Frequently Asked Questions

The University has adopted a three-rank structure for professoriate staff, comprising Assistant Professor, Associate Professor and Professor. Named Professorships established with the support of endowments may also be awarded to professors of distinguished scholarship.

Housing benefits are available only for posts designated with the provision of such benefits. Eligible non-clinical appointees may be provided with the prevailing housing benefits under the ‘Staff Housing Assistance Package 2018’ (2018 Package) in the form of either (i) a Non-Accountable Housing Cash Allowance (NCA) or (ii) University Accommodation (UA) subject to availability of campus flats and at a contribution of 7.5% salary. The prevailing NCA rates are set out in the below table:

Monthly salary of eligible appointees provided with housing benefits (HK$) (At July 1, 2024 Level)	Housing benefit option(s)	NCA per month (HK$) (w.e.f. August 1, 2018)
$131,370 and above	UA or NCA	$24,000
$120,090 – $131,369	UA or NCA	$18,000
$100,050 – $120,089	NCA	$18,000
$82,330 – $100,049 (Appointees with salary on/above the Government MPS pt.34)	NCA	$14,400

 

The rates of NCA per month shall be subject to upward, downward or no adjustment after annual reviews and be continuously applicable to both current and new benefit-recipients.

Notwithstanding the above, an appointee may instead be accorded housing benefits under the Home Financing Scheme (HFS) if he/she or his/her spouse has previously enjoyed HFS before joining the University.

As regards eligible clinical appointees, Monthly Fixed-Sum Cash Allowance and Housing Subsidy may be provided.

Provision of the above-mentioned housing benefits will be subject to the relevant University regulations, including the rules on the prevention of double housing benefits, and will be subject to review by the University from time to time.

The University provides academic leave (up to 66 working days in an academic year) to enable its teaching staff members to pursue short-term academic activities (e.g. conference attendance, research visits, professional training and development, as well as short-term exchange activities). Sabbatical leave will also be available for professoriate staff who has obtained substantive appointment at the University.

Under the University’s ‘Staff Medical Benefit Scheme 1999’, a full-time appointee will be provided with general out-patient medical care at the University Medical Service Office (“UMSO”) (free of charge) or at designated off-campus private clinics (at subsidized charges). For appointments of longer duration, dental care at UMSO at nominal charges, and reimbursement of expenses for specialist out-patient and in-patient care referred by UMSO will additionally be provided. An appointee on consecutive contract(s) for 3 years or longer will also be provided with maternity benefits. Medical benefits will cover an appointee’s eligible spouse and dependent children as well while they reside in Hong Kong.

An eligible appointee* who has habitually been residing outside Hong Kong for 2 years immediately before taking up appointment at the University may be provided with a non-accountable Relocation Cash Allowance (RCA). The rate of allowance will be determined by (i) family size as at the date of assumption of duty; and (ii) current place of residence.

* Eligible appointees include: Assistant Professor or Research Assistant Professor or equivalent and above, and Terms of Service (A) non-teaching appointees.

You may make a request via the “Supporting Services” section of Hong Kong Talent Engage, a matching platform established by the government, where talents can find various types of services available (including accommodation, education, integrated settlement services, and networking & community) and approach designated service provider(s) for free initial consultation. Charges/fees may incur for subsequent services upon explicit agreement.

MPF is an employment-based statutory retirement protection system implemented by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government. Except for certain categories of exempt persons (cf. Q8 below), all employees aged between 18 and 65 undertaking employment for 60 days or longer in Hong Kong, irrespective of full-time or part-time basis, are required by law to join and contribute to an MPF Scheme. An MPF Scheme member and his/her employer are each required to make mandatory contributions equivalent to 5% of the member’s relevant income in a month (currently capped at HK$1,500 per month) to the Scheme.

Yes. If an appointee is holding an employment visa and is a member of an retirement scheme outside Hong Kong, he/she may be exempted from joining an MPF scheme.

Depending on the duration of the contract and where applicable, an appointee may be entitled to a completion-of-contract gratuity. Such gratuity, together with the contributions made by the University for the appointee to the MPF Scheme will add up to an amount equivalent to 15% or 10% (depending on the level of post) of the total amount of salary during the relevant contract period.

Salary tax in Hong Kong is calculated on the basis of the smaller of:

a) a person’s net chargeable income (i.e. after permissible deductions and allowances) at progressive rates (from 2% to 17%); or
b) his/her net income at standard rate (15% starting from 2011-12 onward).

Details can be found from the website of the Inland Revenue Department of the HKSAR Government: http://www.ird.gov.hk/

Terms of Service (A) - e.g. professoriate, senior lecturer grade, academic-equivalent administrative and professional appointees

Terms of Service (HA-equivalent) - e.g. clinical academic appointees

Terms of Service (B) - e.g. executive, clerical, technical, and research appointees

Terms of Service (C) - e.g. junior appointees

If you do not hold a Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card or other travel/identity document showing that you are lawfully employable in Hong Kong, you will need to apply for and obtain permission for staying and holding employment (usually in the form of an employment visa) prior to arrival in Hong Kong.

In general, if the total period of your employment visa is 13 months or less, you are exempted from joining the MPF scheme. However, if you are subsequently granted an extension of stay in Hong Kong for a further period and the total period of stay under the visa exceeds 13 months, your MPF exemption period will cease starting from the first day after the end of the 13th month. That say, if you have been granted an extension of stay for another 12 months, you are required to join the MPF scheme from the 1st day of the 14th month.

Payroll for staff members will normally be made on the penultimate working day of each month. To ensure timely payment, please submit the signed Letter of Appointment along with local bank account information by the 15th of the month after assumption of duty.

For those joining in later half of a month, the first payment will normally be effected on or before the 7th of the following month.

It is not necessary to apply for RCA. Eligible appointees will receive the said allowance via payroll, upon verification of documentary proof for spouse and dependent children, if any, by the recruiting Department/ Unit and HRO. Since RCA is made on a non-accountable basis, submission of receipts for expenses such as passage or baggage is not required.

An official statement from the relevant authority confirming that you have completed all requirements and have been recommended for the award of a doctoral degree will serve the purpose. Please email the said statement to HRO once it is available.

The commencement date is subject to the mutual agreement between you and the recruiting Department/ Unit. Please liaise with the recruiting Department/ Unit and keep HRO posted.

Your CUHK email address and staff account will be available shortly after you assume duty at the University and your identification documents as well as academic/ professional qualification certificates are verified.