Welcome To Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s official languages are Chinese and English. Over 90% of the Hong Kong population uses Cantonese as the main spoken language for daily living conversations and local media and entertainment. English is widely used in government, businesses and higher education. Mandarin is growing importance due to mainland Chinese integration and proficiency increasing over the years especially among the younger generation. Taxi drivers may have limited foreign language skills, and a translated address card for primary destinations is recommended.

Hong Kong is considered to have a very high-quality healthcare system. The city has 42 public hospitals, 11 private hospitals, and over 100 private clinics. Both Eastern and Western clinics are available. There are also some 24-hour clinics, and most hospitals offer 24-hour emergency services.

Hong Kong is generally considered a safe city with low violent crime rates. Despite this, there are petty crimes, including pickpocketing. The city’s police force is well-trained and accustomed to dealing with these situations.

The typhoon season typically lasts from May to November with the peak period around Jul to September. The Hong Kong Observatory monitors the tropical cyclones all year round and using a numbered typhoon warning system (T1 to T10). A T8 or higher suspends work, schools and public transportation.

Homosexuality is legal in Hong Kong, but same-sex marriage is not recognized. Only foreign same-sex marriages are recognized.

The assignee, if is staying in Hong Kong for over 180 days must obtain a Hong Kong ID Card (HKID) after arriving in the city. Everyone in the family who is older than 11 years old is required to apply for this card. Visa processing times may vary based on factors such as the type of visa and the applicant’s circumstances. Tenancy agreements must be stamped with the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) within 30 days of date of execution.

Hong Kong has some of the world’s most efficient and developed public transport systems. It has an abundance of taxis, several MTR rail lines, buses, ferries, and trams. Octopus cards that are rechargeable for seamless payments. Driving is generally safe in Hong Kong but requires the driver to adapt to narrow and congested roads. Having a private car is usually not necessary and parking is very limited while public transportation are affordable, punctual and operate in high frequencies for the MTR and buses.

The official currency of Hong Kong is the Hong Kong Dollar (HKD), although some shops will also accept Chinese Yuan (CNY). There are over 250 licensed banks in Hong Kong. Opening a bank account typically require the HKID, company letter to certify local employment, proof of local residence address as well as indicating their Tax Identification Number (TIN).