Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China vs United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
A neutral side-by-side of immigration systems, routes and regulators. Each row links to the underlying visa page with its primary government source.
Last reviewed:
Source basis
This comparison combines Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland government portals with the primary sources for each side's dominant skilled route. Every detailed figure links through to the underlying route or data page.
Reviewed
Primary sources
- Immigration Department
Immigration Department (Hong Kong SAR) - verified
- GOV.UK — Browse visas and immigration
UK Home Office - verified
- Immigration Department - General Employment Policy
Immigration Department (Hong Kong SAR) - verified
- GOV.UK — Skilled Worker visa
UK Home Office - verified
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China
Hong Kong's Immigration Department runs a suite of talent and employment admission schemes rather than a single points-based system. The headline routes are the General Employment Policy (GEP) for sponsored professionals, the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS) and Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) for talent without a prior job offer, and the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG). Most schemes are residence tracks: seven years of continuous ordinary residence can lead to the right of abode.
- Official portal
- Immigration Department (Hong Kong SAR)
- Languages
- Chinese, English
- Currency
- Hong Kong dollar
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
The UK runs a points-based work visa system anchored by the Skilled Worker route and the Global Talent route, alongside a Student route and a narrower set of family, investor and entrepreneur options. Most work routes require a Home Office–licensed sponsor.
- Official portal
- UK Home Office
- Languages
- English
- Currency
- Pound sterling
How Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland differ
| Dimension | Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland |
|---|---|---|
| Total routes covered | 8 | 12 |
| Routes without employer sponsor | 5 | 7 |
| Routes leading to permanent residence | 8 | 6 |
| Typical full settlement timeline | GEP residence -> extensions -> right of abode/permanent resident status after 7 years of continuous ordinary residence. | Arrival → ILR (5 years) → citizenship (6 years). Faster on Global Talent / Innovator Founder (3 years to ILR). |
| Dominant skilled visa | General Employment Policy (GEP) | Skilled Worker visa |
| Skilled visa salary minimum | No fixed published floor | £41,700/year |
| Skilled visa processing time | Hong Kong Immigration says General Employment Policy applications are normally finalised in four weeks once all documents and fees are received. | GOV.UK publishes 3 weeks as the typical decision window for Skilled Worker visa applications made outside the UK. |
| Skilled visa government fees | A Hong Kong GEP application with an initial stay over 180 days costs HKD 1,900 in listed Immigration Department fees. | The UK Skilled Worker visa costs around £3,950 in government fees for a single applicant on a 3-year grant at the general rate, dominated by the £1,035/year Immigration Health Surcharge. |
| Official languages | Chinese, English | English |
| Currency | Hong Kong dollar | Pound sterling |
| Primary regulator | Law Society | IAA |
| Policy changes (last 12 months) | 0 | 5 |
Skilled-route head-to-head
Comparing each country’s most-used skilled-migration route side by side.
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China
General Employment Policy (GEP)
- Salary minimum
- No fixed published floor
- Government fees
- A Hong Kong GEP application with an initial stay over 180 days costs HKD 1,900 in listed Immigration Department fees.
- Processing time
- Hong Kong Immigration says General Employment Policy applications are normally finalised in four weeks once all documents and fees are received.
- Sponsor required
- Yes
- Leads to settlement
- Yes
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Skilled Worker visa
- Salary minimum
- £41,700/year
- Government fees
- The UK Skilled Worker visa costs around £3,950 in government fees for a single applicant on a 3-year grant at the general rate, dominated by the £1,035/year Immigration Health Surcharge.
- Processing time
- GOV.UK publishes 3 weeks as the typical decision window for Skilled Worker visa applications made outside the UK.
- Sponsor required
- Yes
- Leads to settlement
- Yes
Recent policy activity
Last 6 months. Each entry links to its primary government source.
- 3 September 2026United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
UK publishes Immigration Rules changes taking effect across October, November and December 2026
Statement HC 584 introduces rule changes with staged commencement dates from 8 October 2026, including visitor, student, Skilled Worker, EU Settlement Scheme and family-related amendments.
UK Home Office - 27 June 2026United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
UK announces capped refugee sponsorship routes for communities, universities and employers
Named community and refugee-study lead-sponsor applications were planned for autumn 2026, with arrivals from autumn 2027; a refugee work route was expected in 2027. Check current Home Office launch guidance before making arrangements.
UK Home Office - 8 April 2026United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
UK: Skilled Worker English raised to B2, CoS fee £525, Immigration Skills Charge up 32%
A run of Skilled Worker changes from late 2025 into early 2026 raised the language bar, sponsor costs, and tightened salary assessment.
UK Home Office
Routes unique to Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China
Routes unique to United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Visa routes side by side
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (8)
General Employment Policy (GEP)
Sponsor · Leads to settlement · Initial stay normally up to 36 months on employment conditions; extensions typically follow a 3+3+2-year pattern.
Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS)
No sponsor · Leads to settlement · Initial stay normally up to 36 months under the General Points Test (or a longer initial period for Achievement-based applicants); renewable.
Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS)
No sponsor · Leads to settlement · Initial stay of 36 months (Category A) or 24 months (Categories B and C); renewable on meeting the criteria.
Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG)
No sponsor · Leads to settlement · Initial stay of 24 months on time limitation only; renewable subject to meeting the criteria.
Technology Talent Admission Scheme (TechTAS)
Sponsor · Leads to settlement · Employment-based stay aligned with the company quota and the applicant contract; renewable subject to continued eligibility.
Entry for Investment as Entrepreneurs
No sponsor · Leads to settlement · Initial stay normally up to 36 months on employment (business) conditions; extensions follow the standard pattern.
Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (CIES)
No sponsor · Leads to settlement · Initial stay granted under the scheme, renewable while the investment and asset requirements continue to be met.
Entry for Residence as Dependants
Sponsor · Leads to settlement · Stay normally aligned with the sponsor permitted period of stay; renewable alongside the sponsor.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (12)
Skilled Worker visa
Sponsor · Leads to settlement · Up to 5 years on initial grant, extendable; leads to settlement after continuous residence.
Health and Care Worker visa
Sponsor · Leads to settlement · Up to 5 years on initial grant; leads to settlement after 5 years continuous residence.
Global Talent visa
No sponsor · Leads to settlement · Up to 5 years per grant; leads to settlement after 3 or 5 years depending on endorsement type.
Graduate visa
No sponsor · Non-settlement · 2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026; 18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027; 3 years for PhD or other doctoral graduates. Non-extendable.
High Potential Individual visa
No sponsor · Non-settlement · 2 years (3 years for PhD graduates). Non-extendable.
Innovator Founder visa
No sponsor · Leads to settlement · 3 years per grant, with no fixed limit on extensions. Settlement may be available after 3 years if the route’s separate endorsement and business-growth requirements are met.
Scale-up visa
Sponsor · Leads to settlement · 2 years; extendable; leads to settlement after 5 years.
Youth Mobility Scheme visa
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Up to 24 months initially. Australian, Canadian and New Zealand nationals can apply once for a one-year extension.
Student visa
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Varies with course — up to length of course plus a short wrap-around.
Family visa (partner/spouse)
No sponsor · Leads to settlement · An initial partner grant is normally up to 2 years 9 months; an extension or in-country switch is normally up to 2 years 6 months. Some grants are shorter, including qualifying protection-status cases tied to the sponsor’s expiry.
Standard Visitor visa
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Up to 6 months per visit; long-term visitor visas valid 2, 5, or 10 years (each stay still 6 months max).
Refugee Sponsorship Route (announced)
Sponsor · Settlement not final · Final new-route grant length not established in the sources checked.
Frequently asked questions
How long does permanent residence typically take in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China vs United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?+
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China: GEP residence -> extensions -> right of abode/permanent resident status after 7 years of continuous ordinary residence.. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Arrival → ILR (5 years) → citizenship (6 years). Faster on Global Talent / Innovator Founder (3 years to ILR).. Both timelines are route-dependent — see each country’s settlement page for the breakdown per visa.
Which country has an easier skilled-migration route, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China or United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?+
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China’s General Employment Policy (GEP) requires a salary of at least No fixed published floor; United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland’s Skilled Worker visa requires £41,700/year. “Easier” depends on your salary, sponsor situation, and nationality — see each visa’s eligibility detail.
Which immigration system has changed more recently, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China or United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?+
In the last 6 months: 0 logged policy changes for Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, 3 for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. See the recent-policy section above for the details, each linked to its primary source.
Does Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China or United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland have more visa routes without an employer sponsor?+
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has more: 7 of its covered routes can be pursued without an employer sponsor, against 5 for Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. No-sponsor routes — such as digital-nomad, self-employment, and points-based skilled migration — matter most if you do not yet have a job offer.
Is the main skilled visa cheaper in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China or United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?+
Comparing the dominant skilled route in each country: A Hong Kong GEP application with an initial stay over 180 days costs HKD 1,900 in listed Immigration Department fees. By contrast, The UK Skilled Worker visa costs around £3,950 in government fees for a single applicant on a 3-year grant at the general rate, dominated by the £1,035/year Immigration Health Surcharge. Those are government fees only and exclude relocation, qualification recognition, and living costs — open each fee page for the itemised breakdown.
Cite or reuse this dataset
This comparison is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0. Cite the page for the compiled head-to-head table and use the country-comparisons JSON endpoint to retrieve the indexed pair, destination profiles and underlying source datasets.
Suggested citation
Visa Atlas, "Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China vs United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland immigration comparison", https://visaatlas.org/compare/hong-kong/vs/uk. Last verified 3 September 2026.
- JSON endpoint
- https://visaatlas.org/api/public/country-comparisons