香港非本地创始人-初创公司的特点

投资推广署和政府统计处的年度调查还有另一个目标人群。现在我们将讨论另一项关于原籍国/地区的非本地创始人/初创公司的调查结果。 
香港非本地创办人有什么特点
非本地创始人的数量
根据 2020 年的调查，共有 3360 家初创企业在运营。简而言之，它比 2017 年增加了 50%。此外，多年来初创公司数量的持续增长证明了香港作为领先的初创公司枢纽充满活力的环境。 
创业就业
2020年共有3360家创业公司，创造就业。与2017年相比，增长了69%。
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地点数量：共享办公空间、孵化器和加速器
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创业社区来源
报告显示，创业社区高度国际化。69% 的创业者来自香港，5% 是香港海归。然后 26% 来自香港以外的地区。而内地（15%）、英国（12.3%）、美国（10.7%）和澳大利亚（9.1%）则是创业公司的主要来源。 
香港仍然是初创企业的主要枢纽
因此，这项研究表明，来自世界不同地区的企业家和人才都被香港所吸引。过去一年，本地商界面临各种挑战。从美中贸易冲突到香港的社会动荡，以及最近的疫情。在所有困难中，世界各地的新冠肺炎病例激增对全球企业产生了负面影响。由于旅行限制和检疫要求的收紧，以及对某些地方的封锁。这些都给投资情绪和全球经济发展蒙上了阴影。尽管如此，上述两项调查的结果表明，香港的基本面和核心优势依然稳固和强劲。 
如想了解更多信息，请联系我们。
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NEW INSPECTION REGIME FOR THE COMPANIES REGISTER

The Government gazetted updates to the Companies Ordinance introducing the new address inspection regime for the Companies Register. In addition to this, the new subsidiary legislation will be launched in 3 phases.

Correspondence Address Replace Residential Address

The subsidiary legislations stipulate that the Companies Registry (CR)’s Companies Register is to make available for public inspection. Hence, directors’ correspondence addresses will replace of their usual residential addresses (URAs). Nevertheless, partial identification numbers (IDNs) of directors, company secretaries and other relevant people in place of full IDNs. 

Reasons for the New Legislation?

In view of rising community concern over whether personal information contained in public registers is adequately protected. The Government considers it appropriate to implement the new inspection regime under the Companies Ordinance now. In order to enhance personal information while ensuring that the public can continue inspecting the register. 

Who can access the information? 

Under the new regime, specified people may access URAs and full IDNs which are categorised as protected information. 

Specified people include data subjects and those they authorise. In general, the company’s members; public officers, public bodies and people or organisations who need to use protected information for executing statutory functions; lawyers practising in law firms and practising accountants; banks; and financial institutions and designated non-financial businesses and professions regulated under the Anti-Money Laundering & Counter-Terrorist Financing Ordinance. 

The new inspection regime will run in 3 Phases

Phase 1: Starting on 23rd August, 2021

The companies may replace directors’ URAs with their correspondence addresses, and directors’ and company secretaries’ full IDNs with their partial IDNs on their registers for public inspection.

Phase 2: Starting on 24th October, 2022

Particularly, protected information on the index of directors on the register will be replaced with correspondence addresses and partial IDNs for public inspection. Especially protected information contained in documents filed for registration after the commencement of this phase will not be provided for public inspection. However, specified people may apply to the CR for accessing protected information. 

Phase 3: Starting on 27th December, 2023

Data subjects may apply to the CR for protecting their protected information from public inspection contained in documents already registered with the CR before the commencement of phase two, and replace such information with correspondence addresses and partial IDNs. Specified people may apply to the CR for accessing protected information. 

Still, the new provisions on public inspection of information in under gazette. 

For further information, please contact us.

You may want to read: 4 MAIN REGISTERS AT THE HONG KONG COMPANY REGISTRY

公司注册处对提交文件硬拷贝时的纸质标准的要求

尽管注册易或电子提交成为流行趋势。还有一些人会将文件的硬拷贝提交给公司注册处。如果您是其中之一，则应注意纸张标准和要求。 
什么是论文标准和要求？
普通、白色、中等重量的 A4 纸，表面为哑光。克重不小于76gsm和201mm x 297mm尺寸
文本必须用具有均匀密度的永久黑色墨水以纵向格式打印或打印在纸上。字体大小至少为 10 号。
纸张设置：
内容页边距：每个内容页的四边各 5 毫米
首页边距：顶部和底部边距分别至少为 35 毫米和 50 毫米。
包含 2 张或更多张纸的文件应在左上角装订固定在一起。
双面打印是可以的。文档第二页上的信息应打印在第一页的背面。
对于单独装订的股东名单，您可以将名单打印在横格纸上，纸张尺寸大于A4。您可以使用增强模式使用 24 针式点阵打印机。
如想了解更多信息，请与我们联系。 
您可能需要阅读：香港可接受的官方文件格式

新的公司注册检查制度

政府在宪报刊登《公司条例》的最新修订，为公司注册处引入新的地址查阅制度。除此之外，新的附属法例将分三个阶段推出。
通讯地址取代住址
附属法例规定，公司注册处的公司登记册须供公众查阅。因此，董事的通讯地址将取代他们通常的住址 (URA)。而董事、公司秘书和其他相关人员的部分身份识别号码 (IDN) 代替了完整的 IDN。 
新立法的原因是什么？
鉴于社区越来越关注公共登记册中包含的个人信息是否得到充分保护。政府认为现在实施《公司条例》下的新检查制度是适当的。为了增强个人信息，同时确保公众可以继续检查登记册。 
谁可以访问这些信息？ 
在新制度下，特定人员可以访问归类为受保护信息的 URA 和完整 IDN。 
指定人员包括数据主体及其授权的人员。一般来说，公司的成员；需要使用受保护信息来执行法定职能的公职人员、公共机构和个人或组织；在律师事务所执业的律师和执业会计师；银行；金融机构以及受《反洗钱及反恐融资条例》规管的指定非金融业务和专业。 
新的检查制度将分三个阶段运行
第1阶段：从2021年8月23日开始
公司可以将董事的 URA 替换为其通讯地址，并将董事和公司秘书的完整 IDN 替换为其登记册上的部分 IDN，以供公众查阅。
第 2 阶段：从2022年10月24日开始
特别是，登记册上董事索引的受保护信息将被替换为通讯地址和部分 IDN，以供公众查阅。在此阶段开始后提交注册的文件中包含的特别受保护的信息将不会提供给公众查阅。但是，特定人员可以向 CR 申请访问受保护信息。 
第三阶段：从2023年12月27日开始
数据主体可以向 CR 申请保护其在第二阶段开始前已在 CR 注册的文件中包含的受保护信息免遭公众查阅，并将此类信息替换为通信地址和部分 IDN。特定人员可以向 CR 申请访问受保护信息。 
尽管如此，关于公众查阅公报中信息的新规定。 
如需更多信息，请联系我们。
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COMPANY REGISTRY REQUIREMENT ON PAPER STANDARD WHEN FILING HARDCOPIES OF DOCUMENT

Even though e-Registry or electronic submission became prevailing trend. Still some people will file hardcopies of document to Company Registry. If you are one of those, you should keep an eye on the paper standard and requirement. 

What is the Paper Standard and Requirement?

  • Plain, white, medium weight A4 paper with matt surface. That is, grammage not less than 76gsm and 201mm x 297mm size
  • The text must be printed or typed clearly and legibly on paper in portrait format in permanent black ink with uniform density. Font size at least size 10.
  • Paper Setting:
    • Content Page Margin: 5 mm on all sides of each content page
    • First Page Margin: at least 35mm & 50mm on top and bottom margin respectively.
  • Document comprises with 2 or more sheets should fastened together securely at the top left corner.
  • Duplex printing is acceptable. Information on the second page of a document should print on the reverse side of the first page.
  • For separately bound shareholders’ list, you can print the list out on lined paper and paper size is larger than A4. You can use 24-pin type dot matrix printer using the enhanced mode.

For further information, please contact us. 

You may want to read: ACCEPTABLE OFFICIAL DOCUMENT FORMAT IN HONG KONG

香港公司注册处的4个主要登记册

香港有限公司的 4 个主要登记册是什么？ 
主要有 4 个登记册：董事名册、公司秘书名册、成员名册和重要控制人名册。 
根据香港的新公司条例，有限责任公司必须有一名指定的公司秘书。自您开始营业以来，您必须通知公司注册处 (CR) 和税务局 (IRD)。如果贵公司的资料有任何更新，包括注册地址、股东、董事、公司秘书和股份变动的信息。您还必须更新 CR 和 IRD。
董事名册 
香港公司必须备存董事名册。而且必须是英文。尽管如此，每家公司都需要至少一名董事。根据公司条例第 158 条规定，贵公司没有董事是违法的。因此，自公司成立以来，您需要保留适当的董事登记册，其中包含相关详细信息或详情。 
公司秘书名册
根据《公司条例》（第 622 章）第 474(1) 条，每家公司必须在香港委任一名公司秘书。公司秘书登记册包括所有公司秘书历史的记录。
成员名册
会员名册可以用英文或中文书写。所有业务经理都需要将此登记册保存在香港的注册地址。否则，公司必须提交表格 NR2 通知公司注册处。 
重要控制人名册
根据《公司条例》（第 622 章），重要控制人登记册是提高实益拥有人透明度的工具。新法律于 2018 年 3 月1日生效。该法律的目的是避免滥用公司结构。例如，隐藏犯罪所得、避税或资助恐怖分子。它是一种防止在重要控制人登记制度中滥用公司结构的工具。 
重要控制人由两部分组成： 
可注册人– 控制公司并被视为可注册法律实体的人。
可注册法人实体——公司和公司股东。该公司对公司拥有重大控制权。 
 
在哪里保存您的公司记录？
每家公司都应保存公司记录。此外，4 个主要登记册必须保存在香港的注册办事处。如果您不打算将登记册保存在您的注册办事处，那么您必须提交表格 NR2 以通知 CR 您将每个登记册保存在哪里。但是，登记册仍需在香港维持。 
公司是一个法人实体。这与创始人、股东和员工完全分开。因此，组织本身必须遵守《公司条例》中的众多要求。
公司秘书在香港的角色是什么？
我们在之前的博客中强调了任命专业公司秘书的重要性。同时，专业的公司秘书可以介入并处理所有公司条例。事实上，委任公司秘书在香港是必须的。 
公司秘书的工作是什么？  
准备并提交香港政府要求的任何法律要求。
准备、记录、存储和复制所有法定文件
按照法规要求向公司注册处提交文件
执行公司的议程并在董事会会议上做记录
维护公司的法定和非法定记录和登记册
成为公司与注册处之间的主要纽带
当公司想要停止运营时，负责公司注销
在会议期间执行董事会的决议
如果需要，就立法、破产和清算中的任何问题提供建议。
申请公司商业登记证
最后，如果您最初未能提供准确的信息或在续订期间未能更新任何登记册。你的公司会犯下刑事罪行。责任人可处以港币 25,000 元的罚款。同时，只要违法行为持续，每天进一步罚款港币700元。因此，请确保您的公司注册符合公司条例的要求。 
但是，您可以通过 CR 或 IRD 网站保持信息更新。否则，您的公司秘书可以帮助您。 
如想了解更多信息，请联系我们。
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MATERNITY LEAVE REIMBURSEMENT SCHEME IN HONG KONG

What is the Reimbursement of Maternity Leave Pay (RMLP) Scheme?

The Employment (Amendment) Ordinance 2020 (“Amendment Ordinance”) took effect on 11 December 2020. The Amendment Ordinance increases the maternity leave (“ML”) under the Employment Ordinance (“EO”) (Cap. 57) from 10 weeks to 14 weeks. 

Other then the first 10 weeks maternity leave pay (“MLP”), the employers are required to pay statutory rate to the entitled employee. That is 80% of the employee’s average daily wage on the first 10 weeks. Furthermore,  the wage of the additional 4 weeks MLP payable in respect of the extension of maternity leave after the first 10 weeks, its subject to a ceiling of $80,000 per employee. 

Moreover, the RMLP Scheme is an administrative scheme overseen by the Labour Department and operated by a processing agent to control and monitor the said scheme.

All the same, employers are required to pay the additional four weeks’ MLP (i.e. 11th to 14th week) under the Amendment Ordinance on the normal pay day. Then after employers may apply to the RMLP Scheme for reimbursement of such MLP paid. 

Criteria for Application:

An application of Reimbursement of Maternity Leave Pay must meet the following requirements:

  1. the employee pertinent to the application employed by the employer (“applicant”) is covered by EO;
  2. ML and MLP are fulfilled by the employee.
  3. The employee have taken her ML and the applicant has paid 14 weeks’ MLP to the employee;
  4. The confinement date of the employee occurs on or after 11 December 2020; and
  5. The additional 4 weeks’ MLP paid to the employee has not been/ will not be covered / subsidized by other government funding.

For further information, please contact us. 

You may want to read: THE 2021-2022 BUDGET TARGETS ON REVIVING THE ECONOMY

 

香港的产假补偿计划

什么是产假补偿 (RMLP) 计划？
《2020 年雇佣（修订）条例》于 2020 年 12 月 11 日生效。《修订条例》将《雇佣条例》（“EO”）（第 57 章）下的产假（“ML”）由 10 个星期延长至14 周。 
除首 10 周产假工资（“MLP”）外，雇主必须向有资格的雇员支付法定工资。这是员工前 10 周平均日工资的 80%。此外，在第一个 10 周后延长产假的额外 4 周 MLP 的工资，其上限为每名员工 80,000 港元。 
此外，RMLP 计划是一项行政计划，由劳工处监管，并由处理代理运作，以控制和监督上述计划。
尽管如此，根据《修订条例》，雇主必须在正常发薪日支付额外四个星期的 MLP（即第 11 至第 14 周），而雇主可以向RMLP计划申请报销已支付的MLP。 
申请标准：
申请补偿 产假薪酬 须符合以下条件：
与雇主雇用的申请相关的雇员（“申请人”）受 EO 保护；
ML 和 MLP 由员工完成。
员工已经拿到了她的 ML，并且申请人已经向员工支付了 14 周的 MLP；
雇员的分娩日期发生在 2020 年 12 月 11 日或之后；和
支付给员工的额外 4 周 MLP 没有/不会得到其他政府资金的覆盖/补贴。
如想了解更多信息，请联系我们。 
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4 MAIN REGISTERS AT THE HONG KONG COMPANY REGISTRY

What are the 4 Main Registers for a Hong Kong Limited Company? 

There are 4 main registers: Register of Director(s), Register of Company Secretary, Register of Members and Register of Significant Controllers. 

Under the New Companies Ordinance in Hong Kong requires limited liability companies to have a designated Company Secretary. You must to inform the Companies Registry (CR) and Inland Revenue Department (IRD) since you start your business. If your company’s particulars have any update including registered address, information of shareholders, directors, company secretary and share changes. You have to update CR and IRD as well.

Register of Director 

A Hong Kong company must maintain a register of directors. And it must be in English. Nevertheless, every company needs at least one director on the board. According to section 158 of the Company Ordinance stated that it is illegal not to have a director in your company. Therefore, you need to maintain a proper register of directors with relevant details or particulars since the incorporation. 

Register of Company Secretary

Under section 474(1) of the Companies Ordinance (Cap 622), every company must appoint a Company Secretary in Hong Kong. The Register of Company Secretaries includes the record of all the Company Secretaries history.

Register of Member

Register of Member can be written in English or Chinese. All business managers need to keep this register at the registered address in Hong Kong. Otherwise, the company has to file Form NR2 notifying the Companies Registry. 

Register of Significant Controllers

According to the Companies Ordinance (Cap 622), a Significant Controller Register is a tool to enhance the transparency of beneficial ownership. The new law rolled into effective on 1st March 2018. The purpose of the law is to avoid the misuses of company structure. For instance, hiding criminal proceeds, tax avoidance, or financing of the terrorist. It is a tool against company structure misuse in the Significant Controller Register regime. 

A Significant Controller consists of 2 parts: 

Registrable Person – a person who has control over the company and is considered as a registrable legal entity.

Registrable Legal Entity – a company and a shareholder of the company. This company has significant control over the company. 

 

Where to keep your Company Records?

Every company should maintain the Company Records. Furthermore, the 4 main registers must be kept at the registered office in Hong Kong. If you are not going to keep the registers at your registered office. Then you have to file a form NR2 to notify the CR where do you keep each register. However, the registers still need to maintain in Hong Kong. 

A company is a legal entity. That is totally separate from the founders, shareholder and employees. Thus, the organization itself has to comply with the numerous requirements in the Companies Ordinance.

What are the roles of a Company Secretary in Hong Kong?

We have emphasized the importance of appointing a professional Company Secretary in our previous blogs. Meanwhile a professional Company Secretary can jump in and deal with all the Company Ordinances. In fact, appointing a Company Secretary is a MUST in Hong Kong. 

What are the jobs of a Company Secretary?  

  1. Prepare and submit any legal requirement requested by the Hong Kong government.
  2. Prepare, record, store, and reproduce all statutory documents
  3. File documents with Companies Registry, as required by statute
  4. Run your company’s agenda and take minutes during board meetings
  5. Maintain the company’s records and registers, both statutory and non-statutory
  6. Become the main link between a company and a registry office
  7. Is responsible for company deregistration when the company wants to cease operations
  8. Implement the board’s resolutions during meetings
  9. Advice on any issue in legislation, bankruptcy, and liquidation if the need arises.
  10. Apply for the company’s business registration certificate

Last but not the least, if you fail to provide accurate information initially or update any of the registers during the renewal. Your company would have committed a criminal offense. The accountable individuals are liable to a fine start at HKD25,000.  Meanwhile, the further penalty of HKD700 per day for as long as the offense persists. So, please make sure your company registry is up to requirement of Company Ordinance. 

Yet, you can keep your information update via CR or IRD website. Otherwise, your Company Secretary can help you. 

For further information, please contact us.

You may want to read: COMPANY REGISTRY – FAILURE TO DELIVER ANNUAL RETURN

公司更新必须在 15 天内报告

每间注册公司都必须遵守《公司条例》的规定。还必须在规定的时间内向公司注册处处长提交法定申报表。公司更新必须在 15 天内通知公司注册处，而一些公司更新需要在 42 天内报告。
 
什么情况应该在变更后的15天内报告？
第 658 条要求公司以 NR1 表格提交注册办事处地址变更通知。
第 645 条和第 652 条规定，如果公司董事、公司秘书和/或详情发生变化，公司应在表格 ND2A 和/或 ND2B 中提交变更通知。
什么情况下您应该在更改后的 42 天内报告？
根据第 662 和 654 条的规定，以下公司必须以 NAR1 表格形式提交周年申报表以及年度注册费 
就私人公司而言，在该年公司注册成立周年日后的 42 天内。
对于上市公司，就每个财政年度而言，在公司报税日后 42 天内。公司的回报日为公司会计基准期结束后 6 个月的日期。申报表必须附有经核证的公司财务报表、董事报告和审计报告的真实副本。
对于担保有限公司，就每个财政年度而言，在公司返回日期后的 42 天内。公司的回报日期为公司会计参考期结束后 9 个月的日期。申报表必须附有经核证无误的公司财务报表、董事报告和审计报告的副本。
如需更多信息，请联系我们。
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