Scope and eligibility criteria of New CIES

New CIES is applicable to:

1. Foreign nationals¹
2. Chinese nationals who have obtained permanent resident status in a foreign country
3. Macao Special Administrative Region residents
4. Chinese residents of Taiwan

To be eligible for approval to New CIES, an applicant must:

1. be aged 18 or above;
2. have net assets of at least HKD30 million throughout the two years preceding his application;
3. have invested within and thereafter throughout the period beginning six months before the application is lodged for Net Asset Assessment, and ending on the 180th day after Approvalin-Principle has been granted by the Director of Immigration or beginning on the day when Approval-in-Principle has been granted by the Director of Immigration and ending on the 180th day thereafter, not less than HKD30 million in permissible investment assets;
4. have no adverse immigration record and meet normal immigration and security requirements; and
5. be able to demonstrate that he is capable of supporting and accommodating himself and his dependants on his own without relying on any return on the permissible investment assets, employment or public assistance in Hong Kong.

Permissible investment assets

The applicant must invest and remain invested throughout the period of New CIES in one or a combination of the following permissible investment assets²:

1. Equities – shares of companies listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong and traded in Hong Kong Dollars or in Renminbi.
2. Debt securities – denominated in Hong Kong Dollars or in Renminbi, which are issued or fully guaranteed by the HKSAR Government or specified corporations/agencies from time to time determined by the Director of Immigration.
3. Certificates of deposits – denominated in Hong Kong Dollars or Renminbi, issued by authorised institutions as defined in the Banking Ordinance with a remaining term to maturity of not less than 12 months at the time of acquisition, subject to a cap of 10% (i.e. HKD3 million) of the minimum investment threshold. This acquisition must take place after Approval-in-Principle has been granted by the Director of Immigration.
4. Subordinate debt – denominated in Hong Kong Dollars or in Renminbi issued by authorised institutions as defined in the Banking (Capital) Rules.
5. Eligible Collective Investment Schemes – as specified by the HKSAR Government.
6. According to Ownership interest in limited partnership funds registered under the Limited Partnership Fund Ordinance (Cap. 637 of the Laws of Hong Kong) or open-ended fund companies registered under the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571 of the Laws of Hong Kong) and managed by corporations licensed by or institutions registered with the SFC for Type 9 regulated activity, the total investment amount is subject to an aggregate cap of HKD10 million.
7. Non-residential real estate – includes pre-completion properties covering offices, commercial premises, retail premises and factories and excludes land and multi-purpose real estate partly for residential purposes, subject to a cap of HKD10 million.
8. New CIES Investment Portfolio – the applicant under New CIES is required to place HKD3 million into a new CIES Investment Portfolio. The new CIES Investment Portfolio will make investments in companies/projects with a Hong Kong nexus, with a view to supporting the development of innovation and technology industries and other strategic industries that are beneficial to the long-term development of Hong Kong’s economy.

For details on New CIES, please visit InvestHK’s relevant website www.newcies.gov.hk/en/resources/apply-now.html.