Document checklist
Western Sahara → Hong Kong: General Employment Policy (GEP)
What you need before you submit, checked against official requirements, not guesswork.
Checked by our automated verification on 20 Oct 2026: every source on this page resolves and the data is structurally complete. This does not confirm a person re-read the source text for accuracy.
Required documents
10 itemsIdentity
Recent photograph
RequiredYour recent photograph, uploaded with the online application.
Valid travel document
RequiredYour valid passport or travel document showing personal particulars, date of issue, date of expiry, and any re-entry visa. If you're already in Hong Kong, include the page with your latest arrival stamp, landing slip, or extension-of-stay label and your latest e-Visa, if you have one.
Financial
Proof of employer's financial standing
Your employing company's latest audited financial report, trading profit and loss account, or profit tax return. Same exemption as the Business Registration Certificate: not needed for a listed company or one that has sponsored a work visa in the past 24 months.
Purpose of travel
Employment contract or letter of appointment
RequiredFrom your employing company, showing your post, salary, other fringe benefits, and the employment period. Your job must be one that can't readily be filled by the local workforce, and the remuneration package needs to broadly match the prevailing market level for professionals in Hong Kong.
Proof of academic qualifications and relevant work experience
RequiredEvidence of your education background, normally a first degree in a relevant field, or, in special circumstances, good technical qualifications, professional ability, or relevant experience and achievements, backed by documents.
Other
Company background documents
Details of your employer's business activities, mode of operation, background, product ranges, sources and markets, and chamber-of-commerce membership if any, supported by catalogues or brochures. Same exemption as above; also not needed for GEP-only branch since only companies newer than 12 months or without the exemption need it in full.
Detailed business plan for a newly set-up company
If your employing company was set up within the last 12 months, a detailed business plan covering source of funds, estimated capital injection, business activities, expected turnover, sales volume, projected profit, and planned local job creation.
Employer's Business Registration Certificate
Your employing company's Business Registration Certificate. Not needed if the company is listed on the Main Board or Growth Enterprise Market of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, or has successfully sponsored a work/training visa for a non-local staff member in the past 24 months.
Proof of overseas residence
If you're an overseas Chinese national holding a People's Republic of China passport, official documents showing your conditions and limit of stay endorsed by the overseas authority where you live, proving you have permanent residence overseas or have lived overseas for at least a year immediately before applying.
Proof of relationship for a dependant joining you
RequiredEvidence of your relationship with each accompanying dependant, for example a marriage certificate, birth certificate, family photographs, family letters with envelopes, or a census record book, plus the dependant's own recent photograph and valid travel document.
Why applications on this route get refused
No genuine vacancy or skills not shown to be needed
GEP applications are only favourably considered where there's a genuine job vacancy and the applicant's skills, knowledge, or experience are of value to Hong Kong and not readily available locally.
How to avoid it: Make sure the job description, your qualifications, and your work experience clearly line up, and that your employer can show the role can't easily be filled locally.
Remuneration package below market level
The income, accommodation, medical, and other fringe benefits offered must be broadly in line with the prevailing market level for professionals in Hong Kong.
How to avoid it: Check your offered package against typical market rates for your role and seniority before applying.
Security objection or known serious criminal record
An application won't be favourably considered where there's a security objection or a known record of serious crime against the applicant.
How to avoid it: There's no way to avoid a genuine record; be truthful and complete about your background in the application.
Incomplete company documents from the employer
The employing company must upload its own set of supporting documents alongside the applicant's, missing or incomplete company documents can hold up or sink the application.
How to avoid it: Confirm early with your employer which of the company documents apply to them (listed company vs. not, company age) and that they're ready before you submit.
Sources
- Immigration Department, HKSAR Government, Guidebook for Entry for Employment as Professionals in Hong Kong · checked 24 Sept 2026
- Immigration Department, HKSAR Government, General Employment Policy (GEP) · checked 24 Sept 2026
Check your documents against this list before you pay the Hong Kong application fee.
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