How do you set up MPF in Hong Kong in 2026?

The Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (MPFA) explains that employers must enrol most full-time and part-time employees aged 18 to 64 who work continuously for 60 days or more. Enrolment must finish within the first 60 calendar days of employment, counting holidays. Exempt persons exist, but assume you are in scope until HR or MPFA guidance says otherwise.

Enrolment runs through the eMPF Platform. Employers submit the request there. Both sides may complete parts online. After acceptance, eMPF issues a notice of participation naming the scheme, trustee, and member.

MPFA lists the core employee pack: name, Hong Kong Identity Card (HKID) number, date of birth, address and phone, email if available, fund choice where the scheme allows selection, and a tax residency self-certification stating whether you are a tax resident outside Hong Kong. Without that self-certification, eMPF cannot open the account.

Get the HKID early so payroll and MPF data match: Get a Hong Kong Identity Card. Keep a local bank account ready for any refunds or later withdrawals that require Hong Kong payment details: Open a bank account.

Relevant income contribution rates and maximum relevant income levels are set in MPF rules and can be revised. Confirm the current employee and employer percentage and income cap with your HR pack or MPFA tables rather than memorising an old payslip.

Register on the eMPF Platform, check that the scheme and trustee match your notice of participation, and review default versus chosen funds. When you change jobs, ask how existing special voluntary contributions or preserved accounts will be handled so you do not leave orphaned balances behind.

Self-employed people follow a different MPF enrolment path from regular employees. Do not copy a friend's employee checklist if you are freelancing. Lawful work status still sits upstream in Apply for a residence or work entry permit.