quitting job in the middle of first year visa

Pro/Engineer · 21-03-2007, 11:00 AM

Hi,

I believe this kind of question has been raised a million times. But I don?t have the time right now to scan the archives. Here?s how it goes...

I?m an expat and now in the middle of my first year here in hong kong. If I quite my current job, can I still legally stay here to look for a new job until my visa expires in September? Can I get out of the country and come back during the rest of the duration of my visa? I?m an engineer with a HKID. Please advise. Thanks.

Thanks.

shwetapershad · 21-03-2007, 07:45 PM

You can stay till the current visa expires and travel abroad.

mercury_element · 22-03-2007, 10:43 AM

Originally Posted by Pro/Engineer:

Hi,

I'm an expat and now in the middle of my first year here in hong kong. If I quite my current job, can I still legally stay here to look for a new job until my visa expires in September? Can I get out of the country and come back during the rest of the duration of my visa? I?m an engineer with a HKID. Please advise. Thanks.

Thanks.

If you quit your current job, you can stay in HK until your visa expires,but legally, your company will have to inform the immigration that you have left the job. (this is what immigration deptt had told me). You can go out of the country and come back, no problem. But there might be some problem, when your next company will apply for your visa. Remember , your current visa is only for your current company.

funnie · 22-03-2007, 11:04 AM

Originally Posted by mercury_element:

If you quit your current job, you can stay in HK until your visa expires,but legally, your company will have to inform the immigration that you have left the job. (this is what immigration deptt had told me). You can go out of the country and come back, no problem. But there might be some problem, when your next company will apply for your visa. Remember , your current visa is only for your current company.

sorry but didnt get why the next company will have the problem. I think the next company will just have to send a letter to Immigration to inform that they are happy to sponsor this dude

mercury_element · 22-03-2007, 11:19 AM

Originally Posted by funnie:

sorry but didnt get why the next company will have the problem. I think the next company will just have to send a letter to Immigration to inform that they are happy to sponsor this dude

Coz, if he quits his job, and still stays in HK on the current visa, it will be illegal. I am not sure but I think the company cant employ an illegal person. There may be the problems, so its better to play safe, first find another job and then leave the current one. That way its safe on both sides. I left my job in between, and my company dint inform the immd deptt. so when i went to apply for my dependent's visa, i was told all this. Sorry, dont remember who the officer was, else would have recommended you to talk to him.

philippe · 22-03-2007, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by Pro/Engineer:

Hi,

I believe this kind of question has been raised a million times. But I don?t have the time right now to scan the archives. Here?s how it goes...

I?m an expat and now in the middle of my first year here in hong kong. If I quite my current job, can I still legally stay here to look for a new job until my visa expires in September? Can I get out of the country and come back during the rest of the duration of my visa? I?m an engineer with a HKID. Please advise. Thanks.

Thanks.

Short answers are Yes and Yes.

The long answer is: Unless you are a domestic helper you can stay/enter HK prior to the expiry day of your visa. You are neither allowed to work for anibody nor be self employed. As soon as you land another job contract, there will be a new working visa application for you.

I went through this process a few times. I even had to cancel my very first working visa application and submit another one right away because I got another job before getting my work visa.

BTW, unless you are local, I would not advise to quit a job in HK before landing another one.

Good Luck to you.

funnie · 22-03-2007, 02:41 PM

Originally Posted by philippe:

Short answers are Yes and Yes.

The long answer is: Unless you are a domestic helper you can stay/enter HK prior to the expiry day of your visa. You are neither allowed to work for anibody nor be self employed. As soon as you land another job contract, there will be a new working visa application for you.

I went through this process a few times. I even had to cancel my very first working visa application and submit another one right away because I got another job before getting my work visa.

BTW, unless you are local, I would not advise to quit a job in HK before landing another one.

Good Luck to you.

Im most cases, its solely on the person who deals your cas ein immigration deptt. if he doesnt like you, then he can tell you hundreds of laws ...

srhatton · 23-03-2007, 03:21 PM

Originally Posted by mercury_element:

Coz, if he quits his job, and still stays in HK on the current visa, it will be illegal. I am not sure but I think the company cant employ an illegal person. There may be the problems, so its better to play safe, first find another job and then leave the current one. That way its safe on both sides. I left my job in between, and my company dint inform the immd deptt. so when i went to apply for my dependent's visa, i was told all this. Sorry, dont remember who the officer was, else would have recommended you to talk to him.

I really dont think this is true. I did the same thing while I was in HK and just applied for a new job. Your visa doesn't expire, and I was told this directly by the Immigration department. HK immigration is so lax anyways with expats, especially those who are teaching. Since you already have HKID it will be very easy for you to find a new job. Good luck and dont freak out about it. Nobody cares that you will quit.

mercury_element · 23-03-2007, 03:47 PM

Originally Posted by srhatton:

I really dont think this is true. I did the same thing while I was in HK and just applied for a new job. Your visa doesn't expire, and I was told this directly by the Immigration department. HK immigration is so lax anyways with expats, especially those who are teaching. Since you already have HKID it will be very easy for you to find a new job. Good luck and dont freak out about it. Nobody cares that you will quit.

Well, this actually happened with me, so I am not wrong! May be it depends on job to job! I was not into teaching!

srhatton · 23-03-2007, 03:50 PM

I really think people make a huge issue out of it. I had no problem. Quit my old job and got a new one within two weeks and the new employer easily transferred my Visa. I d say the best advice was already mentioned. Start looking for new jobs first before you quit your old one, then you can switch easily.