There are questions which are often answered by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Canada in their day-to-day work. Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.

Canadians looking for a job in Hong Kong might wish to visit the website of the Labour Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government. The Hong Kong Labour Department offers employment services for both job seekers and employers with vacancies to be filled. The Employment Services Division of that department operates an interactive employment service through the internet. The website address is: http://www.jobs.gov.hk

In addition, a major English daily newspapers - South China Morning Post (http://www.classifiedpost.com/jshome.php) also carries classified ads for job seekers.

- Updated: April 1, 2004

If you plan to get married in Hong Kong, the marrying parties can book an appointment for giving of marriage notice over the internet in advance. The website address is http://marriage.esd.gov.hk/eng/default.htm. Although both parties do not have to be a Hong Kong resident, it is required that a party to a marriage must not be under 16 years of age. For other details, particularly procedural matters after an appointment for giving a marriage notice is made, please refer to the following web site: http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/bdmreg_4.htm.

If both of the parties to a proposed marriage are living abroad and intend to have their marriage contracted in Hong Kong, they should write directly to the Hong Kong Marriage Registration & Records Office for a copy of Notice of Marriage Form for completion. The completed form should be returned to the office by registered airmail as soon as possible. The parties' signatures on the form should be authenticated by a Notary Public of the country where they reside. Payment of the prescribed fee should be made by bank draft payable to 'The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region' which should be despatched together with the completed Notice of Marriage.

Request for appointment for marriage ceremony can be made by letter despatched together with the completed Notice of Marriage. The notice period starts from the date immediately after the date of receipt of the notice at the office. Reply letter would be sent to the parties to confirm the appointment for marriage ceremony.

For details, including addresses of the Marriage Registration and Records Offices, please refer to the web site at http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/bdmreg_4.htm

- Updated: April 1, 2004

For the year 2009, Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office will be closed on the following days:

January 1 (Thursday) New Year's Day 

If you wish to bring your pets to Hong Kong, you need to obtain in advance a special import permit from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department. It usually takes 5 working days to process the application from the date of receipt of permit fee to the date of issue, subject to provision of all required information.

Canada falls in group II countries for the control of imports of animals. Dogs and cats imported from Canada may be exempted from quarantine provided the animals comply fully with the permit conditions. As the rabies status or other factors may change in these countries, the list is subject to ongoing review.

For more information and downloading the import permit application form, please visit the Agricultural, Fisheries and Conservation website at:

http://www.afcd.gov.hk/english/quarantine/qua_ie/qua_ie_ipab/qua_ie_ipab.html

- Updated: May 1, 2008

British High Commission
80 St. Elgin St.
Ottawa, ON
K1P 5K7
Tel: (613)237-2008 / Fax: (613)237-7980
Website: http://www.britainincanada.org

Application forms are also available at:
British Consulate General in Toronto, Ontario
Suite 2800
777 Bay Street
Toronto, ON
M5G 2G2
Tel: (416)593-1290 / Fax: (416)593-1229

British Consulate General in Vancouver, British Columbia
Suite 800
1111 Melville Street, BC
V6E 3V6
Tel: (604)683-4421 / Fax: (604)681-0693

British Consulate General in Montreal, Quebec
Suite 4200
1000 de la Gauchetiere West, QC
H3B 4W5
Tel: (514)866-5863 / Fax: (514)866-0202

British Consulate General in Quebec
#700 Le Complexe St-Amable
1150 Claire-Fontaine, QC
G1R 5G4
Tel: (418)521-3000 / Fax: (418)521-3099

British Consulate General in Winnipeg, Manitoba
Tel: (204)896-1380 / Fax: (204)957-0227

British Consulate General in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
1 Canal Street, NS
B2Y 2W1
Tel: (902)461-1381 / Fax: (902)463-7678

British Consulate General in St. Johns, Newfoundland
P.O. Box 452
Station C, NF
A1C 5K4
Tel: (709)579-2002 / Fax: (709)579-0475

- Updated: May 1, 2008

http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/topical_2.htm

Apply Online

You can submit your application online (except for replacement of lost or damaged passport or amendment of personal particulars in passport) if you are:

eligible for an HKSAR Passport;

able to collect your new passport in person at the Travel Document (Issue) Office, 4/F, Immigration Tower, Wan Chai, Hong Kong.

As a Canadian national, you may stay in Hong Kong for up to 90 days without an entry visa. However, if you plan to travel to Mainland China from Hong Kong, you will need a China entry visa. These are obtainable from the Visa Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, 7/F Lower Block, China Resources Building, 26 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong (Tel: 852-2827-1881) or through the Embassy / Consulate General of the People's Republic of China.

The Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Ottawa
515 St. Patrick Street
Ottawa, ON
K1N 5H3
Tel: (613)789-3434 / Fax: (613)789-1911
Web site: http://www.chinaembassycanada.org/eng/

Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in Toronto
240 St. George Street
Toronto, ON
M5R 2N5
Tel: (416)964-8861 / Fax: (416) 324-6468
Web site: http://toronto.china-consulate.org/eng/

Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in Vancouver
3380 Granville Street
Vancouver, BC
V6H 3K3
Tel: (604)734-7492 / Fax: (604)737-0154
Web site: http://vancouver.china-consulate.org/eng/

Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in Calgary
Suite 100
1011, 6th Ave. S.W.
Calgary, AB
T2P 0W1
Tel: (403)264-3322 or (403)537-1247 / Fax: (403) 264-6656
Web site: http://calgary.china-consulate.org/eng/

If you decide to work in Hong Kong, you should apply for and obtain an employment visa from the Hong Kong Immigration Department prior to arrival. Processing normally takes from six to eight weeks. The initial employment visa is granted for one year and the Immigration Department may extend it thereafter provided that you continue to be employed by the same employer. If you intend to start your own business or to be self-employed, you should apply for an employment (investment) visa, a special category of visa for foreigners who wish to come to Hong Kong to set up a business. A period of 10 to 15 weeks should be allowed for the processing of an employment (investment) visa.

Your family members accompanying you to Hong Kong need to submit dependant visa applications at the same time as your employment visa application is submitted. With effect from July 1, 2003, your spouse holding a dependant visa is required to apply for permission before taking up employment in Hong Kong. For additional information on visas, please go to www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/hkvisas.htm.

- Updated: April 1, 2004

More FAQ on investment opportunities in Hong Kong