He would need his employer to sponsor him for an employment visa. He would then be able to sponsor you as a dependent.
Whether that is feasible/likely depends on the nature of his work.
Check this website to see who is eligible:
https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services...pon%20approval.
The rules are quite simple.
Read “d” and “f” for “Non Chinese Citizens”.
He doesn’t have a “dependant visa”. He lost that at the age of 21. He’s currently on “RTL”, which allows him to work in HK. Upon his 7 year stint, he can apply for PR.
Can he sponsor you on a dependent visa? It depends on his income.
https://www.clic.org.hk/en/topics/im...e%20elsewhere.
https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services/roa/eligible.html
Is he in HK under one of the Talent’s schemes? If no, come back after he’s satisfied the 7 year term.
https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services...dependant.html
As holder has CO on ID card, their stay is limited to what’s been agreed with the Director of Immigration. They were born overseas. My mistake, they don’t have RTL.
They were unable to fulfil the 7 year criteria, due to studying overseas. They would need to stay in HK for a 7 year duration before they can apply for PR.
Their stay in HK is conditional on his work and visa and the length of time is determined by the Director of Immigration.
What do abbreviations mean on ID card:-
Residential Status
A - Right of Abode
C - Limited to what’s agreed with Director of Immigration
R - Right to Land
U - Holder’s stay not limited by the Director of Immigration
Place of Birth
Z - HK
X - Mainland
W - Macau
O - Elsewhere
You can compare what type of ID card you have
https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/press/pr.../20240618.html
https://www.immd.gov.hk/pdforms/rop133.pdf
If he is on dependent VISA from his parents and working in HK on that VISA, it seems somewhat unlikely that the company would go through the process of suddenly sponsoring his work VISA, so that he can then sponsor his future wife. Would need to be someone in a fairly senior role where the company would go through this trouble as they would have a quite strange case to prove for the VISA application process.
As highlighted by aw451, you cannot create a chain of dependents.
Mrs Lam's kids continued to be on Dependant Visas whilst they studied at uni here until they were eligible for PR around 20/21 years old.
The key problem here is, it seems, that the OP's partner failed to renew his dependant visa whilst he was overseas studying. He could and should have done this - going overseas for the purposes of study does not break ordinary residence as long as the visa is maintained. It is "ordinary residence" for 7 years that is required for PR.