"Four-in-One" Seminar Series

The four SMEs centres co-organise "Four-in-One" seminar series regularly. Theme of this seminar series in the first half of 2023 is “Business Upgrading and Transformation”, with an aim to assisting enterprises to achieve business upgrade and transformation.  The SUCCESS of TID would organise a seminar under this seminar series on 14 April 2023.  Interested persons are welcome to register at the link below.  Admission is Free.

Business Applications of Innovative Technology in GBA (Webinar)

(This webinar will be held by SUCCESS on 14 April 2023)

The rapid growth of E-Commerce in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) creates enormous business opportunities for SMEs in recent years.  In this webinar, an expert will explain the basic understanding of 5G, Internet of Things (IoT) and big data technology, and share important technology applications and new development opportunities in Hong Kong as well as the whole GBA, with a view to assisting enterprises in upgrading and transformation, and leveraging innovative technology strategically for market expansion in the GBA.  (This webinar will be conducted in Cantonese)

For details and registration, please click here.

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SUCCESS-supported Activities

I. Webinar on Competition Ordinance

(This webinar will be live-streamed on 18 April 2023)

This webinar is organised by the Competition Commission.  SUCCESS is one of the supporting organisations.  In this webinar, representatives from the Competition Commission will provide an overview of the Competition Ordinance, dos and don’ts under the Ordinance, red flags of anti-competitive practices, Leniency and Cooperation Policies, as well as competition law case studies.  (This webinar will be conducted in English.)

More Details
 

II. HR x L&D Mixer Event #1 - Talent Strategy & Beyond

(This event will be held at the HKPC Building on 19 April 2023)

This event is organised by the HKPC.  SUCCESS is one of the supporting organisations.  In this event, learning and development professionals will share their observations on talent training and development, as well as explore the latest trends and strategies on talent development, with a view to increasing enterprises' competitiveness and productivity.  (This event will be conducted in Cantonese.)

More Details
 

III. “Hong Kong．IN．Brand Greater Bay” Serial Activities - Strategies and Experience Sharing Seminar 2023

(This seminar will be held at the Chinese Manufacturers’ Association Building on 25 April 2023)

This seminar is organised by the Hong Kong Brand Development Council and The Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong.  SUCCESS is one of the supporting organisations.  In this seminar, speakers will share their observations on the rapidly-changing consumption culture and business environment in the GBA after the pandemic, the new trend of paradigm shifts brought about by international marketing technologies, as well as the "smart" way for Hong Kong brands to re-enter the GBA market.  (This seminar will be conducted in Cantonese.)

More Details: Seminar (in Chinese only); Serial Activities
 

IV. Is ESG just a Buzz Word? Why ESG and how to integrate ESG into the Employee Cycle? (Webinar)

(This webinar will be live-streamed on 27 April 2023)

This webinar is organised by the HKPC.  SUCCESS is one of the supporting organisations.  This webinar will introduce organisation sustainability and environmental, social and governance (ESG); and explain the benefits of integrating ESG into organisational development and how to integrate ESG into the employee life cycle, with a view to assisting enterprises in increasing their business and people values.  (This webinar will be conducted in Cantonese.)

More Details

Inland Revenue Department - Electronic Filing of Employer’s Return - Easy, Secure and Environment-friendly

Employer’s Returns of Remuneration and Pensions (Form BIR56A) for the year ended 31 March 2023 were issued on 3 April 2023.  Employers are required to complete and file the return to the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) within one month together with the Form IR56B for reporting of remuneration paid to the employees.

Employers can file the employer’s returns online through the e-TAX platform.  The IR56 Forms Preparation Tool can be used to prepare the data file of annual Form IR56B for uploading to the IRD via the Online Mode or the Mixed Mode.  To facilitate employers submitting the data file via the Mixed Mode, commencing from 14 August 2022, only the 1-page (i.e. Cover Page) Control List generated from the system is required to be signed and submitted by each employer, which replaces the prior requirement of signing on each and every page of the Control List.  In addition, to tie in with employers in preparing early for the submission, the IR56 Forms Preparation Tool can be used to prepare the data file of annual IR56B starting from 1 March each year.

Please visit the IRD website https://www.ird.gov.hk/eng/tax/ere.htm for details.

Inland Revenue Department - New Era of Profits Tax Filing Go Forward Go Digital

The IRD issued 2022/23 profits tax returns to corporations and partnership businesses on 3 April 2023.  Particular attention should be paid to the following: 

• All corporations and businesses, regardless of the amount of their gross income and the mode of return filing, must submit profits tax return together with all supporting documents (including financial statements and tax computation).  This includes small corporations and businesses with gross income not exceeding HK$2 million, which will no longer enjoy the exemption from furnishing supporting documents when filing their profits tax returns.
• All relevant supplementary forms and other forms required to be furnished with the profits tax return must be e-filed under eTAX.
• If a taxpayer chooses not to e-file the return, the taxpayer has to print and sign a paper Control List for the supplementary forms and/or other forms e-filed and then furnish the signed Control List together with the profits tax return and supporting documents in paper form.

• All corporations and businesses can e-file profits tax returns under eTAX for the year of assessment 2022/23.  They only need to fill in simplified e-returns online, upload the required completed forms and the supporting documents, prepared in Inline eXtensible Business Reporting Language (“iXBRL”) format, then e-sign and submit the returns through the eTAX services.
• Apart from full electronic filing mode, semi-electronic filing mode is also available under the enhanced eTAX services.
• For full electronic filing or semi-electronic filing of profits tax returns, the taxpayer is required to submit the supporting documents (i.e. financial statements and tax computation) in iXBRL format.  To help taxpayers prepare the required iXBRL data files, IRD iXBRL Data Preparation Tools are available for download on the IRD website (https://www.ird.gov.hk/ixbrl) free of charge.

• Minimizing errors in tax filing
• Reducing the turnaround time for signature or authorization arrangement
• Enhancing the efficiency, reliability and accuracy
• Providing round-the-clock service

First-stage Consultation on Enhancing the Review Mechanism of the Statutory Minimum Wage

The Minimum Wage Commission would like to invite views from various sectors on enhancing the review mechanism of the Statutory Minimum Wage on or before 24 April 2023.

More Details
 

Compensation levels for work injuries and occupational diseases increased

The Legislative Council passed three resolutions on 15 March 2023 to increase the levels of a total of 18 compensation items under the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance, the Pneumoconiosis and Mesothelioma (Compensation) Ordinance and the Occupational Deafness (Compensation) Ordinance.  The adjusted levels of compensation will come into effect on 13 April 2023.

More Details
 

Government announced prevention and control measures and vaccination arrangements in new phase of resumption of normalcy

With the local epidemic situation continuing to subside, the management measures being aligned with upper respiratory tract illnesses, and social and economic activities resuming to full normalcy, the Government announced on 31 March 2023 a new phase of prevention and control measures and vaccination arrangements.

In response to the latest consensus interim recommendations made by the Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases and the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases under the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health in conjunction with the Chief Executive's expert advisory panel on 29 March 2023 regarding the use of COVID-19 vaccines in Hong Kong, people belonging to the priority groups (i.e. older adults aged 50 or above including those living in residential care homes, persons aged 18 to 49 years with underlying comorbidities, persons aged 6 months or above and with immunocompromising conditions, pregnant women and healthcare workers) should receive another vaccine booster in 2023 with a dosing interval of at least six months after the last dose or COVID-19 infection (whichever is later).  People who do not belong to any priority groups can be effectively protected as long as they have received a total of three doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

In light of the experts' advice, the Government announced the following arrangements for the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme 2023:

(1) People belonging to the following priority groups can receive an additional vaccine booster six months after their last dose or COVID-19 infection (whichever is later) free of charge in 2023, regardless of the number of vaccine doses they received in the past: 

1. individuals aged 50 or above (including elderly living in residential care homes);
2. persons aged 18 to 49 years with underlying comorbidities;
3. persons aged 6 months or above and with immunocompromising conditions;
4. pregnant women; and
5. healthcare workers.

HKECIC Extended "Export Credit Guarantee Programme" to End March 2024

HKECIC announced on 28 March 2023 the extension of the “Export Credit Guarantee Programme” (the Programme) to end of March 2024.  The Programme is one of the initiatives in the Chief Executive’s 2021 Policy Address to strengthen support for the SMEs.  It will boost lenders’ confidence in offering export finance to SMEs, thereby supporting them to expand their business notwithstanding the challenging business environment. 

Under the Programme, HKECIC will guarantee up to 70 per cent of the export financing of the policyholders at a maximum guarantee limit of HK$50 million.

For details, please refer to the announcement of HKECIC.  For enquiries, please call Export Credit Guarantee Programme Hotline at 2732 9028.
 

Hong Kong Customs announced implementation arrangement of Dealers in Precious Metals and Stones Regulatory Regime

The Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) announced on 31 March 2023 the Dealers in Precious Metals and Stones Regulatory Regime (the Regime) coming into effect on 1 April 2023, and accepting applications for registration.

Details of the Regime were stipulated in the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing (Amendment) Ordinance 2022 (Ordinance No. 15 of 2022), which was gazetted on 16 December 2022.  The major points are as follows:

• Any person who is seeking to carry on a business of dealing in precious metals and stones and engage in any transaction(s) (whether making or receiving a payment) with total value at or above HK$120,000 in Hong Kong is required to register with C&ED and fulfil his/her anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing statutory obligations as appropriate.
• Precious metals and stones dealers who have been in operation before commencement of the Regime are allowed to apply for registration within the nine-month transitional period (i.e. April to December 2023).  The registration and relevant fees for the first registration will be waived during the period.
• For non-Hong Kong dealers fulfilling the prescribed conditions, although they are exempt from registration, they are required to submit to C&ED within the specified period a cash transaction report for any cash transaction(s) with total value at or above HK$120,000 carried out in Hong Kong.

Streamlined arrangement for Offensive Trades Licence under the Government lease for specified food businesses extended

The Lands Department (LandsD) announced on 31 March 2023 the extension of the streamlined arrangement for the Offensive Trades Licence (OT Licence) under the Government lease from three types to 11 types of food business licences with effect from 31 March 2023.

If a Government lease contains an offensive trades clause, which prohibits the carrying out of the trades of sugar-baker, oilman, butcher, victualler and tavern-keeper on the concerned lot and the premises thereon, the owner of such premises has to obtain an OT Licence from the LandsD in order to operate a food business in such premises.

The LandsD streamlined the arrangement for the OT Licence under the Government lease in November 2021 for three types of food business licences.  If a premises, which is subject to the offensive trades clause under the Government lease, has been granted one or more of the following licences by the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene (DFEH) or the Liquor Licensing Board (LLB) respectively:

(i) General Restaurant Licence;
(ii) Light Refreshment Restaurant Licence; and
(iii) Liquor Licence;

an OT Licence will automatically be deemed to be granted by the LandsD.  The owner of such premises is not required to make an application separately and pay the relevant fee.

To foster a business-facilitating environment for the food industry, the LandsD has extended the streamlined arrangement for the OT Licence to eight other types of licences since 31 March 2023.  If a premises has been granted one or more of the following licences by the DFEH or the LLB respectively:

(i) Bakery Licence;
(ii) Food Factory Licence;
(iii) Fresh Provision Shop Licence;
(iv) Frozen Confection Factory Licence;
(v) Milk Factory Licence;
(vi) Siu Mei and Lo Mei Shop Licence;
(vii) Composite Food Shop Licence; and
(viii) Club Liquor Licence;

an OT Licence will also automatically be deemed to be granted by the LandsD. 

Details of the arrangement are contained in the Lands Administration Office Practice Note No. 3/2023 (https://www.landsd.gov.hk/en/resources/practice-notes/lao.html).

For relevant press release, please visit https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202303/31/P2023033100162.htm.
 

Additional facilitation measures to assist cross-boundary vehicles stranded in Mainland or Macao to return to Hong Kong for vehicle examination extended to 30 June 2023

The Transport Department (TD) announced on 31 March 2023 extending to 30 June 2023 the additional measures to assist cross-boundary vehicles stranded in the Mainland or Macao to return to Hong Kong for vehicle examinations implemented since 1 March 2023.

Eligible cross-boundary vehicles with expired Hong Kong vehicle licences and are stranded in the Mainland or Macao can return to Hong Kong on a specific date through a designated route via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) to a pre-booked designated car testing centre for vehicle examinations to renew their Hong Kong vehicle licences.  The vehicle owner must confirm that the vehicle should be roadworthy for road safety concerns in their application.

Eligible vehicle owners are required to submit application forms to the TD two weeks in advance of the planned date of return (i.e. before 16 June 2023) with the following documents:

(i) Copy of the Mainland approval notice
(ii) Copy of Hong Kong vehicle registration document
(iii) Copies of the designated driver/reserve driver's identity document and valid Hong Kong Full Driving Licence
(iv) Copy of Hong Kong third party risk insurance/cover note valid on the day of return
(v) Copy of Mainland compulsory traffic accident liability insurance/Macao statutory vehicle insurance for motor vehicles valid on the day of return
(vi) Booking record of the service at vehicle examination centre
(vii) Declaration on vehicle performance

An approval letter will be issued to successful applicants.  The approved vehicle shall be driven by the driver on a specified date through a specified route via the HZMB port to the pre-booked designated car testing centre in Hong Kong for the vehicle examination as stipulated in the approval letter.  There is a daily limit set for the number of vehicles to return to Hong Kong.  The TD urged applicants to submit their applications as early as possible.  The TD will publish in the gazette a notice to exempt the cross-boundary vehicles approved to return to Hong Kong on a specified date from the regulations on vehicle registration and licensing.

Eligible vehicle owners may submit their application to the TD in person or by agent through drop-in box, by email or by post two weeks in advance (i.e. before 16 June 2023) of the planned date of return.  The application procedures and details are available at the TD's website (https://www.td.gov.hk/en/home/index.html).  For enquiries, please call 2804 2600.

In the meantime, the existing facilitation measure, which allows eligible cross-boundary vehicles stranded in the Mainland or Macao to be driven back to Hong Kong on a specified date via the HZMB port through a designated route to a designated car park/location in the HZMB Hong Kong Port for parking, has been extended to 30 June 2023.  The vehicle may then be transferred via a self-arranged towing service to a designated vehicle examination centre for a vehicle examination prior to the arrangements for a vehicle licence renewal.

Since Hong Kong has fully resumed connection with the Mainland, the above facilitation measures and additional facilitation measures will expire on 30 June 2023.  The TD has no plan to further extend the arrangements.  Therefore, vehicle owners have to arrange the cross-boundary services for towing back their cross-boundary vehicles with expired vehicle licences to Hong Kong on their own.  The TD reminds eligible vehicle owners to consider early applications for the above facilitation measures, and arrange the return of the cross-boundary vehicles stranded in the Mainland or Macao to Hong Kong.

For relevant press release, please visit https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202303/31/P2023033100491.htm.
 

Inland Revenue Centre in Kai Tak Development Area officially opens

The IRD inaugurated its Inland Revenue Centre (IRC) in the Kai Tak Development Area to mark the official commissioning of the new office building on 30 March 2023.

Located at 5 Concorde Road, the IRC is the new dedicated office building for the IRD and is adjacent to the Trade and Industry Tower and the MTR Kai Tak Station.  The majority of the IRD's units and sections have been relocated to the new building.  The remaining Computer Back Up (Accounts) Section, Estate Duty Office, Refund Section and Tax Reserve Certificates Section, currently located at the Revenue Tower, Wan Chai, are expected to move to the new premises in May 2023.

For information on access to the IRC and the opening hours of the various sections of the IRD, please visit the following website: https://www.ird.gov.hk/eng/cu_ol.htm.

For relevant press release, please visit https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202303/30/P2023033000233.htm.
 

Government issued Policy Statement on Developing Family Office Businesses in Hong Kong

The Government issued the Policy Statement on Developing Family Office Businesses in Hong Kong (Policy Statement) on 24 March 2023.  It sets out the Government's policy stance and measures on developing a vibrant ecosystem for global family offices and asset owners.

The Government announced the following policy measures with a view to creating a conducive and competitive environment for the businesses of global family offices and asset owners to thrive in Hong Kong:

1. A new Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (CIES)
2. Offering tax concessions
3. Market facilitation measures
4. The Hong Kong Academy for Wealth Legacy
5. Art storage facilities at the airport
6. Hong Kong as a philanthropic centre
7. The dedicated FamilyOfficeHK team in InvestHK
8. A new Network of Family Office Service Providers

Consultation on review of Code of Practice for Employment Agencies till 15 May 2023

Consultation period of the Labour Department (LD)'s public consultation on the review of the Code of Practice for Employment Agencies (CoP) will end on 15 May 2023.

The LD promulgated the CoP in 2017 by administrative measures to regulate employment agencies (EAs) with a view to promoting the professionalism and service quality of the industry.  The CoP highlights the salient legislative requirements that EA operators must follow and sets out the minimum standards which the Commissioner for Labour expects from EAs.  The Employment (Amendment) Ordinance 2018 provides a legal basis for the CoP.  In tandem, the LD issued the prevailing CoP pursuant to section 62A(1) of the Employment Ordinance.

The CoP has largely been operating smoothly since its promulgation.  After reviewing the implementation of the CoP, the LD puts forth preliminary proposals with a view to further improving the relevant requirements.  The major proposals include, among others, requiring EAs to set out in the service agreement the amount of fees charged for each category of services to enhance transparency and protect consumers; explaining clearly to foreign domestic helper (FDH) job seekers that under the prevailing policy, an application for change of an employer in Hong Kong within the two-year contract period will normally not be approved save for the exceptional circumstances, such that FDHs would understand the consequence of 'job hopping'; and EAs should not provide monetary incentives to FDHs in employment to induce the latter to terminate their contracts prematurely.

The LD also proposes that when submitting applications for licences, EAs should provide information on whether they have association with and are sharing the same premises with any financial institutions, so as to prevent EAs from colluding with financial institutions to arrange FDHs to take out loans.  In addition, in light of the recommendations made by the Office of The Ombudsman, the LD proposes to require EAs to provide basic information on boarding facilities for their FDH job seekers.  EAs are required to confirm compliance with relevant legislation and regulations.  The LD will revise the CoP after consulting the views of stakeholders.

The consultation paper is available on the EA Portal at https://www.eaa.labour.gov.hk/en/copconsultation2023.html.  Members of the public may send in their views on the proposals by email (eaa-consultation@labour.gov.hk), by facsimile (2115 3756) or by post (Employment Agencies Administration of Labour Department, Unit 906, 9/F, One Mong Kok Road Commercial Centre, 1 Mong Kok Road, Kowloon) on or before 15 May 2023.  For more information, please visit the EA Portal or call the Employment Agencies Administration's hotline at 2115 3665.

For relevant press release, please visit https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202303/21/P2023031700490.htm.
 

Import and Export (Amendment) Bill 2023 for transhipment of alternative smoking products gazetted

The Import and Export (Amendment) Bill 2023 was gazetted on 24 March 2023 to amend the Import and Export Ordinance (Cap. 60) (IEO), with consequential amendments to the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance (Cap. 371) (SPHO), with a view to refining the control and regulatory regime relating to the transhipment of alternative smoking products (ASPs) from the Mainland via Hong Kong to other overseas markets. 

At present, the SPHO already provides for exemptions for ASPs which are articles in transit or air transhipment cargoes.  The Bill proposes to include in the exemption the intermodal ASP transhipment, both sea-to-air and land-to-air mode, via Hong Kong under a newly added part to the IEO.  A new control scheme will also be created under the administration, supervision and enforcement by the Customs and Excise Department to enhance the monitoring and supervision of intermodal ASP transhipment, thereby reducing the risk of ASP leakage into the local market during the course of intermodal transhipment in Hong Kong.  The penalty level for the offence of importing ASPs will also be raised to make it on par with that for the illegal import of prohibited articles under the IEO to further strengthen regulation on intermodal ASP transhipment.

The legislative proposal has already balanced the Government's strenuous effort in tobacco control and the imminent need to maintain Hong Kong's logistics and air cargo transhipment business in order to preserve Hong Kong's position as an international aviation hub under the "Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development of the People's Republic of China and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035".

The Bill also proposes to transfer the offence of importing ASPs originally under the SPHO to the new part of the IEO, so as to enhance clarity of the entire regulatory regime.

The Government has consulted the Panel on Economic Development of the LegCo, the Hong Kong Logistics Development Council as well as the trading and logistics sector, and received general support for the introduction of the Bill into the LegCo.  The Government will continue to engage relevant stakeholders including the medical and health groups to alleviate their concerns about the control and regulation of intermodal ASP transhipment and to reinforce the Government's commitment in enforcing the import ban for ASPs.

The Bill has been introduced into the LegCo on 29 March 2023.

For relevant press release, please visit https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202303/22/P2023032200460.htm.
 

Immigration Department adjusted submission means for applications under four talent admission schemes

Immigration Department (ImmD) announced on 30 March 2023 the adjustment of submission means for applications under four talent admission schemes.

To further promote electronic services for visa applications, with effect from 2 April 2023, the ImmD has adjusted the submission means for visa/entry permit and extension of stay applications under four talent admission schemes, including the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme, the Technology Talent Admission Scheme, the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates and the Admission Scheme for the Second Generation of Chinese Hong Kong Permanent Residents.  Applicants must submit relevant applications by electronic services and the ImmD will no longer accept such applications submitted in person, or by post or drop-in-box.  Eligibility and approval criteria for the relevant schemes remain unchanged.  After submitting the application online, applicants can also upload supplementary documents online and/or inquire the status of applications if necessary.

Electronic services for visa application allow applicants to complete the entire process of application submission, payment and collection of "e-Visa" through the ImmD mobile application, the ImmD's website (https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/index.html) or the GovHK website (https://www.gov.hk/en/nonresidents/), without having to visit an Immigration Office in person.

For enquiries, please call 2824 6111, or send enquiries to the ImmD by email at enquiry@immd.gov.hk or by fax at 2877 7711.

For relevant press release, please visit https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202303/30/P2023033000633.htm.