IANG: Staying in Hong Kong to Work After Your Degree
By Muntasir • Published May 17, 2026 • Updated Sep 27, 2026 • Canadians Studying Abroad
The IANG scheme lets a Canadian graduate stay in Hong Kong to work after finishing a full-time degree there. Apply within six months of graduation and you do not need a job offer.
🎓 Open to bachelor's, master's and doctoral graduates from full-time, locally accredited Hong Kong programs
Apply within 6 months of graduating: no job offer needed
Apply after 6 months: you need a confirmed job offer
⏱️ First approval grants 24 months with no work restrictions and no employer tie
Processing takes about 2 weeks for recent graduates, 4 weeks for later applicants
What the IANG scheme lets you do
The Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates, run by the Hong Kong Immigration Department , lets you stay in Hong Kong after graduating from a full-time, locally accredited program. You do not need a job offer if you apply within six months of finishing your degree. Once approved, you get an open permit with no restriction on employer or industry.
This matters if you complete a full undergraduate or graduate degree, or a joint Greater Bay Area program, at a Hong Kong university. It gives you room to job search, intern, or start work in Hong Kong instead of lining up an employer before you graduate.
Who qualifies
You qualify if you completed a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree, or another qualification at Hong Kong Qualifications Framework Level 5 or above meeting the required credit load, through a full-time, locally accredited program lasting at least one academic year. Graduates of joint Greater Bay Area campus programs qualify too.
A few nationalities cannot use IANG. Citizens of Afghanistan, Cuba and North Korea are excluded outright. Citizens of Laos, Nepal and Vietnam can only use it if they graduated from a University Grants Committee funded program. Check your citizenship status against the current rules before you build a plan around this route.
Two paths depending on timing
| Applicant type | Timing | Job offer required | Typical processing time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recent graduate | Apply within 6 months of graduation | No | About 2 weeks |
| Non-recent graduate | Apply after 6 months | Yes, a confirmed offer | About 4 weeks |
If you pass the six month window without a job in hand, you move into the non-recent graduate category and need an employer ready to hire you before you submit your application.
Documents to prepare
Valid passport and Hong Kong identity card
Academic transcripts and your graduation certificate, or a letter from your university confirming the graduation date if the certificate has not been issued yet
Employment contract, if you apply as a non-recent graduate
Your employer's company registration and financial documents, for non-recent graduate applications
Start gathering transcripts and a graduation confirmation letter from your registrar before your final semester ends. This avoids a scramble once your six month window opens.
What the first approval gives you
A successful IANG application grants 24 months of stay in Hong Kong, tied only to a time limit and not to a specific employer or job type. You can switch jobs during those two years without reapplying for a new permit. This differs from a typical skilled worker visa elsewhere, where changing employers usually means starting a new application.
Your employer does not need to sponsor you or prove a labour shortage to hire you, unlike some other countries' skilled worker programs. Application fees are non-refundable once submitted, so confirm your documents are complete before you pay.
Extending your stay and family members
After the initial 24 months, you can apply to extend if you keep working in Hong Kong. Continuous ordinary residence in Hong Kong for seven years is the general threshold for permanent residency under Hong Kong immigration law, and time spent on an IANG-based stay counts toward that clock.
If you are married, your spouse and unmarried children under 18 can apply to join you in Hong Kong as dependants once your IANG stay is approved. IANG itself does not grant permanent residency directly. It gives you a route to keep working in Hong Kong and to accumulate the years of ordinary residence that permanent residency requires.
Settling in for work: ID card and taxes
If you already hold a Hong Kong identity card from your time as a student on a Hong Kong student visa, keep it current once your status switches to IANG. If you arrive under IANG after finishing your degree without holding a card yet, register for your Hong Kong identity card soon after your visa is approved. Once you start earning, register with Hong Kong's Inland Revenue Department for salaries tax, since Hong Kong runs personal income tax through individual filings rather than the automatic payroll deduction system used in Canada.
Set up a local bank account once you have your ID card and a Hong Kong address, since most employers pay salary by direct deposit into a Hong Kong account rather than by check. Bring your offer letter and passport to your bank appointment, since new account holders usually need proof of both identity and employment or study status.
Practical steps for Canadian graduates
Book time with your university's career services office in your final year. Many host on-campus interviews with Hong Kong and regional employers before graduation
Apply for IANG as soon as your graduation is confirmed rather than waiting for your convocation date
Keep digital copies of your transcripts, passport and degree certificate ready before you submit your application
If you leave Hong Kong before applying, you can still submit your IANG application from outside the territory as long as you are within the six month window
IANG gives you a real runway to build Hong Kong work experience without needing a job offer lined up before you finish your degree. Use your career services office and the six month window together to make the most of it.