1. Core admission requirements for Hong Kong employment agency license application
Actual business address
Must have an independent actual office address as a business location in Hong Kong，Pure secretary-based addresses or virtual offices are not accepted。Labor Department inspectors will conduct on-site compliance inspections，Verify office conditions and confidential file storage facilities。
Subject identity requirements
Sole proprietors or partnership representatives are usually required to hold a Hong Kong permanent identity card；Non-permanent residents can apply in the form of a limited company，However, the nominated operator must hold a long-term valid visa that allows operating business in Hong Kong (such as the Mainland Talent Import Program、Talent Plan、Gao Caitong, etc.)。
Related business isolation
If you also operate foreign domestic help training、Dormitory or loan business，Must strictly follow theCode of Practice for Employment Agencies》Isolation requirements，Maintain financial and business independence，Avoid conflicts of interest。
Statutory reasons for refusal (Article 53 of the Employment Ordinance)
Bankrupts who have not received a discharge order；Convicted of crimes against persons (against children/youth/women) within the past 5 years、triad crimes、Fraud、Blackmail or dishonesty；Have violated Part XII of the Employment Ordinance or the Employment Agency Regulations or been suspendedlicense；Providing false or misleading information in the application - will be directly refused license。
2. Application process for Hong Kong employment agency license application
first step：Name pre-screening (at least 1 month before planned opening)
Chinese and English names and contact numbers will be used，Submit to the Employment Agency Affairs Branch of the Labor Department by email (ea-ee@labour.gov.hk) or fax (2115 3756)，Make sure the name is not the same as or closely similar to a registered employment agency，avoid public confusion。
Step 2：Document preparation and interview (handled in person)
After the name is accepted，The applicant or nominated operator (limited company) must go to the Affairs Division in person to meet，and submit legal documents according to the type of business entity：Sole proprietorship (ID card、recent photo、Business registration certificate、Declaration of Financial Relations Form CoP-F2)；Partnership (additionally provide copies of all partners’ ID cards and authorization letters)；Limited company (additional company registration certificate is provided、Annual Return/Notice of Change of Director and Secretary、Copies of ID cards of all directors and secretaries、board resolution)。
Step 3：Interdepartmental background checks and on-site inspections
Labor Department to Hong Kong Police Force、The Immigration Department and the Official Receiver's Office check the background records of applicants and related persons，and may conduct on-site inspections of the proposed business premises，Check whether independent office space and file confidentiality facilities are available。
Step 4：Payment and licensing
After passing the review，Applicants will receive a payment notice，After paying the statutory license fee，The Labor Department officially issues the "Employment Agency License"。If rejected，Can appeal to the Administrative Appeals Board within 28 days。
3. List of required documents for Hong Kong employment agency license application
sole proprietorship：Applicant’s Hong Kong ID card (non-permanent resident plus passport and valid visa)、Recent ID photo、Copy of valid business registration certificate、CoP-F2 Return Form。
partnership：Nomination authorization letter、Nominee’s ID card/recent photo/BR copy、Copies of ID cards of all partners、CoP-F2 Return Form。
Ltd.：Board of Directors Authorization Resolution、Nominated operator’s ID card/recent photo/BR copy、Company registration certificate、Annual Return (NAR1) or NNC1 and ND2A/ND2B、Copies of identity cards of all directors and company secretaries、CoP-F2 Return Form。
All applicants must bring a recent ID photo，and sign a consent form authorizing the Labor Department to check criminal records with the police。
If the business premises are not used for commercial purposes or provide accommodation，Additional building regulations must be submitted、fire regulations、Hotel Industry Ordinance and other relevant licenses or permits。
4. Details of statutory fees for Hong Kong employment agency license application
| Expense items | Amount (HKD) | illustrate |
|---|---|---|
| Main license (new or renewed) | 2,000 | Valid for 12 months，Must apply for renewal at least 2 months before expiration |
| Duplicate branch license (for each branch) | 385 | Separate application required for each branch，Posted at this business location |
| Change license information (such as address change) | 155 | every modification，The Labor Department must be notified at least 14 days before the change |
| Late renewal surcharge | Depending on the situation, you may need to reapply | If the license is not renewed after the expiration date, the license will become invalid.，New application process required，Not directly renewable |
5. Legal risks and compliance red lines for Hong Kong employment agency license application
Unlicensed operation：Any person operating without a valid license、Managing employment agencies，The maximum penalty is a fine of $350,000 and imprisonment for 3 years.。
Overcharge：Charge job seekers a commission of more than 10% of their first month’s salary，Or charge a registration fee、Interview training fee、Resume revision fees and any additional fees，All are illegal，Maximum fine of $350,000 and imprisonment for 3 years，and forcibly revoke the license。
financial isolation：Suggestions are strictly prohibited、arrange、Encourage or force job seekers to borrow money from any institution or individual，They are also not allowed to be involved in the job seeker’s financial matters (such as advancing expenses for foreign domestic helpers or assisting with borrowing)。
Seize documents：Without the express consent of the applicant，It is absolutely prohibited to seize their passports、Hong Kong ID card、Personal property such as employment contracts or bank cards，Otherwise, you may violate the Theft Ordinance and face 10 years in prison.。
hanging obligation：The original license and the Second Schedule of the Employment Agency Regulations (notice of commission ceiling) must be hung in a conspicuous place at the business place，Violators may be fined up to $10,000。
record keeping：Job seeker registration、contract、Accounts and other files must be kept for at least 12 months，The Labor Department can conduct surprise inspections at any time without warning，Violators will be deemed to have failed to comply with the licensing conditions。
Change notification：Change of address must be notified in writing to the Labor Department 14 days in advance；Changes in directors/management must be notified within 14 days；The license must be returned within 7 days if the business is closed.，Violators may be fined up to $10,000。
6. Frequently Asked Questions about Hong Kong Employment Agency License Application(FAQ)
Can't。The Labor Department requires that there must be an actual independent business premises，and will conduct on-site inspections to verify office conditions and file confidentiality facilities.。It is impossible for a purely secretary-based address to be approved。
According to section 51 of the Employment Ordinance，Operating without a valid license、Manage or assist in the management of an employment agency，The maximum possible fine is $350,000 Hong Kong dollars and 3 years’ imprisonment。
Can，But there are restrictions。Licensees of sole proprietorships or partnerships must usually be permanent residents；Non-permanent residents can apply in the form of a limited company，And the nominated operator must hold a valid work or investment visa (such as outstanding talent、Expertise、Gao Caitong, etc.)，Tourist or student visas will not be accepted。
great influence。Bankruptcy that has not been discharged will be directly refused.；If you have committed crimes against children/youth/women in the past five years，or triad、Fraud、blackmail、dishonesty offense，Commissioner for Labor will refuse to issue licenses。
Absolutely prohibited。The law only allows charging job seekers a statutory commission (10% of the first month’s salary)，And must be collected after the job seeker is successfully employed and receives the first month's salary.，It is strictly prohibited to charge in advance or in any other way，Otherwise it will constitute a criminal offense，Maximum fine of $350,000 and imprisonment for 3 years。
The upper limit is 10% of the job seeker’s first month’s salary after being placed in employment，And it can only be collected after the job seeker actually receives the first month’s salary.。If you leave the job less than one month after joining the company,，is limited to 10% of the actual salary due in the first month。
No。The law only sets a 10% cap on fees charged to job seekers (disadvantaged labor parties)，The headhunting fee charged to the employer、Consulting fees, etc. are commercial agreements，The amount can be freely negotiated。
The license is usually valid for 12 months。The licensee must submit a renewal application at least 2 months before the license expires.，If the license is not renewed after the expiration date, the license will become invalid.，Need to reapply for a new license。
must be notified。Change of address/name must be notified in writing within 14 days and license amendment submitted；A copy of the ND2A form must be submitted to the Labor Department within 14 days after the change of director/company secretary is reported to the Companies Registry.，for background checks。
Still need to apply。The business registration certificate is only a tax registration，Those operating a regulated industry must obtain a special license from the competent industry authority (Labor Department) before they can practice lawfully.。
According to section 11 of the Employment Agency Regulations，The original copy of the valid Employment Agency License and the Second Schedule to the Regulation containing the statutory commission limit must be hung in a conspicuous place，Violators may be fined up to $10,000。
Foreign domestic help agencies must strictly abide by the financial segregation provisions in the Code of Practice，Prohibition of colluding with financial companies to lend to foreign domestic helpers；Usually, it is also necessary to obtain the consulate in Hong Kong of the country where the foreign domestic helper is sent (such as the Philippines).、Indonesia) recognition or certification，Relevant labor introduction can be carried out legally。
Depends on business model。If only passive ad display is provided，Do not participate in screening、match、Interview or successful commission，A license may not be required；Once it involves active matching、Recommend or receive fees from，Most likely to be identified as handling employment agency business，Must be licensed to operate。
All registration records、Contracts and accounts must be kept for at least 12 months from the date of registration，and kept at a licensed place of business，Available for surprise inspections by the Labor Department at any time (including without appointment)。
