Relocate your business to Hong Kong
Asia
Thinking about business immigration to Hong Kong? Below are the residency routes for founders, investors and startups, and the set-up services a foreign-owned business needs: company registration, a bank account, tax, payroll, trademark and licences. Set-up comes first, because a company does not grant residency on its own. See also business immigration explained and relocating your business abroad.
0%
VAT, GST and capital gains tax
7.5M
people
#1
city in the world for skyscrapers
- Capital
- Hong Kong (a Special Administrative Region of China)
- Population
- About 7.5 million
- Currency
- Hong Kong dollar (HKD)
- Languages
- Chinese, English
Best things about doing business in Hong Kong
- A simple, low-tax system with no VAT or GST
- A gateway to mainland China
- A major global financial centre and port
Fun facts
- Hong Kong has more skyscrapers than any other city in the world.
- Most people travel with the Octopus card, a tap-and-go card first used on trains.
Figures are rounded and approximate.
Business Setup Services
Company, bank, payroll, brand and licencesNot a residency routeWe handle company incorporation, bank account and payroll set-up, trademark filing and the licences and permits your business needs. Tell us what you need.
Cards without a "last verified" date have not been independently checked yet. Confirm the details with the official source before you act.
Warning: These do not grant residency on their own. A separate visa is required.
About Hong Kong: Setting up a company in Hong Kong does not give you the right to live there. You need a visa or entry permit, which is a separate application.
Company Registration
Set up your legal entity so you can operate, hire and pay tax.
Charity / Section 88 Tax-Exempt Registration
Official source: ird.gov.hk
Private Limited Company Registration (Companies Registry)
Last verified October 2026 · Official source: cr.gov.hk
Business Bank Account
Opening an account with a bank in Hong Kong
Open a business bank account for your new company. ORBIZLY prepares the application, and the bank decides.
Official source: hkma.gov.hk
Employer and Payroll Registration
Registering as an employer in Hong Kong
Register as an employer so you can hire and run payroll. Handled by the Inland Revenue Department and the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority.
Official source: ird.gov.hk
Trademark Filing
Trademark Filing (Intellectual Property Department)
Last verified October 2026 · Official source: ipd.gov.hk
IP and Patent Filing
IP and Patent Filing (IPD)
Protect your invention with a patent. Filed with the Intellectual Property Department.
Official source: ipd.gov.hk
Licences
Permits that let your products and business operate legally: import permits, tax and goods/services registration, sector-specific permits, export licences, drug and health, food safety, lab test reports and product trials.
Import Permits and Importer Registration
Register as an importer and get permits for regulated goods. Handled by the Customs and Excise Department and the Trade and Industry Department (for controlled goods).
Official source: customs.gov.hk
Tax and Goods/Services Registration
Register for tax and for goods and services tax. Handled by the Inland Revenue Department (business registration).
Official source: ird.gov.hk
Sector-Specific Permits
Permits for regulated industries. Overseen by the sector regulator responsible for your activity.
Official source: gov.hk
Export Licence
Get permission to export controlled goods. Handled by the Trade and Industry Department.
Official source: tid.gov.hk
Drug and Health Product Licence
Approval to sell medicines, devices and health products. Handled by the Department of Health (Drug Office).
Official source: drugoffice.gov.hk
Food Safety Licence and Registration
Register your food business and get approval to import or sell food. Handled by the Centre for Food Safety.
Official source: cfs.gov.hk
Lab Test Reports and Product Certification
Get your product tested and certified for the market. Overseen through laboratories accredited by the Hong Kong Accreditation Service.
Official source: itc.gov.hk
Product Trial and Sample Approval
Approval to trial a new product before launch. Handled by the Department of Health (Drug Office).
Official source: drugoffice.gov.hk
Residency & Visa Pathways
Programs that grant residenceThese grant a right to live and work in the country. Talk to an expert before you apply.
New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (New CIES)
HK$30 million total qualifying investment for high-net-worth individuals. This is a passive investor scheme, not an entrepreneur route.
Last verified September 2026 · Official source: newcies.gov.hk; info.gov.hk; familyofficehk.gov.hk
Questions about moving a business to Hong Kong
What business immigration options are there for Hong Kong?
ORBIZLY lists investor programs (New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (New CIES)). Each is shown on this page with its status, the official source and when it was last verified. Rules change, so confirm the details with the official source before you apply.
Can I relocate my business to Hong Kong?
It depends on your business and the route you choose, and it is really two separate things: setting up or moving the business, and getting the right to live there. Company registration, a bank account, tax and licences are the set-up side. A visa or residence permit is the residency side. Setting up a company in Hong Kong does not give you the right to live there. You need a visa or entry permit, which is a separate application. Start with the free eligibility check to see which routes fit your business.
Does registering a company in Hong Kong give me residency?
Setting up a company in Hong Kong does not give you the right to live there. You need a visa or entry permit, which is a separate application.
What do I need to set up a business in Hong Kong?
The usual order is: plan, register the company, open the tax and bank accounts, register as an employer, protect your brand, then get any licences and permits. For Hong Kong, ORBIZLY lists company registration, drug and health licences, export licence, food safety, ip and patent filing, import permits, lab test reports, business bank account, product trials, employer and payroll registration, sector-specific permits, tax and goods/services registration, and trademark filing. Government fees are paid to the authorities and are separate from ORBIZLY's fees.
How do I start moving my business to Hong Kong?
Take the free eligibility check, which takes about three minutes, or book a free 15-minute discovery call. ORBIZLY then shows which routes look like a fit and what to do first. ORBIZLY gives directional guidance and is not a law firm or immigration adviser.
Dreaming of Hong Kong?
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Brands built in Hong Kong
Well-known companies from Hong Kong, including unicorns and businesses that grew a global presence.
HSBC
A global bank with Hong Kong roots
AIA
Life insurance across Asia-Pacific
Cathay Pacific
International airline based in Hong Kong
Lenovo
One of the world's largest PC makers
Hang Seng Bank
A leading Hong Kong bank
Examples only. Logos belong to their owners and are shown to identify the companies. A unicorn is a private start-up valued above US$1 billion at some point.
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