Hong Kong · Work
Hong Kong IANG graduate visa
First stay: 2 yrs
Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG)
Checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
IANG graduate visa is a work route for Hong Kong. Local work: limited. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.
- Government fees
- HKD 600 ≈ $76 · HKD 1,300 ≈ $170
- Processing
- 14–28 days
- First stay
- 2 yrs
Cost, time and long term
To apply: 2 government fees listed below; decision: 14–28 days. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government feesHKD 600 ≈ $76 · HKD 1,300 ≈ $170
- HKD 600 (≈ $76)Non-refundable application fee, charged to the principal applicant and each dependant.
- HKD 1,300 (≈ $170)Visa issuance fee when the relevant period of stay is more than 180 days (HK$600 for 180 days or less).
RenewalRenewable
The initial stay is 24 months. Extensions are normally granted on a 3-3 year pattern, on time limitation only, when the graduate has a job at a level commonly taken up by degree holders or has set up or joined a business. A 6-year extension is given only under the top-tier stream: at least 2 years under IANG and assessable income for salaries tax of at least HK$2 million in the previous year of assessment.
Permanent residenceAfter 7 years of residence
After a continuous period of not less than 7 years of ordinary residence you may apply for the right of abode (permanent resident status), and you must take Hong Kong as your place of permanent residence. Time as a foreign domestic helper, an imported-labour contract worker or a refugee, or spent unlawfully or in breach of a condition of stay, does not count.
Hong Kong Immigration DepartmentImmigration Department, Hong Kong SAR Government
Processing14–28 days
Applications by recent graduates normally take about two weeks; non-recent graduates normally four weeks, from receipt of all documents and the fee.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Needs earlier residence or an existing status in Hong Kong
- Work rights are limited
- Not open to passports from Afghanistan, Cuba, North Korea
What you'll need
Who can apply4
- The applicant holds an undergraduate or higher qualification from a full-time, locally accredited Hong Kong programme.
- A Greater Bay Area campus jointly run by mainland and Hong Kong universities also qualifies.
- Nationals of Afghanistan, Cuba and North Korea are not eligible.
- Nationals of Laos, Nepal and Vietnam qualify only with a UGC-funded university programme or a GBA campus degree.
What you must show and pay2
- A fee of HKD 600 (≈ $76) · Non-refundable application fee, charged to the principal applicant and each dependant.
- A fee of HKD 1,300 (≈ $170) · Visa issuance fee when the relevant period of stay is more than 180 days (HK$600 for 180 days or less).
Steps2
- Applying within 6 months of graduation needs no job offer.
- Later applicants need a graduate-level job offer with market-level pay.
After you arrive1
- Extensions normally follow a 3-3 year pattern and need a job at a level commonly taken up by degree holders, or proof of a business set up or joined in Hong Kong.
When you become tax resident
How Hong Kong decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
2 years at first, renewable
- Tax residence
- More than 60 days in a year of assessment (aggregated visits to Hong Kong)Non-Hong Kong employment: visits to Hong Kong totalling more than 60 days in the year of assessment make the pay for those services assessable on a days-in-days-out basis; any part of a day counts.
- Foreign-source income
Territorial
Hong Kong taxes under the territorial concept: salaries tax, property tax and profits tax apply to income arising in or derived from Hong Kong, whether the person is resident or not.
All tax rules for Hong Kong Tax records checked
Full official text
24-month stay for non-local graduates of Hong Kong or Greater Bay Area campus programmes to work in Hong Kong; quota-free. 1 2 3
What you must show and pay
- A fee of HKD 600 (≈ $76) · Non-refundable application fee, charged to the principal applicant and each dependant. 2
- A fee of HKD 1,300 (≈ $170) · Visa issuance fee when the relevant period of stay is more than 180 days (HK$600 for 180 days or less). 2
Requirements
- The applicant holds an undergraduate or higher qualification from a full-time, locally accredited Hong Kong programme. 1
- A Greater Bay Area campus jointly run by mainland and Hong Kong universities also qualifies. 1
- Nationals of Afghanistan, Cuba and North Korea are not eligible. 1
- Nationals of Laos, Nepal and Vietnam qualify only with a UGC-funded university programme or a GBA campus degree. 1
- Applying within 6 months of graduation needs no job offer. 1
- Later applicants need a graduate-level job offer with market-level pay. 1
- Extensions normally follow a 3-3 year pattern and need a job at a level commonly taken up by degree holders, or proof of a business set up or joined in Hong Kong. 1
Stay
- 24 months on time limitation only without other conditions of stay.
- Initial permitted stay: 24 months.
Nationality
Excluded: Afghanistan, Cuba, North Korea. Restricted programme types for Laos, Nepal, Vietnam. Not open to: Afghanistan, Cuba, North Korea.
Work
Employment and business allowed under time limitation only.
Family
Spouse or recognised partner and unmarried dependent children under 18 may apply as dependants of an IANG entrant, if the sponsor can support them well above subsistence level and provide suitable accommodation. Your spouse or partner may work in Hong Kong without a separate permit.
Official sources
- Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG) · Hong Kong Immigration Department · checked 2026-10-10
- New Fee Structure for Visa Applications under Specified Schemes · Immigration Department, Hong Kong · checked 2026-10-11
- Guidebook for Entry for Residence as Dependants in Hong Kong, ID(E) 998 (04/2026) · Immigration Department, Hong Kong SAR · checked 2026-10-12 · published 2026-04-01
- The Position of Non-Chinese Citizens (right of abode) · Immigration Department, Hong Kong SAR Government · checked 2026-10-11
- Notes for Guidance: Application for a Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card · Immigration Department, Hong Kong SAR Government · checked 2026-10-11
IANG graduate visa and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| IANG graduate visa | – | 2 yr | Limited |
| Mainland talent (ASMTP) | – | 3 yr, renewable | – |
| Work visa (GEP) | – | 3 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Tech professionals (GEP-TP) | – | 3 yr, renewable | Limited |
| LTR · Highly Skilled Thailand | Needs income of $80k+ a year | 5 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the IANG graduate visa?
A fee of HKD 600 (≈ $76). Non-refundable application fee, charged to the principal applicant and each dependant. A fee of HKD 1,300 (≈ $170). Visa issuance fee when the relevant period of stay is more than 180 days (HK$600 for 180 days or less).
How long can I stay on the IANG graduate visa?
24 months on time limitation only without other conditions of stay.
How long does the IANG graduate visa take to process?
Applications by recent graduates normally take about two weeks; non-recent graduates normally four weeks, from receipt of all documents and the fee.
Can I work on the IANG graduate visa?
Limited. Employment and business allowed under time limitation only.
Can I bring my family on the IANG graduate visa?
Spouse or recognised partner and unmarried dependent children under 18 may apply as dependants of an IANG entrant, if the sponsor can support them well above subsistence level and provide suitable accommodation.
Who can apply for the IANG graduate visa?
Excluded: Afghanistan, Cuba, North Korea. Restricted programme types for Laos, Nepal, Vietnam. Not open to: Afghanistan, Cuba, North Korea.
Does the IANG graduate visa lead to permanent residence in Hong Kong?
Time on the IANG graduate visa counts toward permanent residence in Hong Kong, which the rules allow after 7 years of residence.
More in Hong Kong
Work visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-12 against 5 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG) · Hong Kong Immigration Department · checked 2026-10-10
- New Fee Structure for Visa Applications under Specified Schemes · Immigration Department, Hong Kong · checked 2026-10-11
- Guidebook for Entry for Residence as Dependants in Hong Kong, ID(E) 998 (04/2026) · Immigration Department, Hong Kong SAR · checked 2026-10-12
- The Position of Non-Chinese Citizens (right of abode) · Immigration Department, Hong Kong SAR Government · checked 2026-10-11
- Notes for Guidance: Application for a Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card · Immigration Department, Hong Kong SAR Government · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.