a HK company is to have a HK resident Company Sec ). My accountant ( Company SEC ) then acts as my sponsor etc etc.
I would recommend Invest HK but I know others do not rate them highly but ( bless their little cotton socks ) they provided a very good supporting letter for my work visa.

HOWEVER -- I AM moving to run an actual business and can provide an " audit " trail and will employ local support staff which is really the reason why HK imigration would accept me to work in HK.

The best guidance anyone could offer is that immigration civil servants in any country aint't idiots and have seen most devices for people trying to get what is a valuable asset so just be open with them and have an ability to provide an " audit " trail.

If you want details of any of my contacts then PM me and I will forward them.

Regards
Boris

[Aprilrain]

Thank you Emigra and Boris for clearing that up!

April

[mae]

I'm in a similar situation as Aprilrain - rejected by companies because no one was willing to sponsor my work visa. so I'm quite interested to hear more about Boris' creative route.

[KnowItAll]

Mae, Nothing too creative about it.

In additon to what Boris has said, you can also take an contract from a company which says that they'd like to contract you as a consultant in some specialist field. You can then create a business plan around that contract, which essentially shows Immigration that 1) you have income 2) you have a plan to grow that into a company and 3) you will be hiring local employees.

You have to keep in mind that the folks at immigration have probably dealt with virtually every trick. You would need convince them that there is some reason you're being hired as a consultant (experience is key!) and not a local employee.