Dependant Visa but work as tution teacher?

[Dim Sum]

My wife and I will move to HK by Sept. My current company will sponsor me but my wife will come as a dependant.

My research tells me that it will not be easy for her to seek employment (example as an engineer, her current job in Singapore)

So we have this backup plan for her to work as a tution teacher.

In Singapore, being a tution teacher is like self-employment and the government do not have to know and thus no work visa needed.

Therefore, can anyone advise me if this sort of arrangement is going to be feasible in HK?

[Andy_HK]

It is illegal for a person on a dependant's visa (of a person on a work permit) after July 1, 2003 to take up any type of employment even if it is volunteer work without the permission of the immigration department. Additionally, it is illegal for the person on a work permit to take up any additional paid or unpaid work. Any employer is legally required to check the passport and type of visa of anyone they hire. If they don't they are liable for a $150,000 fine and one year in prision.

Typically if your caught you'll go to prision for 6-8 weeks and then get deported. The person hiring you is also liable and could go to prision and pay a fine (max. 3 years and $350,000).

A word of advice, if your wife is qualified she could get hired by a tutorial centre and they could get her a work permit.

You can get more information by going to www.immd.gov.hk and then click on the link to the immigration department.