How do I check an agency's Hong Kong licence?

Ask for the licence number and verify it through the Labour Department's employment-agency licence lookup. If it cannot be verified or does not match, do not sign.

Will my pay be lower than local workers' through an agency?

ESLS requires imported-worker wages to be no lower than the sector median; an application below the median would not be approved in the first place.

Can I go if the job is not on the ESLS list?

Not under ESLS; other immigration routes need to be assessed. Compare our guide to the eligible-jobs list.

Are restaurant roles harder to get after the 2026 rules?

Review is stricter: restaurants must meet a 3:1 department-level local full-time ratio, run 6 weeks of local recruitment and attend job fairs every 2 weeks. The structural shortage remains, so solid applications and complete credentials still get workers on site.

Who can I complain to about a suspicious agency?

Report to the Hong Kong Labour Department; its employment-agency portal (eaa.labour.gov.hk) also lists revoked licences, written warnings and conviction records — check it before signing anything.

Zhigang · Hong Kong·2026-07-27·8 min read

How to choose a reliable Hong Kong employment agency

A dependable agency can identify its licence, employer and process. It does not promise a government result, hide fees or ask you to work before the required approval.

Verify the agency

Confirm the agency's legal identity, licence and published contact details through the appropriate official channel before sharing sensitive documents or money. Licensing comes with standing oversight: in 2024 the Labour Department issued 3,778 agency licences, inspected employment agencies 2,006 times, and recorded only 3 revocations or refusals (Labour Department open dataset) — a licensed agency operates under continuous regulation, so problems leave a traceable record.

Verify the job

Ask for the real employer, position, salary, hours, accommodation and work location in writing. A legitimate recruitment process includes a real employer and interview process.

Review fees and the contract

Request a written fee schedule and a contract before payment. Keep copies of the offer, messages, receipt and any change to the agreed terms. The written pay must not fall below the ESLS median for the role, and never below Hong Kong's statutory minimum wage (HK$43.1 per hour from 1 May 2026).

Stop when a promise is impossible

No agency can sell a guaranteed visa, ESLS approval or job without the employer's lawful process. Pause and verify when such a promise is made.

What the 2026 rule changes mean for job seekers

Seven optimisation measures took effect on 16 June 2026: restaurant-sector departments now need a 3:1 local full-time ratio, local open recruitment extended from 4 to 6 weeks with a physical recruitment fair every 2 weeks, median wages per the 22 June 2026 edition apply immediately, and the accommodation-deduction cap rose from 10% to 20% of wages.

For job seekers this means two things: reviews are stricter and longer, so avoid any "fast-track document" pitch; and compliant employers are worth more — an employer that follows the new rules offers stronger job and contract security. See our full 2026 rule-change guide for details.

Typical timeline from contact to onboarding

Translate the lawful process into a job seeker's timeline — what to wait for and what to prepare at each step (durations subject to Labour Department review):

Stage	What happens	Your part
Job matching	Matched to a Hong Kong employer and an ESLS-listed role	Provide a truthful CV and credentials
Local recruitment and filing	Employer completes 6 weeks of local recruitment, then files	Wait; ignore any "express" pitch
Review and approval	Labour Department review (about 45 days on average in recent years)	Stay reachable; supply follow-ups quickly
Documents and arrangement	Visa, standard employment contract, accommodation	Check contract terms before signing
Arrival and onboarding	Enter, start work, settling-in follow-up	Work per contract; keep your documents