Opening a New Pathway for Company Re-domiciliation

The company re-domiciliation regime is open for application starting today.  I am grateful to the Legislative Council, the business community and stakeholders from various professional sectors for their support and the invaluable insights offered during the legislative process.  Their efforts have helped open a convenient pathway for interested companies to re-domicile to Hong Kong, while ensuring that the process is safe and secure, and facilitating the orderly operation of companies after re-domiciliation.

Amidst ongoing uncertainties in the global political and economic landscape and in the development of international market regulation, Hong Kong’s advantages have become more prominent.  With our fine tradition of the rule of law, robust financial and corporate governance systems, simple tax regime, high-quality professional services, as well as commercial and trading networks with the Mainland and international markets, Hong Kong has become an increasingly attractive destination for companies incorporated outside the city.  Re-domiciling to Hong Kong will enable these companies to cope with the headwinds in the external business environment.  Re-domiciled companies will in turn serve as a new driver of growth for the local market, reinforcing Hong Kong’s unique role as a “super-connector” and “super value-adder”.

I am pleased to hear that some companies are actively preparing to apply for re-domiciliation to Hong Kong.  The Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, the Companies Registry (CR) and financial regulators will provide appropriate support to the applicants to assist with their re-domiciliation.  The CR’s current target is to complete the approval process within two weeks after an applicant has submitted all required documents and information, thus enabling eligible companies to implement their re-domiciliation plans as early as possible.  We are now liaising with traditional offshore jurisdictions to facilitate the companies’ deregistration in their place of incorporation for re-domiciliation to Hong Kong.

As a next step, we will work with Invest Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited and the Economic and Trade Offices to conduct external publicity and promotion aimed at attracting major Hong Kong-listed companies domiciled overseas and other non-local companies to make full use of the company re-domiciliation regime, and hence maximising its benefits.  I also call on peers in the financial and professional services sector to take on an active role in guiding overseas companies in their re-domiciliation to Hong Kong, and to join hands with the Government in drawing together a larger pool of companies, capital and talent to contribute to a more stable, rapid and sustainable growth of the city’s economy.

23 May 2025