Tax Clearance Specialist

Hong Kong Tax Clearance — Leaving HK the Right Way

Departing Hong Kong permanently or for an extended period triggers specific IRD obligations for both you and your employer. Failure to obtain proper tax clearance can result in withheld final pay, passport-flagging by immigration, and unresolved tax liabilities that follow you overseas.

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1 Month Advance notice required to IRD

HKD 0 Left unpaid with proper clearance

2–4 weeks Typical clearance timeline

Tax Clearance Specialist

⚠️

⚠ Your Employer Must Withhold Final Pay Until Tax Clearance is Issued

Under s.52(6) of the IRO, when an employer knows an employee is leaving HK, they are required to notify the IRD (IR56G form) at least 1 month before departure, and to WITHHOLD final wages until the IRD issues a "letter of release." If you leave without clearance, your employer may face penalties and you may have outstanding tax liabilities that attract interest from the departure date.

Common Challenges

Are you facing these tax issues?

Timing the Departure Process

Tax clearance requires at least 1 month's advance notice to the IRD via IR56G. Last-minute decisions to leave HK create a rushed process that can delay your departure or leave tax unpaid.

⚠ Risk: Departure before clearance → withheld final pay and IRD enforcement

Employer IR56G/IR56F Obligations

Your employer must file IR56G before departure and subsequently IR56F to finalise the reporting. Many employers — especially smaller ones — are unaware of these obligations.

⚠ Risk: Employer fails to file → penalty on employer + your tax position unsettled

Provisional Tax Settlement

Any outstanding provisional tax must be settled or objected to before departure. Unresolved provisional tax demands become immediately payable on departure.

⚠ Risk: Leaving with unpaid provisional tax → IRD pursues you overseas via CDTAs

Ongoing HK Income After Departure

Rental income from HK property, deferred compensation, or RSUs that vest after your departure may still create HK tax obligations — which must be filed while abroad.

⚠ Risk: Post-departure HK income unfiled → growing liability + interest

Who It's For

Who This Service Is For

Expatriates finishing their HK assignment

Foreign nationals at the end of a HK secondment or fixed-term employment returning home.

HK residents emigrating permanently

Local residents leaving HK under BN(O) or other emigration pathways.

Employees transferring to overseas offices

Those moving to Singapore, UK, US, or other locations within the same employer group.

Retirees relocating abroad

HK residents retiring to mainland China, Malaysia, or elsewhere.

Employers of departing staff

HR and payroll teams needing to manage their IR56G/IR56F obligations correctly.

Our Services

What We Cover

IR56G / IR56F Preparation & Filing

We prepare your employer's notice of departure and subsequent lump-sum return.

Ensuring correct final income figures, deductions, and timing

Final Tax Liability Calculation

We calculate your exact final tax liability including all income, deductions, and allowances for the partial year.

Including severance pay, MPF, and any deferred income treatment

Departure Year BIR60 Filing

We file your final BIR60 covering the period from 1 April to your departure date.

With full allowances applied and provisional tax reconciliation

IRD Letter of Release Coordination

We liaise with the IRD to obtain the letter of release so your employer can release your final wages.

Typically within 2–4 weeks of full documentation submission

Post-Departure HK Tax Management

For ongoing HK income (rental, RSUs, deferred compensation), we manage your annual filing obligations from abroad.

Acting as your authorised tax representative in HK

How It Works

Simple, efficient, professional

Departure Planning Consultation

We discuss your departure timeline and map all tax obligations — yours and your employer's.

1 day

IR56G Preparation & Employer Notification

We prepare the IR56G and ensure your employer files it at least 1 month before departure.

1–2 days

Final Tax Computation & BIR60 Filing

We compute your final liability and file your departure-year return.

3–5 days

Letter of Release & Final Settlement

We coordinate with IRD to obtain clearance and confirm with your employer that wages can be released.

2–4 weeks

Ready to Get Started? No obligation — cancel anytime

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Client Success Stories

Real results for real clients

Case Study

Expat executive departing to Singapore with final RSUs

HKD 0 withheld (full wages released) Saved

Departure in 5 weeks from initial enquiry
Final salary HKD 340,000 (withheld pending clearance)
IR56G filed immediately; BIR60 filed same week
IRD letter of release obtained in 3 weeks
RSU vesting plan set up for next 2 years post-departure

"TAX.hk turned a potentially chaotic departure into a smooth, fully compliant process."

Verified Client Case Study

Case Study

HK resident emigrating with ongoing rental income

Ongoing annual compliance managed remotely Saved

Emigrated to UK under BN(O)
Retained HK investment property generating HKD 240,000/year rent
Annual BIR57 filed by TAX.hk as authorised representative
Personal Assessment election maintained post-departure for mortgage offset

"I can live in the UK and never worry about my HK property tax obligations. TAX.hk handles everything."

Verified Client Case Study

★★★★★ 2,400+ clients trust our team

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Free Expert Consultation

Speak with a senior tax specialist today

Free 30-min initial consultation
Senior CPA assigned to your case
No obligation — cancel anytime

HKICPA Registered 24-Hour Response No Obligation

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Email Address

Phone Number

Company Name

Planned Departure Date

Employment Status

Ongoing Hong Kong Income?

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Your information is kept strictly confidential.

Why Choose Us

Why Choose TAX.hk

Deep HK Tax Expertise

Our CPAs have 15+ years of HK tax experience and keep current with every IRD update.

Transparent Fixed Fees

No hourly billing surprises. Know your cost upfront before we start.

24-Hour Response

We respond to all enquiries within one business day. Urgent cases within 4 hours.

Strict Confidentiality

All client information is held under strict professional duty of confidentiality.

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to your questions

IR56G is the "Notification by an employer of an employee who is about to cease to be employed and to leave Hong Kong." Your employer must submit it to the IRD at least 1 month before your expected departure date. This triggers the tax clearance process. Failure to file on time exposes your employer to penalties under s.80 of the IRO.

No, unless you provide a sufficient monetary security (equivalent to the estimated tax) to your employer. Under s.52(6) of the IRO, your employer is prohibited from paying your final remuneration until either the IRD issues a "release letter" or you provide an equivalent security deposit. This is to ensure your tax liability is satisfied before you leave HK.

The statutory requirement is 1 month advance notice — so technically you are behind. However, the IRD does process expedited clearances in genuine cases. We contact the IRD immediately, file all required documents simultaneously, and use our professional relationships to expedite. With all documentation ready, clearance in 3 weeks is achievable in most cases.

Yes. RSUs that vest after your departure but were earned (at least partially) during your HK employment period may still create HK salaries tax obligations. You will need to file a HK tax return for the year in which they vest, reporting the HK-apportioned portion. We act as your HK tax representative and manage this on your behalf from abroad.

Yes. Rental income from HK property is assessable to HK property tax regardless of where the owner lives. You must continue filing annual property tax returns (BIR57) and paying property tax even from overseas. We provide an ongoing annual compliance service for non-resident HK property owners.

Hong Kong Tax Clearance — Leaving HK the Right Way

Tax Clearance Specialist

⚠ Your Employer Must Withhold Final Pay Until Tax Clearance is Issued