Posted Abroad? MPF Employer Obligations Hong Kong Firms Still Carry

Chi-wing, a bank officer, is being posted to India for two years — must his employer keep making MPF contributions while he is away? The MPFA’s answer is yes. The deciding factor is not where the company is registered, but whether the employee was hired in Hong Kong.

Must contributions continue during an overseas posting?

The MPF system covers employees employed in Hong Kong. When a company operating in Hong Kong hires a Hong Kong resident here, the employer must enrol them in an MPF scheme and contribute on time — even if the employee is posted abroad for a period, as long as sufficient ties with Hong Kong remain; hiring in Hong Kong is the test.

Three common scenarios

Foreign employees working in Hong Kong

Conversely, a non-Hong Kong resident admitted on an employment visa under the Immigration Ordinance who works here for more than 13 months — and is not in another overseas retirement scheme — must be enrolled in MPF by their employer.

Don’t neglect your MPF while abroad

The MPFA reminds posted employees to keep managing their MPF investments: check contributions and investments regularly through the trustee’s online platform or the annual benefit statement, and adjust the portfolio when needed. For employer and employee contribution duties, see the MPF education hub.