Opening a bank account is usually one of the first items on a new company’s to do list, however, the process of establishing a corporate bank account in Hong Kong can present significant challenges, and is often more complicated than a company incorporation due to strict regulatory requirements and high compliance standards imposed on banks. […]

Introduction In the intricate world of private companies, safeguarding the investments and interests of shareholders is paramount. One such protective measure is the right of pre-emption, also known as the right of first refusal. This corporate mechanism empowers existing shareholders by granting them the opportunity to acquire shares being sold by fellow shareholders before they are […]

To evaluate options for living and working in Hong Kong, it is crucial to understand the distinct differences between the Hong Kong Travel Pass and the Employment Visa, as each caters to different needs and provides varying rights and limitations.

We consider the options available to foreigners when planning to travel to Hong Kong for work purposes.

Over the 5-7 April weekend Marbury hosted close to 100 clients and friends of Marbury, and Marbury founder, Duncan Smith, at the Hong Kong Sevens – the premier tournament on the World Rugby Sevens Series.  As we finally recover after the exhilarating weekend, we at Marbury want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all […]

In a recent circular to tax representatives by the Hong Kong Inland Revenue Department (the IRD), it was underlined that the IRD no longer exempts the submission requirements of supporting documents from the year of assessment 2022/23, except for dormant companies or overseas companies which are not required to carry out statutory audit in the respective jurisdiction.

The Companies Ordinance (Cap 622) (CO) introduced a company-led court-free process for reduction of share capital in 2014.  This followed in the wake of the removal of the requirement for companies to have an authorised capital, which in turn followed a trend globally of removing restrictions in the handling of company capital that has swept up major common law countries such as the UK and Australia.

Although Hong Kong is very business-friendly and constantly ranked among the top countries for its ease of doing business, when it comes to HR and payroll compliance, most foreign owned companies and start-up businesses find employer and employee compliance burdensome. This is often due to the limited resources available in time and funds. Hiring an employee early on solely for the administration of personnel matters for a small team can rarely justify the expense. However, the consequences of an oversight and the resulting potential non-compliance with labour laws and related regulations can be severe. In this short guide, we will highlight the most common issues business owners and directors should keep in mind.

Regulators are taking firm action again non-compliance with AML and CFT regulations as highlighted by these recent enforcement cases in Hong Kong and BVI.

Hong Kong’s Financial Secretary, Paul Chan, outlined his budget for 2023-24 in his Budget Address on 22 February 2023. Highlights of some measures of particular interest to Hong Kong companies and those with business interests in Asia, are set out below.

When clients find that they no longer need their Hong Kong company they would naturally like to reduce their Company-related costs. With our clients’ best interests in mind, Marbury would usually recommend that the Company be formally deregistered in order to prevent future liabilities. However, if there is a chance that the Company may be needed at a later stage, you may consider declaring the Company dormant.